Gluten free never...

...tasted so good

Apparently every presidential election year since 1992, Family Circle magazine runs a cookie contest between the two potential First Ladies. This M&M cookie recipe was submitted by Ann Romney and although Michelle Obama won with her White & Dark Chocolate Chip cookies, only 287 votes separated the two women. It was the smallest margin since the contest's inception. But since I don't eat gluten, these get my vote. The only thing I substituted was Bob's Red Mill GF oats to make it truly GF for me.

So, as promised here

photos and the recipe for M&M cookies:

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups crunchy peanut butter

1 TBSP light corn syrup (such a Karo)

3 eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

4 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

2 tsps baking soda 

6 oz (1 cup) chocolate chips

2/3 cups M&M's candies

1. Heat oven to 325*. In a large mixing bowl, cream sugars, butter, peanut butter & corn syrup on high speed until well combined. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in vanilla extract.

2. In a separate large bowl, mix together oats & baking soda. Stir in peanut butter mixture until combined. Mix in chocolate chips and the M&M's.

3. Using large cookie scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets, flatten slightly. Bake at 325* for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 2 minutes, then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

This is the size cookie scoop I use. I got like 8 dozen cookies!

Got milk?

Happy (gluten free) snapping!

xo

Kelly

random 5...

...Friday

I am so happy to finally be home from all my travels since December. I'm not planning on jumping on an airplane for at least 5 weeks and that's to go see Jamie and Erik.

 Taking Frankie to Vegas for his birthday was a lot of fun. It was made more fun because we're at a time in our lives where we can just pick up and go. 

I waited until today to talk about Vegas and share over at

Nancy's

We haven't been to Vegas since we went to celebrate Jamie's 21st birthday. That was 7 years ago. A lot has changed since then. 

Like...

 ...we are not gamblers. It just doesn't make sense to throw away hard earned money into that one armed bandit. (and they WILL steal your money!) But, we decided to throw caution to the wind and take quarters from our change jars and play. Well, the machines ONLY take paper money, tickets and credit cards. What fun is THAT? AND... when you win the coins don't come pouring out singing that CLANGITY CLANG CLANG song. WHAT? bah humbug to that I say. Well, those quarters came home with us and will just be saved for our next trip to Europe! Hmph

 You can't go to Vegas being a prude! There are so many boobs, short skirts, tight pants and crazy a$$ hairdos that I commented to Frankie that Vegas is actually wilder and weirder than downtown Hollywood...or even Venice Beach.

Buffets aren't cheap anymore. You use to be able to grab a $2.99 breakfast buffet, $5.99 lunch buffet and under $10 bucks for a dinner buffet. I spent (cough 4x that dinner amt...on one of us!) It ain't cheap, but then how often do we do this? And it was for Frankie's birthday 

 I never get my money's worth at buffets anyway. 

BEST SHOW IN TOWN?

This guy...

Marc Savard comedy hypnosis. ~OMG~ I haven't laughed like this in years. I'm talking tears rolling down my face, can't catch my breath kind of laughing. It felt so good.  I've loaded 3 videos for your entertainment. I know there are many skeptics out there on the whole hypnosis thing thinking "these people are acting." There is no way a group of people can get on stage and rehearse this stuff and act.

Now remember...these folks are hypnotized!

I sat and watched 2 hours of U-tube videos on Marc's shows and belly laughed for every minute of those 2 hours.

Honestly, I didn't take a lot of photos in Vegas. I did take this one of the fake Eiffel Tower.

Oh....THIS one surfaced...
...but Danbo's not talking!

Happy (what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas) snapping!
xo
Kelly

This, that and...

... the other

~THIS~

I'm mad at AOL right now. I sent a few iphone pics to myself to edit so I can play over at 

Kim Klassen's Cafe, 

but AOL has decided to be all wonky and that darn 404 message keeps popping up. So maybe by the time I finish this post, I'll have gotten to my mail and can go about my evening.

~THAT~

I won a promo code for the soon to be released phone app Painted Camera from a blogger friend,

Geri Centonze

I am really having a lot of fun with it & there's just something about this app that is making my head spin with possibilities. I've been thinking & thinking about what I could make & sell on my Etsy (slowly making progress) store that's a little different that someone would actually consider buying. Then, it hits me...like a big ole lighting bolt. I thought of something that I am really excited about. But I don't want to spoil the surprise so will you stay tuned?

