BROWNIES!! need i say more?

I have made this recipe a few (ok more than a few) times.  Serveral people have asked me for the recipe, so I thought I would go ahead and post it.  It's not a secret, and by no means my concoction.  It is a recipe from an old church cookbook that was done for a YW fundraiser, before i was even in YW.  It is just a really supper, dupper, yummy, and addicting brownie recipe.

Be forewarned, it makes a large batch, no need to double.  It will make for a 12x17 pan.  If you don't have one it can be divided into two 9x13 pans.  I made a couple of changes but i think that it just made it even more yummy than the original.  If you have a stand mixer, use it!  If not, use an electric hand mixer if ya have one.

Wisk together the following until it comes together and looks like a pale yellow whipped cream.  (don't over wisk)
3 sticks melted butter (let cool a couple of minutes)
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 tsp salt

Then beat in the following.  If using the stand mixer, switched to the paddle.  The batter will be thick.
3 cups flour
5 Tbsp cocoa poweder
2 tsp vanilla

Then you can add what ever you want.  I add a 12oz bag of chocolate chips.  Add nuts or what ever floats your boat in brownies.

Bake at 350 for 30 min.  If you want something a bit gooey, then bake for 25 min.

                              

Now, the changes I made:  it originally called for margarin, I use butter.  I've made it both ways and butter is better.  I also added and extra tablespoon of cocoa powder, it makes the brownie darker in color.  If you want a really dark in color brownie, I have discovered that Hershey's makes cocoa powder in their 'Special Dark'  it will make them almost black in color.

Team Houghtie



1/2 way point with a stop at the Alamo

 Today was the Susan G Koman Race for the Cure in San Antonio.  We gathered as a family to walk in behalf of Mom.  We invited her school to join our team: Team Houghtie.  We decided to walk the entire 5K strollers and all.  We are greatful for the support of Mom's friends who joined us in the walk.

All those people infront of us.  Even more on the other side of the bridge

almost to the end

Pink Panther even walked wearing a pink Tu-tu

Freedome at last!

Easter time!

I love watching the boys grow and become more interested in holidays.  At the same time, i need to start stepping up my game and decorating for holidays and making them a big deal and stressing the true meaning of certain holidays like Christmas and Easter.  The Easter Bunny did pay us a visit and filled our baskets.  I have talked to him and we have decided that he will no longer come in the middle of the night, and leave us a basket for us to wake up to, but he will start coming while we are at church.  This has a lot to do with the fact that  church at 8:30AM is harder than i thought it would be, and when your children have eaten candy for breakfast ( i did try to add healthy in with it but backfired), it kinda makes for a disastrous chain of events.  Like getting to church late, and leaving early because one child's sugar high came to a crashing end and we left early. 

After much needed and long naps, we ate lunch that did not consist of chocolate or sugar and got ready to go to Aunt Mandy and Uncle Jared's for Easter festivities.  We played hard with all the Barton cousins and ate well.  We looked for Easter eggs and even had a pinata (I use that word loosely).  When we left we were tired, dirty, and coming off a sugar high.

This was the pinata.

Our Day...

I have taken a few shots of the kids over a period of a couple of days.  Here are just a few of the things we encounter on a typical day.....

Laundryday!

unfortunatly clothes were damp and baby had dirty feet.  most of those got rewashed.

Story Time:

Peek a Boo!

Helping out in the Kitchen

he likes to rearrange my drawers and cabinets

Chilaxin'

Breakfast Time:  today Blayne decided to feed himself some yogart.  I guess it is a good thing I was going to mop the floors today.

look how much i ate!

not your garden variety

I decided to take my new camera out for a spin and see what kind of photos i could get of the boys.  We took a field trip to the Botanical Gardens and let them run wild.  They loved seeing all the colors and touching and smelling all the flowers and plants.  can i just say i LOVE my new camera!

