Homemade Oreo Cookies

Homemade Oreo Cookies

Ingredients:

Cookies:

2 (18 ounce) boxes devil's food cake mix

4 eggs, beaten well

2/3 cup oil

Frosting:

1 stick butter

1/4 cup milk

approx 4 cups powdered sugar

1 cap full vanilla

Directions:

Cookies:

Mix cake mix, eggs and oil together well.

Shape into marble sized balls.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. They are done when the tops looked cracked.

Frosting:

Cream butter.

Add vanilla.

Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry.

Add milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

When cookies are completely cooled, frost the flat side of one cookie and then sandwich with another cookie.

Terribles Follow-up

So I have to report that we had a great weekend! We did have a few tantrums, but we made it thru without any real battles. The clothing thing is going a lot better! Thanks everyone for your comments - they really did help. I didn't even recognize the sleep issue until you all pointed it out to me - thank you!

Saturday morning I let Conni stay in her jammies and we just got up and cleaned the house and played, etc. After a few hours, she asked me if she could get dressed. I gave her two shirt choices and we didn't have any battles.

Sunday morning I had meetings, so Dave got Conni ready for church. She was able to be in her pjs for a little while, and Dave said she did great getting ready. She did however try to put an extra skirt on under her dress. So silly!

Yesterday was a very busy day, and I was worried we would have a meltdown in the evening. But, even with only an hour or so nap, she did great at family dinner! The only meltdown that came was at bedtime: Conni wanted water not milk in her nightly sippy cup. Her tears were more from exhaustion than from frustration, so that was also promising.

Mom and I talked on Friday too, and we decided to try the backpack full of clothes routine. This morning, Conni was really fighting waking up, but once I told her she could stay in her jammies we didn't have any other issues. She ate breakfast really well and didn't fight me combing her hair.

I know we aren't out of the woods by any means, but I appreciate the outside views that help me see what I was missing. Maybe just shaking things up a little bit will take care of this one. Thanks again for all your support - you don't know how much I needed it!

How Do You Tame the Terribles?

The "Terrible Twos" have hit our house. But they come and go. This week though, they have been here a lot. The biggest battle that we fight: getting dressed. First off, Conni hates waking up. (I can't blame anyone but myself for that one either!) Then she absolutely hates getting dressed some days. The thing that kills me is that if Dad walks in the room, she flips a switch and will do whatever he suggests (normally.)

The routine I have had the most success with is this:

* I go in about 10 minutes before I really need to start getting Conni going to start her waking up. Then I tell her she can have 5 more minutes while I go pack our lunches.

* When I go back, I either cuddle her a little or tickle her a little to help her realize that she has to get up, no more snoozes.

* I let her "hide" her face under her blanket while I change her and start getting her dressed.

* By then she is resigned to the fact that she has to get dressed and starts helping me put on her clothes.

I try to give her choices of her pants and her shirts - as much as possible.

Here's a summary of our battle when it hits. This morning she was literally rolling away from me on the floor naked while I chased after her trying to get her diaper on her. Then she kicks and hits me and pushes her clothes away. Kicking and hitting results in an immediate time out. Then after the time out, she will frequently repeat the behavior and thus repeat a time out. I try to reitterate that she can choose her clothes. But then she only wants a shirt that is not clean or something. I admit, in the past I would go find the shirt just to get her to stop fighting me. But I feel like she's walking all over me when I do that, so I'm working on standing my ground.

Well, Conni is as stubborn as her father. (Love you sweetie!) Once she decides she wants that one shirt she will fight me against any other shirt. I have tried to tell her that shirt "needs a bath" and so she has to choose from the other shirts (like two or three). That's not good enough, and she starts into another tantrum, and yet again another time out.

After this time out, sometimes she settles down and is ready to eat. But other days, she just keeps going. Its those days that kill me! I'm running late, she hasn't eaten, and I am scraping the bottom of the barrel for any scrap of patience out there. I have ended up literally wrestling her screaming into shoes, socks, and a coat and then wrestling her into her car seat. She and I both then cry on the way over to Moms.

Then at my mom's house, I only have a few minutes (remember, we're late!) and she just wants to cuddle and make up. I'm still fuming in some degree because she just wouldn't listen. But I hate to leave her like that so I try to kiss her, but then she gets upset cause I have to leave.

So now that you've listened to me ramble (if you haven't given up reading this!), what do I do! This morning I felt like I was living an episode of Super Nanny. I am grateful that most days aren't like this, but I hate that I am fighting with my daughter. Aren't I the mom? I try to give Conni as many choices as possible throughout the day to help her feel like she has control in her life. But this morning battle is starting to do me in!

HELP!!! I would love any suggestions from those of you who have Tamed the Terribles!

Silly Pictures

I was going thru pictures for the posts below and found these super silly but super cute pics. I just had to share!

Conni was "tackling" me

Say Cheesy!

I know its blurry, but so cute!

New Vacuum

We broke down last night after FHE and picked up a new vacuum. When we got it home I turned around and Conni was bringing us the scissors. At first I panicked a little, but then I figured out that she wanted to help Dad open the box. (Then I figured out it was time to find a new place to keep the scissors).

We got the box open and Conni started pulling stuff out. She got all the loose extender and attachment parts and would bring them to me one at a time "for you Mom!" and we made a pile. Dad was working on getting the handle attached. He ended up having to get a longer screw driver, and Conni found the small one and wanted to help.

Then she proceeded to hand Dad all the attachment parts he needed to put on the vacuum. Then of course it was time to turn it on and make sure it worked! She loves to either help hold the cord behind whoever is vacuuming, or run screaming with delight in front of the vacuum.

