Friday, October 18, 2013

Foodie Friday: "Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal cookies!"

A couple of weeks ago we had some friends over for dinner and I was really craving a batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. This is not normal for me, as I tent to be more of a regular-chocolate-chip cookie kind of girl with the occasional iced sugar cookie {generally around Christmas time, as icing sugar cookies for Santa is a family tradition}.

However, I've recently been an oatmeal-a-holic. Here are two instagram posts for proof:

^^ Whhyyy am I obsessing over all-things-oats right now?! Weird.

So, as I was perusing ye ole pinterest for oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipes, I found a different recipe that caught my eye. Pumpkin chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. I love all of those words. So, I figured I'd give them a try!

YUM. These things turned out deeee-lish. Even my mom & husband, non-pumpkin-lovers, were obsessing over these yummy treats. Fortunately, they were pretty easy to make. I have a feeling that they are going to become a fall dessert staple in the DeCrib from here on out {DeCrib = DeClue House... sorry if you didn't follow. It's my location name for the house on instagram}.

Here's what you'll need:

3 cups rolled oats
2 cups all-purpose flour {or 1 cup white/1 cup wheat if you prefer to go a bit healthier}
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips {or more to your liking}


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, combine oats, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Set aside.


3. Using an electric mixer {or a crazy hand/futuristic-looking mixer stick like the one someone gave us as a wedding gift and I'm scared to death to use}, combine softened butter and sugars and cream together until light and fluffy. I was quite nervous about this step. I am not super comfortable with this strange hand mixer and I didn't exactly know what "cream" meant or what "light and fluffy" should look like. But whatever I did, it worked. Because as I said, deliciousness was the end result.


4. Add your egg followed by vanilla and pumpkin. This is what my "light and fluffy" looked like. Then I just stirred the other 3 things in by hand.


5. Add the flour mixture a bit at a time until well-combined. Then add chocolate chips.


6. Spoon onto an ungreased baking sheet. Here's a trick that I use {Jackie, my slightly perfectionistic friend, if you're reading this you'll want to ignore the next part}: I like to have mine a little lumpy. Like, crispy on the edges and soft in the middle, a.k.a. not perfectly round... So, I spoon them onto the baking sheet this way. If you like them like that too, don't round them off with your spoon! If you think I'm weird {Jackie, you can tune back in now}, then do it how you'd like.


7. Bake for 10-12 minutes {less is best} and cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheet. Then, transfer to a wire rack. And voila!!!

{P.S. for another amazing fall recipe, check out the Foodie Friday I did back in August: "Fall-Inspired Chocolate Chip Banana Bread!" A recipe from my good friend and old college roommate Abby, who happened to be there to try these cookies the night they were created.}


Happy Baking!


Wednesday, October 9, 2013

A Tractor Barn Partaaay

On Sunday, we celebrated my cousin JD's 16th birthday at my dad's "Tractor Barn." If you don't know what a tractor barn is, then you don't know how to party in style...

... or you are too classy to ever own an oversized shed and name it a "tractor barn."

One of the two.
^^ Here she blows. Told you it was fancy.

We had hot dogs and s'mores cooked over the bonfire and just hung out and enjoyed the gorgeous day! It was the first real fall-like day and I was loving the crisp, cool weather. There is lots to do out at ye old tractor barn, so everyone can find something to do to entertain themselves!

^^ Here's the hubs playing some pong. {Can I insert a side note here? I would like to praise my husband for his willingness to cheese and take pics for the blog. He started out grumbling about having to take pictures all of the time/document our every happening, but he has really turned a corner in this department. Now he is the one to remember: "Do you need to take a picture of that to put it on the blog?" Presh. Just presh.}

^^ The boys throwing the 'ole pigskin around.


Btw... Recognize that green truck from anywhere???


^^ Some of our engagement pics.

Back to the tractor barn party. Here is the tractor barn self-proclaimed sheriff...

^^ Don't worry, there's no gun in the holster. Fortunately for us, he's not licensed to carry.

^^ Jonathan's precious sister, Avery, is our youngest cousin on the Stevens' side and she's the one that I get to take care of sometimes! She was busy snoozin' in the truck while the rest of us were partying it up. Isn't her pumpkin sweater/jeggings/tiny toms combo the cutest?!





^^ Football players. I guess Ty and Jack won??
It was a great afternoon spent with the family! I thank the Lord often for the wonderful families that he has surrounded me with - both on mine and Ty's sides. What a blessing!




Monday, October 7, 2013

A family who runs together...

