Top Secret

Let me start off by saying this, I can not cook.

I mean, I can make a mean mac & cheese or whip up a simple casserole, but when it comes to really cooking I'm not too hot. My sister, Amy, can cook some amazing stuff, but apparently I didn't get that gene. Ha!

Here's the good news, friends.. I can bake! So tonight I decided to whip up a batch of my mom's Top Secret Chocolate Chip Cookies.

But why keep a good thing top secret? Maybe I will share the recipe...

Just kidding, Mom!

I would seriously NEVER do that. When I say top secret, I mean TOP SECRET! Let's just say when my mom handed me the recipe she had written "SHHHHHH" on the top in bright pink highlighter. Cracked me up!

My mom knows I'm terrible at keeping secrets. When I was younger my family planned a surprise party for my aunt. Everyone knew of the plans except for me. I had a bad habit of spilling the beans. So needless to say, when everyone yelled "SURPRISE" I was just as shocked as my aunt! I think I've gotten better over the years. My mom doesn't have to worry about me sharing this recipe. :)

The cookies turned out so yummy. They were perfectly baked - crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside. My house still smells delicious!

Years from now I will be able to pass this recipe down to my children. Hopefully they will be good at keeping secrets!

Under The Big Top!

Well, there wasn't exactly a big top... But we did go to the Circus!

One of the perks of working for a newspaper is the opportunity to exchange advertising for free tickets to different events. We have been able to go to so many different shows over the past 2 years; Monster Jam, Harlem Globetrotters, and now the Circus!

I was able to get a few extra tickets so my sisters Jen and Amy, Amy's husband Eric, and their twin girls Peyton & Madison were able to go too! We had such a blast!

Let me tell you.. It really was "The Greatest Show On Earth!"

They didn't allow photography during the show, but luckily I had snapped a few pictures before-hand. We could NOT get Stella to smile. She has a 'scared monkey face' in every shot! I'm posting them anyways.. They crack me up.

Stella and Mommy

Stella and Daddy

We had awesome seats. We stayed there for the first half of the show, but decided to move to an empty section during the second half so my little nieces could run off some energy. It was nice to be able to spread out a little. The seats were so close together. I think I elbowed Andy a thousand times during the first half.

The show was amazing. It was pure entertainment from start to finish. However, I was a nervous wreck watching all of the tricks and stunts! I guess I take after my mom. She always said she was NOT a good 'Park Mom' and I'm starting to understand what she meant by that!

We discovered that our child can officially sleep through anything. This is how she spent the second half of the show...

After the circus was over we decided to grab some dinner at Cracker Barrel. YUM. We were starved! The $9 bag of cotton candy didn't really stick to your ribs..

Yes, I said $9 bag of cotton candy. Crazy.

When we were finished Andy toted Stella through the parking lot on his shoulders. It was so sweet. She just giggled the whole time.

The drive home was pretty comical. There were a few missed exits, a couple wrong turns, but we eventually made it home. (Andy is going to hate me for sharing that..)

As soon as we got home Andy changed Stella into her PJ's and she passed out. Poor girl was exhausted!

I'm looking forward to the day that Stella will be old enough to really enjoy the circus. So needless to say, there will be many more trips like these in our future. :)

I am a blogger.

What?

I know.

About a month before Stella was born I decided I needed a blog. I had good intentions of blogging weekly about Stella's little milestones or about interesting things going on in our lives, but after she was born I barely had time to brush my teeth. Babies are time consuming.

Can I hear an AMEN?

But really, now that she is older I want to try blogging again. I don't know what I will write about, but I WILL write. Plus, I think it will give me a chance to unwind and just meditate on my day or week. Just tonight I have written 2 blogs. This one and the one below about Stella's birth story. I know, I know.. The date clearly says August 6th, 2009, but I have to be honest..

I back-dated.

Oh well... So I think I'm blogged out for tonight, but I'll leave you with an ADORABLE picture of my girl. I just can't believe she is almost 9 months!

Until next time.. Yes, there WILL be a next time. I think.