The best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe EVER!

I just made these cookies last week and I don't think I have ever made a more perfect chocolate chip cookie in all of my life. I tried this recipe before in Virginia and they didn't turn out so great and then I tried the recipe here and they came out amazing. The key, I think, to this recipe is the amount of vanilla, the additional egg yolk, the use of melted butter, and the low cooking temperature and long cooking time. They are PERFECT. I definitely felt accomplished. Anyway here it is for all of you to enjoy. Try it out and let me know what you think.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate chips)
  

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (for pure convection, adjust accordingly; use 310 F on convection). Grease cookie sheets, or line them with parchment paper or use a Silpat.

Sift the flour, salt and baking soda and set aside.

Mix the sugars and butter just until thoroughly mixed, then add egg, yolk and vanilla and mix until creamy. Add the sifted ingredients and mix until just blended.

Stir in the chocolate chips/chunks, then drop dough 1/4 cup at a time on a cookie sheet, about 3 inches apart, and bake for 15-17 minutes. Leave them on the cookie sheet to cool a bit when removed from the oven (this is important… they fall apart if you move them too quickly). Once they cool a few minutes, remove the cookies to a cooling rack to finish cooling. Or eat them right away, with milk.

The New Place

This is probably going to be a boring post but I thought I would show what the new place looks like, now that we're pretty much moved in... FINALLY.

Patio

So Kendal's hair is starting to get longer, and being the girly girl that I am I've been dying for it grow so that I can start to play with it, well lately we've been playing a lot with her hair and it's a lot of fun. Anyway these are just a few pictures that we took of the kids out on our little patio.

BTW we are really liking Michigan. The spring here just goes on and on and on, and it's so green, and everyone is really nice. Our church is great and we are slowly making lots of friends. Talen's birthday is just around the corner and I'm excited to get it planned. We are doing a fire engine theme and we are even taking a trip to the fire station so all the kids can meet the fire fighters, see the trucks and squirt some water. I ordered a fire engine cake yesterday and it is going to be GREAT! I think he's going to love it.

I have an interview next week for a possible babysitting position, so that's exciting as well. Anyway things are going.

Mother's Day

Well this is a couple of week late, but here are some pics of mother's day. I had a great one. The kids made some cute crafts, and Jared made me feel very special. He took me to pick out some flowers for our planters, and made some great meals. I'm so lucky to be the mother of Talen and Kendal. They are so sweet and fill my life with joy. At times they are a challenge, but overall being a mom truly ROCKS!

Getting Settled

So I haven't blogged in awhile, life has been insane and busy. We've now been in Michigan almost 8 weeks. We managed to find a new apartment, start a new job, go to Virginia and unload our storage unit, move into our new place, and I almost have my own daycare/preschool business up and running. It has been very busy and emotional. We're just happy to be moving forward. Michigan is cool. The spring has been gorgeous, there are so many trees everywhere- just like Virginia, the people are really nice, we live in a great area, there are beautiful lakes everywhere, there is a great sense of community, our church is amazing (as usual) and there tons of things to do and see, so we think we'll like it here just fine.

I feel like I've been so disconnected from all of my friends just because I've been so engulfed in my own life, so I'm hoping to be able to start blogging again, and staying in touch with everyone.

I'm excited to share with everyone my website, which is finally finished for my daycare/preschool and I would love for you to visit it for me and email me any feedback and suggestions that you have on it. I've never made a website and I've never taken my children to a daycare so I'm open to suggestions (and words of praise :) ) I'm also offering photography as part of my childcare and if I've taken pictures for you in the past, then your pics have made it to my portfolio on my site (Baylis, Heaven, Kenna).

Website:
http://www.wix.com/carliemdavis/littlegumdropschildcare

I'm almost licensed through the state, so I'll be open for business soon. This is very exciting for me as I've never started my own business. I just hope it goes well.

Anyway below are few pictures...

Sad and True Irony

Well we made it to Michigan, after a two day drive and a horrible nights stay in Altoona, Iowa where we had to stay in a smoking room (stinky stinky) and eat a buffet in a yucky casino (blah). We've been put up in an extended stay hotel. We're in a one-bedroom suite with a tiny kitchen. (does not include a stove). But, we're 2 miles from Jared's job and since we're sharing one vehicle it's been very convenient. Jared started his job last Friday. He loves his job a lot, and we are now busily looking for housing.

We've also figured out that we're actually more poor than we've ever been in our marriage because we no longer qualify for government assistance and we have to start paying pack student loans. Yay!!! So I am looking for full time work. We are also trying to qualify for a mortgage and we are looking for a house to buy because we can't afford to rent (funny I know), our mortgage could actually be cheaper than renting if we can find the right house.

At this point we have less than a month to accomplish all of this. Researching schools and areas, and finding a job that's close for me and daycare for the kids and finding a house all in one month - seems a little impossible.

The reality of having a real salary is sinking in and we're realizing that it's actually going to be harder than not having a job. Ironic. So cheers to Jared's job, I'm so happy for him and I'm so happy that we have it and that he's happy, but I'm sad that I have to work and see my children less. I'm trying to think of ways around it like getting licensed to be a certified childcare provider - just an idea, or working at a day care and taking my kids with me or something.

I know this is where we're supposed to be, I just hope we can figure it out. We're staying
positive.