I was surprised at how quickly Conni just jumped into assembling everything, and wanting to help. It was a fun little "family night" adventure!

Helping Dad screw on the handle

Kissing Dad's cheek

Conni wanted to take a picture of Dad

Then Conni wanted her picture taken

Poofing the Poof Pillow - for Renee

Years ago, with a pattern from my dear friend Renee, and lots of help from my mom, I made Dave a "love sac" that we call our Poof Pillow. Conni loves it!

Here is just a cute little video of Conni helping Daddy "poof" the poof pillow and how they play in it. I apologize for the disaster of a room - we had been having a lot of fun that day :)

My Shadow

I just have to say how much I love having a daughter! And I love that she wants to do everything with me (most of the time!)

Last night we had our ward Relief Society Birthday Party. Dave was having to work late, so I just planned on taking Conni to the nursery there.

I woke Conni from her nap while I was still getting ready so that she would be awake enough to eat something before we left. She woke up faster than she usually does, and she was excited to "help" me finish getting ready.

Here are just a few cute "shadow" things she did with me:

* She watched me put on some deodorant, then pulled the collar down on her shirt and asked "my turn for arm?" I put the lid on the deodorant and handed it to her to "put some on". She looked at it like, "Duh mom, it doesn't work with the lid on." Then she said "I'll just put it here for you" and set it on my dresser.

* While I was doing my hair, she went thru my drawer and pulled out combs, brushes, elastics, claws, and my hand mirror. She proceeded to brush her hair like me. She jabbered along, I think telling me what she was going to do in her hair too.

* I keep a set of old makeup brushes in the bathroom for Conni so she doesn't play with my nice ones. While I was touching up my makeup she insisted she needed her brushes too. She carefully watched what I was doing, then looked in the mirror and brushed her face. She even pulled the funny face I do when I'm doing my eyeliner!

It was a fun moment for me to enjoy with my little girl. Soon enough she'll be kicking me out of the bathroom to get herself ready for a night out. I am learning to slow down and not worry so much about running late and enjoy these little magical moments.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

As usual, I am way behind on blogging. But I thought I would do a quick little post to tell you all the cute things Conni has started doing since my last update.

*After watching Jake and the Neverland Pirates on Disney with her cousins, Conni now will randomly say "Argh Mateys!" Trying to get it on video...

* Conni can put on most of her shoes by herself. Three of the four days this week, when asked to get her shoes and socks, she complied. She's trying to get her socks on herself, but we will have to work on that. We're also working on her other dressing skills.

* Conni will march around the house saying "march, march, march" and ask Dad and Mom to march with her.

* We have made it through four successful Family Home Evenings with participation and no melt downs (from any of us).

* We have been practicing "shopping independence" with Conni - she has the freedom to walk through the store as long as she stays with us. We have had relative success. Not as much when she is tired and doesn't want to stand still for very long. A promise of having to sit in the cart if she doesn't stay normally corrects her wanderings.

* Conni's vocabulary is ever increasing, with longer and longer sentences. 95% of the time I know what she is saying to me.

* I'm sure there's more - we are definitely having fun at our house. I will try to post again soon!

* I just had to share this picture of her cute pigtails! I love that her hair just naturally falls into these ringlets, when other girls have to wear curlers forever!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Friend

I got this email from Dave last night while I was at our Young Women's activity:

"I was playing the piano and turned around and she had gone and gotten The Friend by herself and was "reading" it out loud to herself."

Conni is really enjoying reading to herself. She found a piece of junk mail or something the other day and she walked around the house "reading" it to herself and to me for a good ten minutes. Then she folded it back up and said "The end. Do you want to read it again mom?"

As a side note, Conni loves Primary songs being played on the piano right now. Her favorites are "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes" (which she calls "Bees and Toes"), and "If You're Happy and You Know It" (which she calls either the "Clap Song" or "Achoo Song" cause one time we sang "if you're happy and you know it say achoo"). We do this almost nightly. I am particularly happy about this because for the longest time if I even looked like I was going to play the piano Conni would dramatically run crying to her room in a fit until I came in and promised her I wouldn't play.

Preparing for Trek

Our stake youth conference activity this year is Pioneer Trek at Martin's Cove. We have been working with our youth to get them prepared physically and spiritually to have a positive experience.

One of the things that we have been asked to do is to research out a pioneer to take their name with us in our heart and minds. Its being called "Adopt a Pioneer." We previously had been asked if we had any ancestors that were part of the Willie or Martin Handcart Companies. I didn't know of any.

Yesterday my Uncle Allen stopped by and said he had something to show me. He had a picture of my great grandparents, and my great grandma's parents. Then he had an excerpt of a history. Turns out that my great grandma's great grandma (Jane) and her family were part of the Willie Handcart Company!

As I read this short excerpt (written by Jane's daughter) I was so touched by the experiences that she had. They lost their 9 month old little girl on the voyage from England and had to bury her at sea. I thought of losing my little Conni and having to do that, and I don't know if I could be as strong as this woman was! Then, at Rock Creek, the night before the rescue party arrived from Salt Lake City, Jane's husband died. They had seven children, the youngest of which was 3 or 5 years old - depending on which account you read.

I am so excited to research Jane's life and family and see what else I can learn of them and their experiences with the Willie Handcart company! When I told my mom what my Uncle had brought over I said it was a "really neat coincidence". Mom pointed out that it wasn't a coincidence, which I knew, but I didn't know a better word for it. I am so excited that my Heavenly Father loves me enough and that my Uncle was prepared to share that info with me, so that now I can have such a personal experience with trek. I am so grateful for my pioneer ancestors and the sacrifices that they made to get to Salt Lake, so that I can live here now and have all the blessings I have.