Gorgeous California Sunset

Last weekend, the sky displayed its holiday finery in pinks and oranges and peaches. 

Gorgeous. Breathtaking, even.

This weekend, though, the clouds chose to share their seasonal offerings.

Rain, rain, rain. 

Good thing I love rain!

Orgasm Cookies

The name "Brown Sugar Shortbread" just doesn't do these cookies justice. It really doesn't.

So from here on out (in my mind, at least) they'll be known as "Orgasm Cookies". 

They. Are. That. Good. They not only melt in your mouth, but the flavor literally curls your toes.

The impossibly fast and easy recipe is from Mrs. Field's Cookie Book.

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups flour

6 oz. chocolate chips

1 tbsp. butter

4 oz. finely chopped pecans

Cream butter and sugar, then add vanilla and sugar. Once dough forms, roll into 1 inch balls, then roll each ball into a 2 inch log and place on cookie sheet. Depress middle of each log with the length of your forefinger. Bake at 325 for 17-19 minutes or until light golden.

Remove to cooking rack. Melt chocolate chips and butter together. Either dip the tips of the cookies in the chocolate or spread the chocolate on the cookies with a knife, then cover with pecans. Refrigerate to set chocolate.

I'm sure you have the ingredients on hand, so go make them. Right now. 

Trust me. 

You want them.

NEEDTOBREATHE - Something Beautiful [Official Video]

Hit the concert scene for the first time in years! Saw NeedToBreathe. Way cool.

Scott bought tickets for the four of us to see one of his favorite bands -- Need to Breathe -- play at the House of Blues last night. A rockin' good time, I tell ya!

I'd forgotten how much fun concerts are, especially when I'm wearing much-needed ear plugs. LOL

The House of Blues is a really small venue, thank goodness, and it's standing room only. That's just fine for adults, but for the 10 year-olds in attendance (okay, for the one 10 year-old in attendance), no seating adds to the over-stimulation of the concert. 

But... having never been to a rock concert before, Emma did awesome! She didn't like waiting and waiting and waiting for the band to come out or the interminable jam sessions to end or the four encores to just stop already. But she was a trooper, thanks to a pushy mother (Haha! How often am I ever pushy?? LOL) and several women who kindly accommodated a 51" tall child. They noticed she couldn't see too well and gave her space to hang right up in front of the stage.

Nothing like enjoying a concert in the spit and sweat splash zone, right?

Scott and Hayley hung towards the back since they're both tall enough to see clearly. I totally wish I could have watched Hayley (the oh-so-reserved teenage) enjoy the concert. I'm sure she didn't rock out or anything, but I hope she at least got into the groove and danced a little. (This isn't her first concert, by the way. Scott took her along with the youth group at our Vancouver church to see a huge Christian concert at a huge arena in Portland (the Rose Garden). I think there were something like 10 bands playing.)

I also missed hanging with my hubby. He's been trying to get me to a concert for years and I finally agree to go to one and we don't even get to stand together. *sigh* 

We could have used a tow truck to drag the four of us out of our comfy beds this morning. We were home and in bed by midnight, which is when Scott and I usually go to bed, but I think the concert noise drained our collective energy.

I am just so thankful both girls had a good day today. I figured Hayley would be fine after the late night, but Emma? I wasn't so sure. Aside from big purple bags under her eyes, though, she had a great day. And she was thrilled to tell all her friends about her first "grown-up" concert. Heehee!

Definitely take a look at the "Something Beautiful" video from Need to Breathe that I posted separately. If you ever listen to KLove or one of the other Christian radio stations, you definitely have heard them... (Don't worry, it's not hard rock or anything and the video was created by the band from clips their fans sent in. How cool is that?)

Check out the yummy and adorable dinner Emma made!

I just love the little stars she added, don't you?

Super yummy, super easy and (if your child isn't being creative and inventive when cooking it) fairly speedy...

Here's the recipe...

Taco Puffs

1 roll refrigerated biscuits
1 lb. ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Prepare the beef according to the taco seasoning's directions.

Coat a cupcake tin with cooking spray, then push one biscuit into each section. Make a well in each biscuit by pressing down the center. Fill the well with taco meat, then top with cheese. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes.

If you want to add the cute decoration on top, keep out one biscuit and use a cookie cutter to obtain a shape. Just pop that shape on top of the cheese and bake away!