Isaac & Kynda's Best-Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

A long time ago, when Isaac was young, he and I made chocolate chip cookies together over and over--trying to get them to come out soft and chewy instead of hard as brick bats.  What's a brick bat?  I don't know, but I heard my great-grandmother use that saying when I was a little girl.  I assume they used to call bricks "brick bats".  But maybe there was such a thing as a bat made out of brick??  I will have to ask my mama to see if she remembers.

Anyway, the point is, Isaac and I came up with the best-ever recipe for chocolate chip cookies.  It's pretty simple.  Take the toll-house recipe off the bag of chocolate chips and make 3 changes.

1)  Half the butter.  One stick instead of two.
2)  Twice the chocolate chip cookies.  You knew this was going to be included, didn't you?
3)  Use at least two kinds of chocolate chips. We used to use one bag of milk chocolate chips and one bag of semi-sweet.  But now the grocery store also has dark chocolate chips.  So use some combination of dark&milk&semi or dark&milk or dark&semi or semi&milk, etc.  You get the idea.
4)  There is a fourth rule, but it's not really a change to the recipe.  It's just a cookie-baking rule--don't bake the cookies too long.  There's a fine fine line between underbaked, just right, and hard-as-brick-bats.  In my oven, it's 9-10 minutes at 350.  The edge of the cookie is just turning golden brown  and the middle still looks just a tad gooey.

These days I don't bake cookies very often.  Too many calories.  Despite watching our blood sugar, we're also watching the scale creep up in the wrong direction.

When I bake these best-ever cookies, I think about Judson and Isaac when they were little.  I am so proud of the grown men they have become.  And the sight of Betsy smiling with  chocolate smears on her face--well,  I am blessed beyond blessed.  

Post Funeral

Family is good medicine when you're sad.  And Betsy & Kyle are the best medicine ever.  We laughed and had a good time together.  Except when Betsy fell off the merry-go-round.  Then we were just thankful that she was okay and we could kiss that boo-boo and make it feel better.

And it was so good to see Judson and Isaac together again--it's been a long time.  Hopefully not so long for the next visit. 

Saturday Flowers

PJ & Jeff & Mama sent this beautiful vase to us for Warren's funeral.  There were lots of pretty flowers that gave us comfort and beauty at a very sad time.

A little broken heart from Betsy & Kyle.  When I went to funerals as a little girl, I remember there was always a small broken heart pillow in the casket.  I don't know if they are done much anymore, but I love it and I know Warren would have too.

11-2008

9-2012

Warren Lee Canada

 

We are sad, but relieved that his struggle is over.  Warren loved us all so much and we will miss him every day.  Thank you to Rachel for taking this picture just a few short weeks ago while she and Judson and the babies came to visit.  I am so proud that both of my boys came back home to visit with Warren as soon as they learned the news of his illness.

And thank you to my mama and PJ and Jeff who inspired us to take one last trip to the Cozy Dog.  Warren hadn't wanted to go anywhere, didn't want to eat much of anything.  But the minute someone said something about going to the Cozy Dog, he was ready to go. . . In his pajamas. . .  Well, why not?  We had a great time and made another sweet memory.  Here is the obituary:

Warren Lee Canada, 75, of Springfield, died at 4:15 pm, Tuesday, October 9, 2012 at his home. He was born January 13, 1937 in Karnak, IL to Ray and Lois Laverne Smith Canada. He married Vivian A. Hausman on September 4, 1959 at Metropolis, IL and she survives.

Also surviving are one son Mark (Kynda) Canada of Springfield; two grandsons, Judson (Rachel) Jones and Isaac Jones; two great grandchildren, Betsy Helen and Kyle Warren Jones; two sisters, Earline Welton of Ann Arbor, MI and Brenda (Tim) Atchinson of Jackson, MI; a special sister-in-law, Lydia Canada of Ann Arbor, MI and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

His parents; three brothers James, William and Robert Canada and two sisters, Mildred Holshouser and Margaret McMullen preceded him in death.

