My Favorite Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Back in 1991 my home ward put together a Cookbook that has become a favorite and I use it more then my prized Betty Crocker cookbook!

Melt In Your Mouth Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 c. Shortening

1/2 c. Peanut Butter

1/2 c. Sugar

1/2 c. Brown Sugar

1 Egg

1/2 t. Baking Powder

3/4 t. Baking Soda

1/4 t. Salt

1 1/4 c. Flour

1 c. Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven and cooking stone to 375.  Mix thoroughly shortening, peanut butter, sugar, brown sugar and egg.  Blend in flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Add in chocolate chips.  Cover and chill (optional).  Place balls on a greased cookie sheet or stone, flatten with the bottom of a glass and criss cross with a fork.  Bake for 10-12 minutes and cool on paper towels or cooling rack.  Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

These cookies are so wonderful.  I have never had them not turn out for me.  I didn't flatten or criss cross this time.  I was cooking with two 4 year olds one of which had a cough, so I went as fast as possible with as little food handling as possible! The original recipe does not call for chocolate chips, but I believe everything is made better when you add chocolate!

My Baby

We got home yesterday and its been a whirlwind! Life continues even when we aren't ready for it! My family has been great and helped us a lot.  Yesterday when I got home my dad was napping James so we just had 2 boys to feed and nap.  We had a good dinner with the 4 of us and then bedtime.  It seems like babysitting that little baby has really helped the boys understand babies and thus it has been much easier on me then I expected. 

Today we didn't have gymnastics so my mom picked up the two big boys and took them out to the tide flats for 2 hours, which gave me time to make banana bread, clean up the kitchen a little and give Carson a bath.  Carson wasn't really sure about the bath at first but seemed to enjoy the warm soak after a bit.  Taking him out was another reason to scream however! Poor kid. 

Carson also found his thumb today! At the hospital his hand was constantly in his mouth looking for that thumb.  The nurses said he must have been doing that before he was born.  In this picture he has his pointer finger all bent out of shape.  My mom knows someone that has a slightly misshapen finger from doing that as a baby...we will have to monitor that finger! I am sure that today it was an accident that it even made it in there.

I brought a cheesecake to the birthday party celebration for Peter and Logan thought that he needed to drink the blackberry topping I made for it.  Looks good!

I'm holding him!

No pictures to post, but I thought I would just let my friends know that at least he is here and handsome!  Carson Lawrence was born yesterday at 10:37 and because its amazing I will even share his story!

7:00 My sister and I got to the hospital for my schedule inducing and started antibiotics

9:15 Broke water at 4cm and 70% effaced

10:15 a friend came to visit, had my first REAL contraction and I started feeling pressure

10:30 Nurse checked and I was 8cm and ready to push

10:37 Carson was born 8 lbs 7oz and 21 3/4 inches

At first it took him a long time to pink up so his apgar scores were a little low, but eventually he did, but they ran a CBC (complete blood count) to see why it took so long and found out that he was Coombs positive (a blood issue caused by mom and baby being a different blood type.  I am +O and he is +A so my last push of antigens were basically fighting his on the way out the door).  I was given the clear to go, but we are sticking around Coupeville until he passes all this tests!  We are watching for Jaundice and so tomorrow morning we will do another CBC to check his levels again and if they haven't spiked too high we can go home! My sister was great to have here with me and almost missed it when she was walking Wendy Baesler to her car and getting a book to read! That would have been very sad!  Things went so fast that my doctor almost went into surgery and the pediatrician almost left the building! Good thing my nurse acted quickly and pulled everyone together!

This morning my mom brought the boys in to meet their new brother.  I knew it may not go well, but the both came in and climbed up on the bed with Carson and I and we cuddled and ate ice chips together and graham crackers.  They did really good.  James even held him and Logan didn't freak out when I held him.  Good day for the Kincaid family!

Doughnuts

Today I went to Safeway and stocked up on a few things and I thought that getting treats for the last day of our threesome would be fun! So, we got some doughnuts to share! Who would have thought that a couple of doughnuts could have made these boys day!!!

Such a happy boy!

There is also ice cream on Logan's face!

Baby Watch 2010 Update

I had my last long awaited appointment today.  I am measuring a full 3 cm now and he said I was ripe...I guess that means we are ready to go! During the ultrasound he seemed a little concerned about my fluid levels, but then said that we could do this tomorrow. I told him, why not today? He said that he didn't want me to have this baby in the middle of the night.  I told him I appreciated his concern, but I figured the 3 hours head start I would get by starting the process tomorrow was unnecessary.  He didn't go for it though! The current plan is to have my mom come in the morning to stay with the boys, so that they could sleep.  Emily will drive me up to the hospital and my dad will drive James to preschool.  From there I am sure there will be someone watching Logan and  Amy and helping with the Campbell clan's daily activities.  I am hoping to be home and back to normal on Thursday and will update this when life permits! Think happy thoughts!

