Boo!

It's Halloween morning and crazy around here...packing snacks and costumes for school party, lunches for everyone and planning for tonight. love it! we are getting so close to the end of chaos around this house.  7 events down...2 to go...weeee...

while it's warm out it's rather wet but it shall not dampen our spirits - how can anything when candy is involved? HA.

we are off to our annual pinata fest after school today with good friends...it's become a tradition that we smash a halloween pinata before heading out together.  i think it's great fun and something the kids really look forward to.

Sofia had a fantastic birthday week! :)
a wonderful birthday with all her friends (minus a few who don't live in halifax...thinking of you lauren, reeese and chloe)....we hosted her party at our local circus training centre. It's so amazing!  the kids and parents both have a blast - that says "good party" to me :)...then nana and papa came to visit and gave Sofia a special treat in the shape of a new American Girl doll...more treats and celebrations....then meme and pepe came for a yummy pizza dinner on sunday full of more birthday surprises.  last but not least we had lots of hugs and kisses and singing of happy birthday.  thanks to everyone for making her (and us) feel so loved!!

This year sofia decided she wanted a giant cookie in place of the traditional birthday cake...sounded reasonable to me...so off i went in search of a giant cookie recipe.  if you're like me and have attempted to take a traditional cookie recipe and make one giant cookie you will know the disappointment that it is...or perhaps it's just me but I have not had success with that route.  Luckily my friend Cynthia (mom of chloe mentioned above) came to the rescue with a fantastic giant cookie recipe!  it is so yummy and even easier that it's now my go to chocolate chip cookie recipe.  One bowl in the mixer, one giant cookie in the oven and One pizza cutter = very happy party goers.

here's the recipe - enjoy!!

Ingredients

• 1C butter softened
• 1C brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 2.25 C all purpose flour
• 1tsp baking soda
• 1 pkg of vanilla pudding (dry) - regular instant pudding (4 serving box)
• 2C chocolate chips

Directions

1. cream
2. 1C butter softened
3. 1C brown sugar
4. Add
5. 1 tsp vanilla
6. 2 eggs
7. add
8. 2.25 C all purpose flour
9. 1tsp baking soda
10. 1 pkg of vanilla pudding (dry)
11. add
12. 2C chocolate chips
13. 350 F for 8-12min. Likely longer as one big cookie :)

my amazing pumpkin carvers!  

daddy is our annual carver and he's a superstar at it.  

sofia enjoying giant cookie # 3 HA.