Warren was a U.S. Army veteran serving during the Korean Era. He was a member of the First Baptist Church. He loved golfing and played almost daily after retirement. He was on a bowling league and was an avid Cub and Illini fan. He formerly was a fast pitch softball pitcher for the Baptist Team.

He retired from Borden Chemical Company in Illiopolis on June 1, 1999, after 29 years of service.
Visitation: 5-7 pm, Friday, October 12, 2012 at Staab Funeral Home.
Funeral Service: 7 pm, Friday, October 12, 2012 at Staab Funeral Home with Chaplain John Nelson officiating.

Burial will be at 11 am, Monday, October 15, 2012 at Woodville Cemetery, in Kevil, KY.
Memorial contributions may be made to Land of Lincoln Honor Flight or to Memorial Home Hospice.

Wednesday Goldens

I loved our visit with Joy and Rosie, my sister PJ & brother-in-law's two rescued goldens.  G Dog was just saying to me this morning that he had a great time with them and can't wait for them to come visit again.  But he said no thank you to a road trip to go see them in Michigan.  He gets a little carsick, you know.

Our lives these days are mostly affected by how my father-in-law is doing.  If he's having a good day, things are not so bad and we're holding up okay.  Tired, but okay.  If it's a not-so-good day, it feels pretty overwhelming.  And we're even more tired.

This morning, G Dog and Lilla woke me up at 4:30.  Yes, 4:30.  That's breakfast time, don't you know? So after breakfast--their breakfast, not mine--I drove over to see if Warren might be up.  Not a light on in the house.  Hoping they got lots of good sleep last night.

Okay, now on to my breakfast.  Cottage cheese with blueberries?  Protein drink with frozen strawberries?  Well, maybe I'll just have another cup of coffee.  G Dog says he'll have some coffee too.

Have a good Wednesday :)

Kentucky Lake 2012

We love vacationing at this house in the fall.  We've spent a week here almost every year for the past seven years.   Fishing wasn't quite as good as in past, but we were glad to have a few days away.  Kind of hard to really enjoy a vacation  with Mark's dad being so sick.  We ate at our favorite places--the Dinner Bell and Patti's.  And  Judson and Rachel are so close now.  Only an hour up the road, and we were hanging out with Betsy & Kyle in their new house. We're back home safe and sound with our G Dog and Lilla and a few more days of vacation before going back to work.  Life is precious.

Pumpkin Stack

That Was Fun!!

Yard Art

Fabulous performance art

starring our own Betsy and Kyle 

and 

featuring Bootsie, the neighbor cat.

 

Okay, they've got a plan. . . 

And it's working!

 

For this art project, you need a very willing cat.

. . . a very willing and patient cat . 

We need a little more

for his hat!

Our Work is done :)

I wish I had gotten them to take a bow, 

'cause we gave them a standing ovation :)

IFY!

 

If you've been reading lately, you'll know that my heart melted when Kyle brought me that bucket of rocks and proudly exclaimed, "It's for YoU!"  

So here's a new wreath for Rachel & Judson & Kyle & Betsy to hang on their new front door.  "It's for YoU!"

Book Report

Okay, okay.  I confess.  I read all three Fifty Shades books.  Yes.  All three.  I couldn't let everyone else on earth read it and not know what all the fuss is about!  Again, yes.  I understand what all the fuss is about. 

Have you read Jaycee Dugard's A Stolen Life?  She's the woman who was kidnapped as a child and held hostage for 18 years by a madman and his madwoman wife.  I was hesitant to read it because it's such a horrible story.  I'm glad I read it.  Hers is a remarkable story of survival.

Summerland:  A Novel by Elin Hilderbrand.   From Amazon's book description:  "A warm June evening, a local tradition: the students of Nantucket High have gathered for a bonfire on the beach. But what begins as a graduation night celebration ends in tragedy after a horrible car crash leaves the driver of the car, Penny Alistair, dead, and her twin brother in a coma. The other passengers, Penny's boyfriend Jake and her friend Demeter, are physically unhurt - but the emotional damage is overwhelming, and questions linger about what happened before Penny took the wheel."

