Can Cookies Ever Be Bad??!!!

I have lots of New Year Resolutions. I make them every year and try hard to continue them for longer than the first three weeks of the year. This year is essentially no different except that this year, I've already jumped started a few of my resolutions and I'm not taking my failures too hard. When you're too hard on yourself for the small failures you set yourself up for quitting. We don't want to quit we just want to chug along and do better!! With each new day I get up, I have a new chance at succeeding and reaching my goals for 2012...Isn't that great?! You bet it is!!

As with most people, one of my goals is to lose weight and get healthier...I've been on Weight Watchers and working out seriously, for about 2 1/2 months now. I've lost countless inches and almost 25lbs. I've got a ways to go...but I feel healthy and good. Better, in fact, than I have in years!! I am consistently trying new things to stay in my point range for the day all the while adding good sctuff to nosh on...Today I had the brilliant idea that I would make this recipe. Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies with no sugar....only 3 WW points and hell...a cookie with no sugar can't be bad for breakfast can it?? No it can't...of course not....and definitely not when its packed with yummy good things perfect for your insides and out.....so I set about making these delicious sounding treats.

I was out of Almond meal...That sounded funny...like I often use Almond Meal...not..never before, so I substituted Ground Flax Seeds and swapped applesauce for the oil. Please don't ever do that.....Oil is good. I WILL remember that for next time!! {Next Time??! The Kids just screamed!!!}

After following her directions....I baked these beauties and boy did they smell good. They really did. Like banana bread, which is what I probably should have made instead. The timer went off...and I waited till they cooled and told everyone to try these...YAY...healthy cookies....everyone said okay...yum....and then...and then....I saw one Kid feeding it to the dog...who then promptly spit it out all over the floor...what? What? The oldest said "Wow, these taste really Healthy, Mom!"

What was going on in here? They are delicious cookies.....baked to perfection with dried raisins and cherries in them....how could they not be AwEsOmE?? I would have to risk eating the 3 points now instead of after my workout like I wanted.....I went to the kitchen and tried one....hmmmmmmmm.....they lacked something....they were chewy and full of stuff....and good for you....but dang it....they were NOT the awesomeness I had expected, they were not sweet and ooweey ...they were....HEALTHY and they tasted like it! Could I salvage the cookies so they would at least get eaten and not ALL by me? I did what only I could do....I tossed a bunch of icing on them and sprinkled them with pink sanding sugar....Nothing tastes bad with icing and Pink sanding sugar!!

I had told my Workout Bestie that I would bring her a couple to enjoy after our workout and for tomorrow morning....I'm a little hesitant but I thought...If I packaged it up all cute...it will taste better too...Right?? Of course!! So I quickly packaged a few up to share with her...with silly little fun proverb tags that say things like.....: Don't Bite off more than you can Chew!! Too funny!!!! At least we'll have a laugh!!

I'm quite certain there will be way more kitchen failures...and I'm sure lots of people have made these cookies and thought they were the best thing since...well since cookies....but for me....I'll skip making Healthy Cookies for now and eat the bad ones in moderation!!!
Have a Great Day!!

Packages, Boxes or Bags!!!

Heading to a Wedding in a couple of hours but thought I'd share the packaging I did on our gift...I used the colors of their wedding and even popped off the monogram from the invitation to add some more personalization.....not very traditional but then again...I'm not so sure, I am either!?!

Been a busy, busy week....working on a custom order, trying to work on a shop update, soccer...practice and games, swimming, softball games and my little Daughter is heading away to camp, next week...for the whole WEEK! Ahhhhh! Life is sometimes crazy busy!
Hope you're having a great Weekend!!

Pretty Packaging!

I spent today trying to catch up on things I'm so behind on....{but not cleaning...I didn't manage to get any of that done! oops!!} It turned out to be a fun, pajama wearing till the afternoon, type of day. I packaged up some little gifts I have been meaning to send and then I painted the precious packages with a dusting of teal paint and red hearts with polka dots. Bliss. I hope they bring smiles to everyone who touches them along their journey to their secret destinations. I, of course, forgot to take a picture of the outsides of the boxes but did snap a picture of inside one....wanna see?

I hate purchasing wrapping paper. I do. I feel its such a waste of my money. Sometimes I am compelled to buy it because it looks so shiny and pretty but more often than not...I look around my house for something to wrap a gift in and I am more than certain...the giant, huge, enormous roll of craft paper {like this} I purchased 2 {TWO} years ago for $36 is always to the rescue. Using scrap, scrapbook paper, a little tag, a yo yo from my stash...and just things around, I managed to cutely wrap a gift with no additional purchasing! Do you have any tried and true methods of wrapping gifts that you always seem to gravitate to? What was your favorite wrapped present? Did you give it or did you receive it?

Speaking of gifts....It was a good mailbox day today as well...Only one bill...and I received Becky Higgins, Project Life kit, that I had been patiently waiting for...can't wait to start that {although the first part of the year will definately not be my favorite and will probably take some serious effort to journal about!!} I also received a bunch of really cool red, see thru envelopes from the girls over at Peppermint Plum which scream..."Please, make me into something for Valentines".... Puh-lease.....of course I will!

Hope your mailbox was full of happy things!