I love cookies. I really, really LOVE cookies! I can resist almost any dessert, but not cookies. And chocolate chip cookies are my very favorite. So when the girls offered to make cookies to day I let them go for it. Nothing’s better than homemade cookies… unless it’s homemade cookies my girls made.

As they get more experienced with cookie-making they’ve started experimenting with recipes. Today they started with a basic oatmeal cookie recipe then added pecans, chocolate chips and caramel chips to make them turtle style. They are SO good! Chewy and crunchy, sweet with chocolate and caramel, mmmmm! I think it’s time for a snack…

Here’s the recipe, enjoy!
1 cup butter flavor shortening
3/4 cup each granulated and brown sugars, packed
2 eggs (we use free range)
1 tsp vanilla (we use Penzey’s)
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp hot water
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup caramel chips

In a mixing bowl cream the shortening and sugars. Stir in the eggs and vanilla, mixing well.
Combine the remaining ingredients ina separate bowl. Add to butter mixture, stirring until well combined.
For uniform cookies, use a small sized ice cream scoop, or disher. Scoop out batter and place onto greased cookie sheet. (We cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone sheet) Space cookies 3 inches apart and away from the sides of the pan.
Bake at 350F for 9 minutes or until done. Cool. Store in airtight containers.

This has always been my favorite nursery rhyme:

“There was a little girl who had a little curl
Right in the middle of her forehead.
When she was good
She was very, very good;
When she was bad
She was horrid.”

Growing up, my mom said I was that girl.

Sometimes I still am.

Little Marshmallow died yesterday morning, slipping away quietly and peacefully. I had gone up to check on him about every 10-15 minutes all morning, talking to him and stroking his head. I think he knew someone was there because after each stroke he moved his head slightly.

Princess didn’t find out until after school, and wept when I told her the news. She couldn’t go alone to see him so I went with her, holding her hand. Marshmallow looked very peaceful wrapped in the washcloth, and I reminded her that he knew how much he was loved. Princess wanted something soft, with bright and cheerful colors to bury him in, so we looked through my flannels. She chose “Funny Frogs” and there was just enough for Marshmallow, plus a few extra pieces for his scrapbook and for Princess to keep.

Teacher dug a hole near the old cement sink that the girls fill with flowers each summer. They cut some of their flowers to lay around Marshmallow and for on top of the grave. Eventually Princess plans to paint a rock as a memorial and grave marker, but for now there’s a brick covered with flowers. We asked her if she wanted a new hamster, and at first she wanted one Friday night. But when it was time to go she changed her mind and wanted to wait until today.

She thought that she was ready today, but couldn’t bring herself to clean out Marshmallow’s cage. Late this afternoon Teacher cleaned the cage for her and we packed the family into the car for a trip to the pet store. We knew that getting a new hamster for Princess to love would help her to heal.

Princess oooh’d and aaah’d at all of the hamsters in the pet store, but her heart was stolen by a little black and white one. Before we left the small animal area she’d named him Oreo and was giggling at his little pink nose poking through the box’s air holes. When we got home the first thing Princess did was take Oreo out to visit Marshmallow. She came in the house sad, but eager to play with Oreo. He’s adorable, soft, sleek, and amazingly full of energy!

Marshmallow will never be forgotten, but we’re happy to have Oreo in our family now.

I sit with tears welling in my eyes, typing one-handed. My other hand cradles Marshmallow close against my chest. He’s wrapped in a washcloth and his little head pokes out of the opening, eyes closed tightly. I stroke his soft fur gently, “We love you, Marshmallow” I whisper.

My habit has always been to check on him whenever I was in the girls’ room, especially at bedtime to make sure his cage was secure so he wouldn’t get out while we were sleeping. Over the past week I’ve been watching him more closely. He’s been sleeping more and more, then yeserday I found him leaning oddly in his food dish - as if he was too tired to hold himself up. He’s almost three years old - that’s very old for an animal with a two-year life expectancy.

Tonight when I looked in he was headfirst in his food dish, with one little paw stuck on the edge, and I couldn’t tell if he was breathing or not. I called Molly up right away - she needed to be here for him, and for her own sake. She was afraid to touch him at first, but I encouraged her to take him out of the cage. “He’s not going to die!” she insisted as she stood looking at him, the tears flowing down her face. We saw tiny, shallow breaths and knew that he wasn’t gone yet.

We called the boys to come in and say goodbye to him. Little Guy, of course, didn’t understand what was going on. Z-Man understood a little more, but wasn’t terribly interested. Jo-Bear and Angel Face both stroked Marshmallow’s back, crying. I got a washcloth and Teacher took Marshmallow out of the food dish so I could wrap him up. Princess cradled him, crying and stroking his head. I took a couple of photos while he was looking so peaceful. After a little while I tucked the younger ones in bed and Princess took Marshmallow with her to do her homework.

I checked on her a little while ago, and she asked me to old him because she wasn’t getting much done. So I sit here, cuddling little Marshmallow, feeling him breathe under my hand. My heart is breaking for my daughter who’s losing the pet she loved so much, and for little Marsh too.

I’m not getting any work done tonight, but I think everyone will understand.

I have a new website! I’m so excited to have it done enough to put live. You can see it here: Amy & Kids Co Family Child Care. I’m hoping that local parents searching the Web for child care will find it, and that it’ll eventually be a valuable resource for parents. But for now, it’s up and live, that’s a good start!