Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

As promised, here is the recipe for the cookies I mentioned yesterday!  I haven't made them yet and I won't be making them until next week, but who could go wrong with this combination?!

According to the internet, they should look like this.

2/3 cup of brown sugar

2/3 cup of butter or margarine, softened

2 large eggs

1-1/2 cup oats raw

1-1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 ounces Craisins

2/3 cup white chocolate chunks

Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add eggs and mix well.  Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a seperate bowl.  Add butter mixture slowly, mixing well after each addition.

Stir in Craisins and white chocolate chunks.  Drop by rounded teaspoon onto ungreased cookie pans.  Bake 10-12 minutes at 375*F. 

Makes approximately 2-1/2 dozen cookies.

Sounded yummy right??  

Stocking Stuffer Swap

I just signed up with Stephanie at Blonde Highlights & Faison at Fat to Fabulous for this fun swap! Check it out!

Miscellany Monday

one.

This past week has been the toughest week of my life.  I'm not sure I'll talk about what's going on, on here, but if you could, please keep my family in your prayers.  God will know what to do...

two.

I'm making some yummy cookies for a cookie party that I do with some girlfriends this time of year.  This year, I'm thinking of making an Oatmeal Cranberry & White Chocolate Chunk cookie.  It sounds so good and Christmasy.  I'll share the recipe later this week!

three.

I'm doing pretty good on our running challenge.  

Day 5 will be completed today at lunch hopefully!  That's the goal anyway!

four.

I'm checking out Spring races.  What are you gals training for?  I'd like to do the NYC Half Marathon (registration opens in 30 minutes!), but I'm not sure I'll be able to pull that off this year.  I've looked a few others, but I figured I would see what my bloggy friends are planning on running, so let me know!

five.

I put a simple wreath together for Christmas on Saturday that I will be showing later this week.  I just want to get it actually hung up before I show it.  I love the little LED Christmas lights.  No tree yet, but I did get our Charlie Brown tree and a couple others out on Saturday.  Our house is starting to look like Christmas little by little.

Back to work on this Monday  morning.  Woo.

A few of my favorite things...

aka, What I'm Loving Wednesday!

I'm loving...

...my parents! 

...the nice cool weather we're getting.  I'm not a fan of cold weather, but the temperature change is nice.  Especially for running!

...pretty, sparkly nail polish

...that our Holiday Freak Streak challenge starts tomorrow!  You should join up!

...my awesome friends!

...this picture of Lily!

makes me laugh every time! Not sure why she's making this face but it amuses me.

...houses decorated for Christmas!

...and of course, this guy:

Holiday Freak Streak!

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving weekend!  Mine was productive and time well spent with family.  I was so not ready to go back to work yesterday!  We painted the entire house minus the master bath over the long weekend.  I think it would have pushed us over the edge if we painted one more wall, but the color looks nice for selling a house.  I'm pretty impressed that John and I alone completed our house in just two days...that's an accomplishment for ya!

With the holidays coming up, I'm sure I'm not the only one that gets busier and eats a bit more junk food.  It's just too good to pass up!  This year, a couple of my friends and I are doing a running challenge!

It was inspired by Runner's World's challenge, but we didn't see it until yesterday so we made our own official challenge (see, we have a poster).  It starts December 1 to January 1, (2012 ahh!) and we will be running at least one mile, hopefully more, every day.  Even the busiest person can find time to squeeze in one mile a day!  We're hoping this challenge will give us the motivation to keep moving through the holidays.  One of my friends, Krystal, is the most motivated runner I know, so I'm sure she'll be kicking my butt if I try to slack!  Let me know if you'll be joining in and we'll keep each other motivated through this busy and fun time of year!

Pumpkin Galore!

I cannot believe that Thanksgiving is one week away!  I'm excited about it, but also a little weirded out that it's almost here already!  Where has time gone this year?!

I can't wait to start preparing, making goodies and enjoying family and the little traditions John and I have started over the years!  Our first married Thanksgiving!  Nothing in our plans will change from the past few years, but it's still a fun little milestone!

I thought I'd share some dessert recipes today that are or at least look delicious so you can start prepping for them if you're so inclined to try any.

I found this recipe for Pumpkin Cheesecake online.  

A local radio station mentioned it this week and it looks tasty and easy!  I haven't tried it yet, but it's tempting!

I've also mentioned the Pumpkin Cookies and Pumpkin Bread here.

Finally, the traditional dessert: Pumpkin Pie!  

(The link also has a recipe for Apple Pie if pumpkin isn't your thing)

And if you're looking for something for breakfast, the lovely Meg from Henning Love posted an amazing Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll recipe too!  I can't wait to try that one this weekend!

What are your favorite Thanksgiving traditions??

Mine is running the Turkey Trot 5K the morning of Thanksgiving every year, then getting ready for the first meal (John's family's) while watching the Macy's Day parade.  And spending the day with our families!

What desserts do you have every Thanksgiving?? 

Life and Running

I realize that lately I suck at blogging.  I'm sorry.  Life has been busy.  Last week was crazy busy again!

I...
...celebrated my grandparent's anniversary at dinner

...worked late, I have my first audit tomorrow since taking over our office manager's role..ahh!

...finally got to spend time with my hubby on Thursday night for an impromptu date night...we made dinner and ate together and got to spend more than 30 min together before bed time ha!  It was fun!

...got to catch up with a good friend at John's game and meet my sis-in-law's adorable niece!

...manually labored all day Saturday and Sunday...got a good workout in involving concrete, sledgehammers, and chainsaws.  Yes, I used those things.  I can be handy!

...almost got a puppy, but things just didn't fall right for this weekend, but maybe soon??

And now we're just about caught up.  All caught up except one thing.  Running.  I got in 2 runs last week.  I took off the first half of the week from running since I ran at Savannah last weekend, and did a 2 mile run as my first one out to see how I felt, then a 6.07 mile run on Friday night.  The run went awesome!  I felt good.  This weather really is my happy level for running!  I'm now trying to figure out what races to run next.  I'd like to keep it at a 1/2 marathon and under.  So far, I'm signed up for the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving and am thinking of another local half a week or so later.  So, here's my question:

What are the fun spring races that your are running?!

I'm looking for a few to keep me motivated!!