Chocolate Caramel Brownies

This is another addicting recipe, provided by my good friend Jill Camp. We used to make these together from like 6th grade to Senior year. Then we'd stay up all night eating them and memorizing the songs to Newsies and other movies like Saturday's Warrier...we LOVED those movies! Lots of good memories, all rush back with just a simple bit!
Anyways, made them for a girl's night during the Father and Son Campout, and again, they were a hit! Here's the recipe by request:

Chocolate Caramel Brownies

1 14 oz bag Kraft Caramels

1 german chocolate cake mix

1 small can evaporated milk

3/4 melted butter

6 oz chocolate chips

Melt unwrapped caramels and 1/3 cup evaporated milk in saucepan, careful not to burn. Set aside. Mix together cake mix, melted butter and 1/3 cup evaporated milk. Press 1/2 dough into a 9X13 greased pan. Bake at 350 for 6 -10 minutes. Take out and sprinkle with chocolate chips, then pour caramel mixture over the chips. Crumble remaining dough over the top, bake 15 minutes. Cool slightly, then refrigerate for 30 minutes to set the caramels. (I always skip this step). Cut into squares, enjoy!

Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies

I've had a few requests for recipes lately, and this is incredibly convenient for me to put them here. I have several other favorite recipes, check my past posts.

Just in case anyone else wants a wonderful dessert idea, I'll share it with you. Let me know if you cook them!

Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies

These are addictive, and wonderful! My mom used to make them a lot growing up, and I'm so glad I have the recipe, we love to make them and share them, they look really fancy. Also, it helps a lot if you actually sift the dry ingredients together, it blends the cookie a lot better.

1 3/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup shortening

1 egg

1/4 cup milk

1/2 tsp salk

1/2 cup cocoa

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 bag marshmallows

chocolate frosting

Sift flour, powder, cocoa, and salt. Set aside. Cut marshmallows in half. (Easiest to use kitchen shears dipped in water). Cream sugar and shortening, add egg, vanilla and milk. Beat wel. Add dry ingredients. Drop by tsp on greased baking sheet. (Or roll in balls). Bake at 350 for 8 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE! Remove from oven and press 1/2 marshmallow on top of each cookie. Bake 2 minutes more. Cool. Make sure marshmallow is firm and frost with chocolate frosting. (Make from scratch using the recipe on the back of the Hershey's Cocoa package, or cheat and use purchased frosting).

I'll add another picture with frosting on it later.

Field Trip with Monte

At a recent field trip, I was asked to work the role of "nurse" and accompany Monte on his field trip. We had such a nice, fun day. I enjoyed spending the entire day with him. It was touring a local college, enjoying the kitchens, barns, museum, original school building, and greenhouses. It rained the entire time, and it was quite a bit of walking outdoors, but Monte and the other kids were good sports. I did get one irritating comment from another parent:"Where does he go to school? You mean he goes to a regular school? With my kid? Oh. I mean, that's nice." I wanted to ask her where it was that she thought he belonged! We find that attitute still prevailing a lot in the older generations. Thankfully, all the kids who do attend school with Monte are learning about differences, acceptance, and friendship, so these attitudes are being phased out. And it was only one parent, the others were fantastic and knew that Monte was their kid's friend already.

More Thanksgiving Point Pictures

We'd better start saving for a horse, Piper was a natural! She loved every second of her rides, we had to do two just to talk her into leaving. Then she patted the horseys and thanked them for the ride.

Thanksgiving Point Fun

We had a little bit of time before our flight and drive back home, so we let the kids run around at Thanksgiving point to get some wiggles out. It was perfect!

Grandma and Grandpa Tidwell

When Grandma saw Monte for the first time in over 18 months, she exclaimed, "that's my boy!" He lit up with the biggest smile and immediately reached for his great-grandma. They have always had a very special connection, one that is not penetratable by miles or time. She spent time singing to him, cudding him, and even getting down on the floor to play with him. He loves her so much! We're so grateful to have spent so much time with them this week, and grateful that their health allowed them to come.

Side note: when Piper heard that, she emphatically clamied, "He's MY boy." (With a serious scowl). How wonderful to be with family who loves us so much.

Four Generations of Formidable Women

Hey, we came from 3 states to take this picture, be impressed! I'll have to figure out the miles...

I love these women, they have shaped me and my life in countless ways...

Cousins by Birth, Friends by Choice

One of the best parts of this last weekend was getting to spend time with my cousin Emilie and her kids. No matter where in the world she or we may be, I know that she's always there for me! Someday we'll live closer, I hope!!

It was fun to see our daughters also develop a friendship. Piper keeps asking to play with her "cous-hin Tink."

A Few More Wedding Pictures...

Isn't our new brother-in-law a cutie?! Doug is thrilled to finally have a brother-in-law, someone else to share our crazy family with. His first question was, "What sports does he play?" They got along great, and have a lot to catch up on. Also, here's the nieces and nephews that the new couple inherited...it's pretty impressive!

Wedding For a Two Year Old

Piper has spent the last few months going around saying, "I'm going to wear a white dress to the temple and I'm going to marry a prince!" She was so excited beyond all belief to actually be at the temple grounds to see her aunt Lindsay get married to a prince! She had so mch fun with her cousin Jadee and carrying her bouquet around. Thanks to Grandma Higley (Cows) who picked out such a lovely dress and thought to make her the flowers. I actually had to pry them out of her hands in her sleep. The only disappointment came when she realized that SHE wasn't getting to marry a prince that day. Oh, and she informed Daddy that I married a prince, (She's seen my wedding pictures), but when asked, "Daddy's not a prince, daddy's a DADDY!"

Family Pictures...oops!

Ok, I thought this was hilarious! Nearly all of us have our eyes closed, many are talking, no one is looking at the camera, we're all making odd faces, and my slip is showing...

nice family pictures!

Wedding Bliss!

After 11 years of being the only married sister, Lindsay is married! And what a gorgeous bride she made! We endured wind, cold, rain, and even snow, but it was still a wonderful weekend. Lindsay and Karl Young were sealed for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake City Temple. We were thrilled to be a part of it and to celebrate with them and all of my 6 brothers and sisters. And cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents...it was quite a party! Here's a few of the favorite pictures!

Impressive Photos...if I may say so!

Ok, so I'm the first to admit that I don't take great pictures. I try and try, but I usually end up a bit disapointed that they're not as great as I'd hoped. However, I was thrilled with these! I guess I've learned now that I need to change subjects! Forget humans, especially kids, I'll stick with these natural beauties! They don't move, complain, or make terrible faces.

April Fun

Monte participated in the First Grade Music program with his class. It was all about America and was wonderful! I like how the other students helped Monte make a circle...see picture. Also, we've spent quite a bit of time at the St. Louis Zoo inbetween appointments, here's a few more fun pictures! Finally, we went to a special cemetary in Salt Lake City and found most of the prophets, we enjoyed the walk, and the kids looked cute!