EASY? Bake Oven

I remember having an Easy Bake Oven when I was little. I also remember that we didn't use it much.
When Isabel got her Easy Bake Oven for Christmas this year, I found myself wondering why we didn't use it more when I was little. Then we tried out Isabel's oven and it all came back to me.

What part of the Easy Bake Oven is easy?
The lightbulb, I guess.

Though, that's not completely accurate, because it requires a regular 100 watt light bulb. It cannot be Soft White, or Long Life. Have you tried to buy one of those lately? I finally found one Christmas Eve day after searching at 4 different stores.

Anyway, I should stop with my complaining because Isabel thinks it's great and she's had a pretty fun time baking with it. As for me, I think I'll stick with the "Easy" oven that's in my kitchen where I can bake 72 full sized cookies in the same amount of time it takes to make 12 Easy Bake Oven cookies.

Isabel and her friend, Abby, during the Christmas holiday having a bake off!

Unfortunately, the brownies Abby is putting into the oven never made it out. It overflowed inside the oven. Messy, messy!

And Voila!

Bite sized chocolate chip cookies!

The cookies were actually pretty good. I'll have to post some of the "from scratch" Easy Bake Oven recipes I found.

So I guess despite what my opinion of the actual oven is, the result is this:

Easy Bake Oven = Fun for 2 Best Friends

Piano Recital

Joshua and Isabel had their first piano recital last week. It was pretty fun to go and listen to them and all the other children play. Both Josh and Isabel had their songs memorized and did a fabulous job! I was so proud of them.

Isabel played the song "Happy New Year"

Josh played "Little Indian Lance"

No Bake Cookies

So, I've been on this No Bake Cookies kick lately. I've made them 4 times this week already. They are so yummy. Plus the kids love to help make them. It's the recipe I got from my Grandma Jennings.


2 c. sugar
1/2 c. margarine
3 T. cocoa
1/2 c. milk

Bring to a boil in a medium saucepan. Boil for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in:

3 c. quick rolled oats (or 3 1/2 c. regular oats)

Cover pan with lid and let stand 5 minutes. Then stir in:

1 t. vanilla

Scoop with cookie scoop onto waxed paper and let cool. Makes about 24 cookies.

1st Blogging Anniversary

It's been one year today since my first post on our family's blog. My cousin Suzanne set it up for me, (thanks again Zanny). She posts far more often than I do, so does almost everyone I guess. But, my goal at the beginning was to post one a month and I Did It! Yay, chalk one up for "Accomplishments."

I honestly don't know how some people post so often. How do you find or make the time for it? I would love to be a fly on your wall and figure out how you do it. I guess I'm "old school" because I'm more of a journal kind of gal. I love writing in my journal. I also prefer writing letters to people, and weeks will go by without checking my email. (I can almost hear the gasps!)

This family blog has been fun though and I enjoy keeping in touch with family and friends. As for this year's goal, I am sorting my digital pictures, which began in 2006, and scanning all the previous pictures 1997- 2005. So maybe this year's blog will be a "flashback" year! That could be fun.