TWD—Thumbprints For Us Big Guys and Catch Up Wit Da Guys

First up, a couple photos of da guys.

.

Parker was student-of-the-day at school last week.  He got to do a display of his favorite things and make a poster with lots of photos.  Every photo we went through and looked at for Parker’s poster was him being goofy in one way or another.  He really is always being silly.  But then he got to lead the school in the pledge of allegiance on tv and he got all nervous and serious.  I could barely get this smile out of him.

Here’s the “normal” Parker.  That’s more like it.

Taylor had his kindergarten music program last week, too.  Those are always fun!  Unless you’re like me and take really crappy pictures and video while the husband is teaching that night and can’t be there, especially to stop Sam from bumping my filming arm the whole time.

That and when the annoying couple a few rows in front of you will NOT stop putting their heads together and swaying to the music, thereby blocking your filming view.  I just wanted to go knock their heads together.  Okay, sorry, I just had to get that out.  I feel better now.  Sigh.  And because of that, there will be no video worth sharing, unless you want to see those lovely heads.

Then here’s how I have to get ANY pictures of Scottie if I’m going to get any of him at all.  While he’s not looking, say “Hey, Scottie”, then when he turns, snap a quick one as he tries to back out of the shot.  Nice.

Okay, you’re here for the cookies, I know.  Here goes. 

I thought these were titled such (Thumbprints For Us Big Guys) because they were going to be bigger than the average thumbprint cookie, but not so much.  But the hole I made in them with the end of a wooden spoon sure made craters in the cookies.  When I think of Big Guys, like my husband, he just doesn’t go for jam.  He rarely eats any jam, but when he has one of his two or so pb & j’s for the year, it has to be raspberry jam.   I do agree with Dorie that hazelnuts are a “grown-up” kind of nut, but I just couldn’t “do” jam.  (Although, I do love those thumbprint cookies that are rolled in walnuts or pecans and have jam in the middle!)

I will admit, just because I’m a big girl that way, that I don’t read ALL 400 TWD blogs every week.  I know, don’t hate me. ;)  That being said, I hadn’t ever seen Mike’s blog from Ugly Food for an Ugly Dude before.  Just clicking over to get his link, I read a few of his posts and dude, he’s rather funny.  Anyway, where was I going with this?  Oh, Mike chose our recipe this week.  You can get the recipe for these de-licious cookies on his blog.

Why were they SO delicious?  Chocolate, my friends.  You had to know it.  Now THAT’S a big flavor!  ;)

And not just any chocolate, but Nutella.  I’m sure I’m not the only one who will use Nutella with these cookies that are just screamin “use me”.    I reckon I don’t much really care.  All I know is these are scrumdillicious!  Nutty, buttery, tender and chocolaty.  I thought the big crater in the middle was perfect for filling with Nutella!

I only made half a batch and got 24 cookies---pah-lenty.  You may recall Dorie specifically saying DO NOT OVERBAKE the cookies.  I made the first batch just fine, perfect in 14 minutes.  Then with the second batch, I did the usual.  Baked 10 minutes, checked them, set the timer for another 2, checked again, then MEANT to set it for the final 2 minutes.  Oh, it was probably 6-7 minutes later that I realized the timer hadn’t gone off.

Quick, get them off the baking sheet!

Okay, maybe not that fast.  Hate to say it, but although the cookies were well done and darker than the others, they were/are still edible and quite tasty to me.

So, you may notice a few of the cookies have Hershey’s Kisses on them.  Didn’t know the craters would be so big, so the Kisses didn’t really work.  I didn’t want them totally melted, so I put them on after the cookies were mostly cooled.  Wouldn’t you guess it, those are the cookies the boys ate!  Found some new Kisses, so I just had to try them.  Kisses filled with buttercreme.  They are super sweet, but not bad.

The Nutella with these cookies is fabulous.  Did I say that already?  Okay, I’m done then.  Great pick, Mike, thanks.

And finally, FINALLY got Sam’s hair cut.

Thanks, Tes!

Sam is so good when he’s getting his hair cut.  He just sits there perfectly still.

Ahhh, much better!

Um, Daddy, we DON’T sit on the counter, then look who follows!

OH, and I almost forgot—we sold the house!!!  One week after putting it on the market, we got an offer and took it.  The house is under contract.  Holy cow, I’m so thankful.  I really don’t know how long I could have kept the thing so perfectly spotless!  We close on April 30 and it has worked out splendidly to move in to a duplex right by the kid’s school until we move in June.  Some friends from church are looking for someone to sub lease their duplex as they are moving near the end of April.  Could not be more perfect.  We got a great deal on the house, and are really being blessed with having a place to leave until the school year is over.  HUGE sigh of relief!