Happy Birthday Blayne

It's official Blayne is 1 year old today!  Hoooray!  Blayne Sumner Pressgrove was born 1 year ago today at 158AM.  Weighing 8 lbs 9 oz, 21 inches long, and had a big head of 35cm.  We had a full head of black hair and bright blue eyes.  He loves to laugh and smile and showing off all 4 of his teeth.  His favorite place to be is in mommy's arms.  We are standing more by himself and takes a few steps at a time.  We LOVE food (i guess that's the Bandley in him) even if we don't have enough teeth to eat everything.  He will cry when Ethan is crying, even if there is nothing wrong with him, it is simply because big brother is crying so he MUST cry too.
We have loved having you in our lives and can't imagine you not being there.  We LOVE you Blayney Boo!

Party Harty!

We celebrated Blayne's 1st birthday today.  It was a few days early, but since it was spring break and everyone was out of school, we could meet at Chuck E Cheese shortly after opening and avoid the crowds on the weekend.  We had Houghton cousins and Pressgrove cousins and some friends we haven't seen in awhile.  Grandma Pressgrove was there, but managed to escape my camera, maybe she'll show up on Mandy's camera.  Here they are.  I tried to get at least one photo of everyone, sorry if i missed you. 

No longer a baby.....

I have resisted for the last year to cut Blayne's hair. Why? Once you cut it, he is no longer a baby. I know it is a twisted logic, but i'm OK with it. Unfortunatly i found it necessary to cut Blayne's hair before the age of one (just by a few days), it broke my heart, because we need to get passport photos. I can't let him go around for the next five years with some scraggley hair on his passport. We headed off to see Aunt Gretel at work for a snip. Here you go....

Before: front-ish view

before: back

during. he did great

After, for got to get an after in the chair, but this is an after.  not too dramatic of a cut, just cleaned up

Ethan's turn!

as long as he could see me he was OK, he has never liked getting a hair cut

the after 

Cooookies!

The other day when i was shopping for Blayne's birthday gifts, i came across a cook book for kids full of nothing but cookie recipes for only $6! We thought we would give it a try and tried a couple of recipes.

dumping cereal on the rug was Blayne's contributuion

Just another manic Monday!

So, shall we start our day?  1st we are off to the DR to have our blood pressure checked, for some reason it's a bit elevated (I wonder why? hmmmmm) then to the JAG's office to get some paper work notarized, then to pay a dental bill, Sam's Club and maybe lunch on the way home.  Seem all like normal errands to run for a day.  Just one problem.  on my way from the base to the dentist, the light chimed on saying that my engine was overheating. Good news is it's almost time for lunch and there is a set of golden arches in sight only about a block away.  I figure it's a good place and stop let the car cool down and then I can check to see if there is any coolant in it.  On our way out Ethan throws the tantrums of all tantrums. Good times and good thing I already had my blood pressure checked.  I quickly paid my dental bill since i was only a couple of miles away and PRAYED all the way home that the car would make it home, and it did.  I figure it was a good time for a nap.  Blayne quickly agreed and after laying down for 40 min with Ethan, no nap.  Found a mechanic close by that i could drop off and walk home.  It was in a shopping area so i figures i would get new summer shoes for the boys and stop by big lots for Blaynes birthday presents.  The Mechanic said it was the water pump and the damage would be $510.  OUCH! but i know it could have been way worse.  Walked home and as i approached my door, remembered i forgot to get the house key off my key chain.  That is the good thing about an apartment complex I can just go to the office and have someone open the door for me.  Just one problem, the spare keys they have for my apartment don't work. So 45 minutes and two maintenance men later, they finally broke the dead bolt on my front door and opened it.  Now in a prefect world I would have cleaned my house spotless before I left this morning.  NO I sure didn't good times.  I cringed as the door opened to a pile of dirty laundry and toys scattered from one end of the living room to the other.  Did I mention now that we are in and the maintenance men have left we have still not taken a nap?  It looks like an early bedtime for all tonight, even me.  Good times.