~the Other~ 

I'm waiting to post about our Vegas trip for Random 5 Friday over at Nancy's.

 Meanwhile...

I LOVE the folks I work with. One of the aides at school is always baking and bringing really delicious but not so gluten free friendly goodies to school. She always feels bad that I can't eat it. (my choice) Today however, was a little different story. She hands me a baggie with M&M cookies and before I can get a word out, she blurts, "They're gluten free!" She proceeded to tell me the ingredients as I quickly chomped into one. OMG! They were amazing! Now, they WERE made with regular oats, which I have a problem with. So I ate half a cookie to see how I felt. No problems, BUT...I have GF oats that would be SO easy to substitute. Now I have those sinful Earl Grey Truffles AND these M&M cookies to make and post for you guys...with the recipes! 

Thanks AOL

i-phone photo cleaned up in Elements & used with Kim's "Paper Script II"

I also wanted to thank everyone who stopped in at the GYB party and left me such enthusiastic comments. The response was way better than I expected...and I really didn't have any expectations so it was all the more fun! Many of you asked about my "follow" button. I'm having a heck of time adding it. E-blogger has decided to do away with the old version and I'm not happy with the new version. So until I get it all sorted & figured out, I hope you'll consider subscribing by email for now. 

No pressure though.

Ok my friends, I need to go and do a few before bed.

Happy (this and that) Snapping!

xo

Kelly

Grow your blog...

...party!

2014

Hey! Come on in! 

Chateau De Versailles

I'm Kelly and I'm so glad you're here! I've been blogging for a little over 3 years and I can't imagine my life without it. This online community has been nothing short of a blessing to me. I have so much fun and get inspired by other bloggers, many whom I call friends.  Photography is a HUGE part of my life. I really wanted a hobby in place when my youngest son started high school 4 years ago so I wouldn't suffer from empty nest syndrome. I've never looked back. I walk through each day with such a different perspective & really pay attention to the little things, to the details that otherwise might have been overlooked before photography.

I dabble in:

i-phone photography, b&w and textures...

...food photography...

Oh...and I'm a chocoholic!

I'm into anything vintage

(swoon)

I play with toys...

Have I told you I just turned 50?

I just turned 50!

I've just spent the last 2 years raising Monarch butterflies.

It was the most amazing experience of my life.

I could easily spend an entire day soaking up Mother Nature.

I have an alter ego,

her name is

Stella... 

...She shows up every now and again.

I have no problem being in front of the camera...

...as long as I'm in control...

(I'm funny that way!)

I've been known to dabble in selfies...

...I love wigs

I've got an amazing husband of 20+ years, 3 children near and dear to my heart, and one brand spanking new, stole my heart, grand-baby!

Thank you for stopping by my little part of the web. Enjoy the party and the rest of your day and I'll be by to visit YOU throughout the week. 

Happy (love a good party) snapping!

xo

Kelly

Thank you Vicki
for hosting the party!

Random 5 (or more)...

...Friday

I know I keep saying this but I ALWAYS look forward to playing over at

Nancy's

 It's the one meme that I can actually stick to & I thoroughly enjoy visiting other bloggers to read their beautiful randomness. I just get it! 

You know...

 I was still on my Paris cloud 9 when my 1st grandson, Erik, was born. My feet have not hit the floor since Dec. 30th. I shared a photo like this over on IG stating:

"For everything last year wasn't, this year is."

(happy sigh)

I promised to share Paris a little bit at a time so let me take you to the Louvre.

I googled how long would it take to see everything in the Louvre. This was Wiki's answer:

"It is estimated that if you looked at every piece of art in the Louvre for 30 seconds without ANY breaks, it would take you 100 days to see it all."

There you have it.

 So....

...we made a B-line straight for the Mona Lisa!

The angle is off because half of France was making the same B-line as us and you're being squeezed & kinda pushed trying to be on the honor system at 1st come 1st serve and please wait your turn! (Ok I went off on some woman next to me who didn't understand this!)

Hey, I paid for my museum ticket just like everybody else!

Mona Lisa sits behind glass and I decided to keep the little green laser light on the frame. 