In Preparation

I have seen this on different blogs and of course Martha Stewart. So I decided in preparation of this baby coming, eventually, I would do something about lunches.  I have something like this already with prepackaged items, like granola bars and fruit snacks, but i thought this would be a good prize box too.  James has really enjoyed helping make his own lunches and this way he can pick out something with dried fruit in it and crackers and maybe a bag of cookies.  These have also been nice to grab for in the car while we're driving to give to the boys too!

Baby Watch 2010

Here in the Seattle area we love our weather forecasters.  Each year we have "Storm Watch 2009." It usually turns out to be nothing more then a little rain, but we cancel school and people flock to the local stores to stock up on water and candles.  That's what I feel like this baby business is.  I have stormed the grocery stores for grapes and water...don't need candles.  I know that he will come when he is ready and I have actually found myself OK with him taking his time.  I understand that there are just a few things we can't control, you know (I paraphrase) on the Lords time not ours.  This one is on the Lords time.  Last week I didn't have the blankets washed, this week I might even fold them! I have paperwork I need to get into order.  I kinda wanted to have a will put into place, not that I am expecting anything more then a simple, yet painful, delivery I want to know that my boys are taken care of. 

Anyways, I do have a status update. 

On Wednesday I had contractions every 15 minutes all day...until I went to bed.  I woke up at 3:30 with Logan and was made it was 3:30! Having contractions makes me nervous, I've never gone into labor on my own before!  I even learned there are different kinds of contractions!  

Thursday...nothing!

Friday I had a doctors appointment and he checked me and wondered why I haven't had this baby yet. I am 2-3 Cm dilated, 50% effaced, and minus 2 station.  But still not a single contraction!!!

When I left the doctors office he said, "See you this weekend!" "Unless you decide to hang on to this thing as long as you can!" Its funny because I have been telling him for months that with all my other babies I had to have my water broken and then the rest is the same.  My next appointment is on Tuesday morning and he will strip my membranes and probably schedule me to be induced on Wednesday, because he's on call at the hospital. He also listened for the first time that I accidentally wrote the wrong LMP by a month! According to my period I was due on the 19th of May.  My first ultrasound, in office, said June 3 and my second, in hospital, said May 31st.  My bags are packed and the car seat is clean and in the car so if he wants to come now I am...ready!?! My house is still a mess, but I can survive that.  I took a nap today so I am even "rested!"

James has really loved this belly! I am excited to see him with his new brother!

We love Strawberries!

I remember growing up and having a hot breakfast every morning and a packed lunch everyday for school and all my school friends being jealous.  To me it was just how my day goes, but to them I was lucky.  That's when I decided that I want to be that same mom for my kids.  Wednesday while James and I were on our date we stopped by Costco and picked up some strawberries.  So yesterday we made some waffles, cut up strawberries and got out some whipped cream! James thought it was such a treat.  We have waffles all the time, but its been a while since we had strawberries and whipped cream on top!

This morning when Curtis called James told him all about it.  Its funny what kids think are important! Meanwhile that Costco sized strawberry crate is pretty much gone! In two days my boys have managed to eat the entire thing!

Logan is hiding while playing with hair...I thought he was done with that fetish, but it's come back to town again!

Memorial Day

For those of you that live in the Pacific Northwest I am sure that you enjoyed the rain today as well.  We had all these plans to go to the beach and play at the playground, plant some vegetables in my planter box and just enjoy what the great outdoors has to offer. 

Around 11:00 my mom called and said we were going swimming...so feed the kids! So we threw some food together and I attempted to lay 2 boys down for naps, but that didn't work.  We had a wonderful time at the Oak Harbor pool.  It was only an hour swim and I am sure that the kids could have enjoyed another hour or two and still be sweet...until we left at least.

Logan wasn't really sure about the water at first and had to be held, but after 20 minutes or so he took to the water really well.  He even went under a few times and was able to recover himself really well. 

Claire loved the inner tubes.  Emily and James bought some just for today's activities!

Amy, Claire and James did a really good job including Logan in their fun.

After the pool the Campbell's got everyone some ice cream and we played at the beach, until Amy and James fell into the bay.  All in all it was a wonderful day.  We even timed everything perfectly well.  It started to sprinkle as we were getting into our cars and then there was a down pour as we were driving out of town! I love having family so close that we can all spend time together.

Hawaiian Haystacks

While on my mission to Texas I found this great recipe! Its great for getting kids to eat their vegetables and its one of  those wonderful things to have when your going to have a crowd over.  Everyone can make it as they like it and everyone comes out winning!

What you need is

 Rice,

Pineapple,

Green Onions,

Tomatoes,

Mandarin Oranges,

Dried Cranberries,

Red Peppers,

Sliced Almonds,

 Shredded Chicken and thickened Broth,

 and Cheese.

This is all I had on hand...but if I had it I might have added avocado, crispy asain noodles, and well, whatever looks good.  My mom usually sprinkles on some soy sauce on hers.  I have been meaning to try it with a tart apple, but the possibilities are endless.  Its amazing how quickly it all adds up on your plate, so be careful! All the fresh stuff is a nice change from the everyday processed stuff we eat.  The nice part about this meal is now you have lots of things cut up for future meals and left over rice.  My kids like to eat the shredded meat with the thickened broth alone.   

Logan loved it so much that he ate his and his brothers!