BTW, Michigan is sunny and warm as of the past couple of days, and has some great charms about it. We're excited to explore the state and call it home. There are so many lakes, and museums, and the zoo is so close by. There's even a hobby lobby within 30 minutes of here.

So there's the quick update. Life is getting scary because now we have to grow up. AHHHH

Haven't scrapped for Awhile

I just found this digital kit for free, if you want it you can get it here, and well I just had to use it! I haven't scrapped anything since the pumpkin patch back in October, which was way too long ago, so I'll be playing catch up here for awhile. Anyway thought I'd share the pages.

Have the Stars Aligned?

If any of you out there know Derick Nance, he once told Jared and I something that has been heard in my mind over and over again for the past 10 months.

He said that a big part of getting a job is luck, such as being at the right place at the right time, or applying for a job at the right time, or knowing someone who puts in a good word for you at the right time...and then everything else, in addition to luck, has to align- the pay, the moving allowance, the location, the company and the timing. He said the stars have to align, and if any of these factors aren't "aligned" then the job won't happen, but the stars WILL align for you and you'll get the job you want that's right for you and your family at the right time, with the right pay... you just have to be patient and keep your head up. (it sounds easy)

Well I would like to let Derick and everyone else know that we have been waiting for our stars to align, we've been to 4 states, lived with 3 families, held 4 jobs (between the two of us), and have been searching, praying, struggling, and waiting for 10 months, and I'm excited and overwhelmed to inform everyone that our stars have FINALLY aligned!

Jared received a job offer yesterday from Globalhue in Detroit, Michigan and he'll be starting on March 8th, as a junior copywriter, working on the Jeep account!!!! Can you believe it?



Deep breath.

I cannot tell you all how extremely overwhelmed and grateful I am feeling at this very moment.

Thank you for ALL OF YOUR PRAYERS. You know who you are. I have received countless messages and emails from friends and family so concerned for us, making sure we're okay and reminding me that they are thinking about us and praying for us, and I just can't express enough to all of you for being there, for supporting, and for empathizing, and for encouraging us during this time.

It has been probably the most difficult trial I've ever been through in my life up to this point, and we were miraculously able to keep our heads above water.

I just wanted to give a shout out - to all of you who care for our family. It has meant the world to me and I'm grateful for all of you.

I feel I have grown and stretched in so many ways over the past 10 months, and I feel like I have learned a lot about myself. My testimony has grown and I have developed a much stronger testimony of tithing, of trusting that our Heavenly Father has a plan for us and watches over us, of faith, and of prayer. I don't think I've ever prayed for something so much in my life, and I know he heard every prayer and that he answered us on his time in his way. Sometimes I've wondered if He even cares about me, or if he had abandoned our family, but I would quickly push those thoughts from my mind and I know now more than I ever have that Heavenly Father does hear us, he does answer us and he never abandons us or forgets about us. We just have to have faith, and exercise that faith through prayer, patience, tithing, and hard work, did I mention patience. Ugh.

It's a good feeling to have and I'm just so so grateful for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, for my Father in Heaven, for my Savior, Jesus Christ, and for special friends, and supportive family.

I'm sorry to get all sappy and churchy on everybody, I just felt inspired to share it with all of you.

Now we have another move (which I'm actually dreading) but another adventure, and I'm so READY!

10 things I love about Boulder

1. The 48 degree weather and sunshine almost everyday

2. Clear Blue skys and bikers everywhere. Healthy, Healthy. It makes you want to join the masses.

3. The fact that recycling is not even a question ( recycling wasn't even offered at our apartment complex in Virginia)

4. There are family friendly sidewalks everywhere! (sidewalks in Virginia were scarce)



5. Organic is the norm (Unfortunately I can't afford organic- but if I could I would totally buy it)

6. I have a garage - no more icy windshields - the car is always nice and warm.

7. When I turn on my blinker other drivers actually let me over (never happens in Utah)

8. Dog Parks - what a concept.

9. If I don't do my hair and don't have any makeup on,and I wear sweats out and about - I look like a normal local here - it's AMAZING. You can't do that in other places without getting judged - sorry it's the truth.

10. The fact that I have tons of windows and two big sky lights to light my house all day with natural light - I've never had so many windows.


When Jared and I were first married we used to always say that we wanted to end up in Colorado, after living in Virginia we decided that the east coast would be the place for us because of all the green and the warm weather, now after being here we might change our mind. Colorado has the green lushness of Virginia, the close mountains of Utah for all your hiking and camping needs, and even though it snows, the amazing number of sunny days really makes a difference because the snow always melts off within a day and the sunshine makes it feel warm. Overall my first impression of Colorado .... 5 stars.

If Jared does get this job in Michigan we'll have to come back to Boulder some day. It might be the perfect place to live.

P.s. I thought of an 11 - We have a Hobby Lobby - so excited! If you've never had the privilege of shopping at a hobby lobby it's like a Michael's, Roberts, Ben Franklin and JoAnn's all in one plus MORE! Perfect for all your crafting needs, wants and desires.

Autism Study Retracted

This post is for Emily Smith. I always knew that vaccines did not cause autism and it has been a controversial issue for so long, and well now the discussion is over. CNN announced today that the man responsible for this study did not perform an accurate study and has retracted his statement that vaccines could/do cause autism. I thought of Emily because of her children and her passion for this topic and wanted to share the news clip with everyone.



So what do we learn from this? Get your kids vaccinated, and keep up on them.