Sprinkle Sugar Cookies

Happy Tuesday! Two days into the work week - just three more to go. So there are all sorts of things going on at our house that I haven't talked about and I should start somewhere, and save all the goings on for posterity. We are in the midst of closing on a new house... well, new to us house. It is a late 70's home and there were some issues discovered during inspection, so work is being done this week but there has been a lot of back and forth with the seller and a bazillion and a half amendments we've signed in the process. I told our agent we owe her a couple bottles of champagne when this finally closes and we have keys in hand!! We've slowly started packing up non-essentials around the house and took a load of things over to Kenneth's grandmother's over the weekend to stash in the basement. The faster we can get out of our current house, the sooner we can get it cleaned up and listed to sell, so we're trying to get as much done as we can prior to closing. The new house is in a fantabulous established neighborhood, great for taking bike rides and walks around, is less than a mile to the high school (which Kent and Kenneth already toured and really liked), and less than a mile to a very nice park. The house is at the end of a cul-de-sac, and sort of tucked away down a hill which gives it some privacy and quiet - it's also next to an empty wooded lot that is too steep to build on, so extra quiet (and Kent is super excited about having all those woods right next to him for exploring!) The back yard is wooded and shady, with a nice open patch good for the puppies and a play area for Lindsey. The house is smaller, but there are more rooms. We are loosing our huge basement, but gaining a play room for Lindsey and a 4th bedroom. It is surreal and exciting to finally be making progress towards moving after all the years we've talked about it (the biggest reason is my commute - this will take my 38 mile one way commute to a 15 mile one way commute). I have spent hours upon hours of my life in traffic making the drive each way, day after day, and although a 15 mile commute is still going to be at least 30 minutes each way, it is SO much better than 1.5 hours each way!!

Kenneth is keeping Lindsey again full time, though he has a good job opportunity on the horizon and I am hopeful and excited for him! He's been out of work since January, and it's been a year of ups and downs for sure, but I am happy that he can keep Lindsey at home now (she has LOVED daycare, but seems to get sick there almost every other week, she's on her 4th ear infection this year.) We're hoping now that she can be home with her daddy she will stay well and we won't be battling colds with her every other week! Kenneth said they had a good day yesterday. She's such an active girl, he said she just followed him around the house and "helped" with laundry (as in unfolding everything he folded).

And the last piece of big news is... I am matched again as a surrogate! Things are still very early on, we're waiting for the RE to approve my records and then find out when I can get in for testing and what our estimated time frame will be. If we're not able to get in very soon for testing, we'll be looking at transfer early next year since the clinic is closed for 2 weeks in December, so a lot of unknowns right now - but still slowly making progress and moving forward. Another surreal and exciting thing for me!! My IPs live in Florida, and came up a week ago to meet and do our psych evals together. It was wonderful to have a little bit of time with them and get to speak in person. They are so thoughtful and kind and I am so hopeful I will get to help them build their family.

So, now onto the FOOD! These are wonderful little (big) sugar cookies!! My husband is a huge sugar cookie fan, so when I saw this recipe on Emily's Blog (Life on Food), I knew I had to give them a try and see what he thought. They were wonderful! Lightly sweet, chewy with a little bit of crisp around the edges. The sprinkles added a fun touch of color and texture to these and they disappeared in no time flat at my house! I was really surprised how quickly the boys ate them!

They were certainly a big hit, and I have no idea they will be requested again soon. I made pretty big cookies out of these (because we have to have manly sized cookies around here!) but you can make them a little smaller if you aren't feeding a bottomless pit of a teenager and sugar-cookie happy husband. :)

Sprinkle Sugar Cookies from Emily at Life on Food
Makes appx. 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (2 sticks)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 TBS light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sprinkles

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats (such as silpat).
2. In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter with the white and brown sugars. Blend on medium-high speed until creamed together, and light and fluffy (about 2 - 3 minutes).
4. When the sugar / butter mixture is well combined, add in teh egg and vanilla and blend together.
5. Turn speed to low and slowly incorporate the dry ingredients, just until combined. 
6. Fold in the sprinkles by hand, using a wooden spoon or spatula.
7. Scoop the dough into walnut sized balls onto the lined baking sheets, spacing evenly (12 per tray).
8. Bake for 12 - 15 minutes, or until the cookies are just set and the edges are lightly browned.
9. Cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes and then move carefully to a wire cooling rack until they are completely cooled and set.