Weight Loss Boss by David Kirchhoff:  David Kirchhoff is the CEO of Weight Watchers.  He tells his story of battling his food addiction and recovery through WW.  I have joined WW so many times.  It works. . . when you follow their directions!

Canada by Richard Ford:  I was really looking forward to this one.  What would you do if you were a young boy and your parents robbed a bank?  Really interesting at the beginning, but I got a little bored with the last half of the book.

Gone Girl:  A Novel by Gillian Flynn.  Very very good story.  When the wife goes missing, it's always the husband, right?  Maybe.  Maybe not. . .

The Beginner's Goodbye by Anne Tyler.  One of my favorite authors, and this time she shines.    The first sentence will make you stay for the rest of the story:   "The strangest thing about my wife’s return from the dead was how other people reacted."

The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian.  I almost didn't finish this one, but I'm so glad I did.  Much of the story is set amidst civil war in Alleppo, Syria in 1915.  There is civil war there even today.  Strange to read a story set a hundred years ago and to  hear NPR reporting on the same fight happening now.  Reading this story inspired me to go back and re-read The Double Bind, my favorite CB book.

A Simple Thing by Kathleen McCleary.  Great story about a mother who is determined to help her children through the turmoil of growing up without falling apart in the modern day world.  She moves to an island with no electricity!  That's one way to do it :)

When It Happens to You by Molly Ringwald.  Molly can write!

Golden Therapy

My G Dog boy.  He's our big strong brave boy who also helps keep us sane around here. 

Lilla will be mad if I don't post her picture too.  The forecast is for beautiful weather this weekend, so I'll ask her to pose for a new photo :)

Good Weekend

The Perfect Spot

This has been my spot for the last few weekends. 

Chocolate + coffee + kindle + umbrella-covered patio set 

 = the perfect spot.

 

And this is G dog's spot.  

Shade from a walking stick shrub + freshly dug hole

 + sunny afternoon = a dog's life :)

Weekend Visit

We had a wonderful visit with Judson and Rachel and the kids.  I love this picture that Rachel took of our patio dining experience.  Next time we will have more than enough corn to go around.  With no grill marks for Betsy :)  And don't overlook Lilla in this picture!

Judson and Rachel are such good parents--

we are so proud of them.

 The next generation of Connect Four at V's.

I have never heard V laugh so much as she does when Betsy & Kyle come to visit. It was a bittersweet visit because Warren is sick.  But we had precious time together and loved every minute.

And another shot of Kyle with his bucket of rocks.  He was so proud of himself.  

So good to know that they are just four little hours away now and we can have weekend visits more often.  Love love from Springfield to Madisonville.

It's For You!

Tomato Picking

Yesterday's tomato  pick.    Betsy kept saying, "I'm so excited to come to see you!".  And when she left she said, "I'm so excited to come to see you and now I'm sad  we're leaving."   We all feel that way.  But thank goodness they now live just a few little hours away instead of a whole day's drive.  We'll see them again soon. 

My father in law is sick, so we're all pretty  sad right now.  Thank you to Judson and Rachel for bringing  Betsy and Kyle--they're the best medicine.

Heirlooms

Pineapple and Cherokee Purple

We grow Whoppers and Better Boys too, but these taste better :)

Monday Flowers

You might think I haven't been up to much 

by the number of posts lately.  

And you'd be mostly right :)

Sandy's beautiful blue bowl 

with a few flowers for her new office.

Hallelujah Sunday

It was an absolutely glorious Sunday.  An inch of rain last night.  An early morning bike ride.  A walk through the garden, which is breathing a sigh of relief. . .

I sat here reading on the kindle under the umbrella almost all day with afternoon temperatures in the 80s.

And this evening, blackberry peach crisp with Breyers vanilla.  It was a Hallelujah Sunday :)

Very simple recipe:  Toss fruit with lemon juice and a little almond flavoring.  Crisp topping:  1 stick of butter, 1/2 cup sugar & 1/2 cup brown sugar (I used 1 cup of light brown), 1 cup flour whisked together til crumbly.  Top the fruit with the crisp, bake 15 minutes at 350 covered with foil, then 20 minutes uncovered til browned & bubbly.  You know what to do next.