I snapped this with my i-phone just after I made my way to the front of the line & safely back out again. This is maybe 30 minutes after the Louvre opened.

I do not do well in crowds.

I took this under the glass pyramid.

Just the detail on the building itself is art.

I like how Frankie snuck in more "proof" I was in Paris!

Don't I look "professional?" (snort)

So, Frankie's all time favorite food is crab legs & his birthday is Sunday. I joked with him that I'd take HIM to Paris but Paris on the cheap...as in Las Vegas Paris cheap to go eat crab legs. No joke, we're going to Vegas Saturday! Sadly, the Paris hotel didn't have any rooms so I'll just have to go visit on our way to the seafood buffet!

Currently my favorite salad dressing is Chipotle Ranch by Marie's. 

(YUM)

My son, Justin, is 29 today.

 I miss him terribly.

 He's currently stationed at Kunsan in S. Korea.

 I snapped this a few summers ago when he returned from Kuwait.

Last but certainly not least, here's one more photo of our new little man, Erik,

That'll do it for me this week my friends. I'm slowly making my way to your blogs.

Happy(on the road again) snapping!

xo

Kelly

He's here...

...and has stolen my heart!

Erik Phillip made his way into the world at 10:01 p.m. Sat. night, weighing in at 8lbs 7oz. and 21" long. Jamie called me earlier in the day thinking she was leaking. She went to L&D and they confirmed she had ruptured and admitted her. When I got on the 5:30 flight to Oakland, Jamie was given Petocin & was 5cm dilated. After a 40 minute flight, Brian's mom & dad were waiting for me at the airport as Jamie was already 9 cm's. Thankfully it was only a 10 minute ride to the hospital. We got visit with her for about 20 minutes before she hit 10 cms. and was ready to push. 2 hours later the most adorable angel entered our lives. She did amazing and Brian was so sweet to say she made it look it easy.

It is positively euphoric watching your daughter become a mother. And remember when you held your baby for the first time? This feeling is just like that only 10x more wonderful...and without the pain, exhaustion and the endless sleepless nights! 

I felt as though my heart would burst when I held Erik for the first time.

He's positively delicious! 

I'm completely smitten!

Now...as you can see I had a very good reason why I couldn't post the winners of my birthday bash give-aways. I added an extra goodie to hopefully make it up to you!

The winner of French Market print is

Deb Taylor

http://diddebdoit.blogspot.com/

The winner of the set of post cards is:

Carol Hart

www.openhart.com

The winner of the gift tags is:

Kim Stevens

http://pickingpoppies.blogspot.com/

& last but not least

 the extra little goodie is a 4x4 ferris wheel print and it goes to

Sarah Huizenga

http://paisleyrainboots.blogspot.com/

Congratulations ladies. As soon as I get your snail mail addy's, I'll get your goodies off to you! 

Thank you all for playing!

Okie dokie friends,

I need to get myself to bed. I've got  another weekend trip coming up! I'm taking Frankie to Vegas for his birthday and crab legs!

Happy(traveling fool) snapping!

xo

Kelly

Random 5...

...on Friday

It's been a great birthday week! Thank you so much for all your birthday wishes. 

I'm playing over at Nancy's today! Come, join in

1. While in France, Frankie and I were looking at our map figuring out how to get to Notre Dame and some guy totally groped my entire arse! I mean from one end to the other. I was shocked and then I just had to laugh it off cause the only guy that could have done it was quickly walking off and I couldn't have identified him anyhow.

2. We went out to eat tonight and as we were leaving the restaurant, we passed two elderly gentlemen having dinner. I decided that they were the ones I was going to anonymously treat to a desert as part as my 50 Acts of Random Kindness. You can read about that HERE

It was awesome! I felt so giddy inside, then I cried a few tears of happiness cause it just felt so good. Geez I'm such a nerd!

3. I'm already planning our next trip to Europe! Rome and Hungary are next-

4. Still no grand baby yet. Jamie is SO done, she's trying all the old wives tales-eating pineapple & spicy foods, walking. All to try and induce labor. None are helping!

5. It's been SO hot and windy here. I actually wore capris to work. It's gross and I would give anything for some rain. Fire season scares me. 

Happy (3 day weekend) snapping!

xo

Kelly