On Saturday morning, all of the DeClues {minus yours truly} took part in the Care to Learn 5K Panther Run in Springfield. Here's my justification for missing out, however utterly pathetic it may be: 

1. I really did plan to join them in the run. Beginning back in July, the whole family began training and taking part in the popular app, Couch to 5K. I only got 3 weeks in - about Couch to 1/2 Mile - before I left for vacation {the mother/daughter cruise - recap post found here} and found myself 7+ lbs heavier after returning from the binge fest trip. Needless to say, my heavier self didn't feel too motivated to start back where I had left off in the training app.

2. However, I didn't remain a total loser in the fitness department; I began working out around the time school started with a personal trainer {and am still currently working out with her} and I feel like I have gotten more in shape and physically fit. But for some unkown reason, I recently attempted to run again and I found myself still gasping for air at the conclusion of uno mile. Forget 3.1...

3. So, I wasn't going to run with them, but I was still going to go and cheer on my awesome and committed husband and family! Yay! Family day! And then I awoke to this...
^^ Ok, maybe the sky wasn't as intense as this exact picture, but I think I could have taken one pretty similar...

4. So, I supported them from the comfort of my cozy, dry bed. Here's a pic that Tori posted:
^^ Got to love the commitment of this crew!! Go DeClue Crew!


After a nice, relaxing and rainy morning at home I was excited to see my bestie, Jackie, who was in town for the weekend!!!! We were having so much fun reuniting for a day, that we forgot to take a picture!! Fail. Here's a pic of us from a while back:
^^ This is us at my bridal luncheon last summer. Love this girl to pieces.

No Springfield trip is complete without a run to Target. Or a picture in a turkey hat.
^^ I texted this hilarity to my parents... Because that's what every 23y/o does on a Saturday night... My father replied: "Oh man! You better gobble one of them up, Morg."

^^ Dinner date to Hinode. The best. And yes, that's my empty plate that you see. Whoops.

I loved getting to see Jackie this weekend! She lives in NW Arkansas, back around our old college stomping grounds. I am anxious to get a chance to make a weekend trip down to see her and be in NWA again! Love you, Jax! SO glad we got to hang out this weekend.


On Sunday, we got to hang out with more friends!!! Clint and Abby came over for some food and football and it was great getting to catch up with them.

The crazy/bizarre/coincidental/hilarious thing was that we were identically dressed. We were both feeling the lazy and comfy look, apparently. And red long-sleeved shirts with a pocket on the left side. And grey sweat pants. And matching husbands {minus Ty's ballcap} in grey shirts and jeans. Great minds, right?!


Wednesday, October 2, 2013

An "Un-churchy" Dress to "Churchy" Skirt

Anyone who has gone shopping with me before knows that I am a definite bargain hunter. I have always been the sort of girl who goes straight to the sale rack and then might meander around the rest of the store if nothing suitable was found on sale. I worked at Target in college and realized way too quickly that stuff can be so overpriced and it will all eventually be marked down anyway; so why buy it full-price?! Unfortunately though, one problem that I do run into is that this bargain-hunting-girl is completely average in every fashion way possible: size 8 shoe, medium shirts/tops, size 6 pants, even in bra size... I think I fit the "average" category in all of those areas.

This summer I was bargain hunting at an outlet and found this cute little sundress. I loved the print and then I looked at the price tag: $4.00. WOW! I couldn't believe that it was seriously only FOUR dollars! Score.

Plus, I will go ahead and make this statement.....

{Black + colorful floral = a winner in my fashion book}

As much as I loved the price and the print, the style of the top was just a little toooo revealing and it was definitely not church appropriate {or school appropriate for this teacher}. I even tried it with a sweater or a jacket on over it and it just didn't look right. I will spare you the pictures of it on my person.

I decided to try my sewing hand at a dress-turned-skirt transformation...

{Before}

^^ The top part was just a little too... Not there?

^^ Good riddance to the top 1/3 or so.
{I guess I wasted $1.33 of the $4.00. Ha.}


After cutting off the top, I only sewed a strip of elastic into the inside of the top hem to help it keep its shape and give it a clean edge on the top. After trying it on, I really should have cinched it a bit tighter with the elastic, but I think it works ok.

Dunnn duh duh DUN!

This week, I wore this to church on Sunday night and to school today! It's super comfortable and I decided that I like the way it looks with a shirt tucked in. It was kind of hard to find a shirt to go with it, so I may have to explore some more sale racks to find another top!

No more slinky spaghetti straps. It is also a good transition piece for summer --> fall. :)


It's good to know, that when cute clothes aren't quite to your liking, you can get them anyway and tweak them just a bit to make them perfect for you!