Baking up Some Love

So yesterday was kind of one of those days. First of all, it was a Monday, which is never good for anyone. Second, because Thanksgiving is next week,  my kids have a short school week, which means that on Thursday morning, we are leaving the first real family vacation (like where we’re not shoehorned into someone’s spare bedroom/couch) we’ve taken in 6 1/2 years (so pretty much my kids’ whole lives). As excited as we are to go, there is so much that needs to be done before we go. I need to make sure y’all and all your Thanksgiving needs are taken care of, my dog swiped my toast this morning while I wasn’t watching and then decided to un-house-train herself, my house is a disaster, my children didn’t go to bed until 9:30 last night because we were watching the last Harry Potter movie, meaning this morning, my daughter had the horrible realization that she couldn’t eat her breakfast because she didn’t like the length of her pants.

One of the things on my to-do list was to bake with my kids. I’m participating in the Foodbuzz Tastemakers Program and we were provided with some Nestle products to help us get bake-y in the kitchen. I had visions of these chocolate chip cookies, or these chocolate chip cookies, or these toffee chocolate chip cookies, or chocolate chip cookie pie. But first, I needed to work on the posts that are going up while I’m on vacation. Turns out my little girl wanted to help…

(please excuse her less-than-model-perfect hair–again, one of those days. Also, I’m not a neglectful mother, it really is warm enough outside for tank tops and shoelessness).

As much as I was trying to hurry things along, she reaaaaally wanted to help measure and pour.

I was stressing out. I may have kind of yelled. See that dusty mess on the table? Imagine that all over my house.

Then we picked up my little boy from the bus stop. And he had had a really bad day. By the time we had settled the fact that math isn’t the biggest deal in the world, we had time for cookies, but I knew it was going to be stressful and I really wanted to not be mad and yell-y while we were doing it. Enter…refrigerated cookie dough. Believe me, when the cookies matter, I’m a 100% believer in homemade cookie dough. But when memories and quality time matter and time’s short? Refrigerated cookie dough all the way, baby.

See where we’re going with this? Pizzookies, anyone?

By the time we scooped ice cream…

and drizzled chocolate and caramel sauce…

all was forgotten. I even forgot about the pretzel dust all over my dining room, especially when I realized that my little girl helping me crush and measure them was the whole point–baking up love and memories. Even if it was messier and took 3 times as long, it was so much more fun to have my little helper in there with me rather than doing it all by myself. Sappy enough for you? Go brine yourself a turkey and you’ll feel better, I promise… 🙂

Disclaimer: Nestle provided me with chocolate chips and cookie dough, but the opinions and memories are all miiiiine.