It's Raining...

My kitchen Helper Mr. Happy Pants

How glorious it is to wake up to an overcast, rainy Saturday Morning. {Sigh}Complete bliss is following me this day. My little kitchen helper Mr. Happy Pants helped this morning whip up a batch of homemade buttermilk waffles...MMM... We like to top our with fresh strawberries and homemade strawberry preserves, or a little agave nectar {However, the hubs prefers good ol' store bought Maple syrup...yuck}

Buttermilk Waffles:

• 1/2 cups melted unsalted butter
• 3 egg yolks (save whites)
• 1 cup buttermilk (or regular milk)
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1/4 cup white sugar.

Mix first 3 ingredients then mix the rest into the batter. Whisk egg whites until soft peaks form and fold into batter. Cook in Belgian waffle maker. Top with agave nectar and berries, powder sugar, or homemade syrup.

After our tummies were full I lit all the candles in our home and opened the drapes. It is proving to be a cozy, lazy rainy saturday at the Maureau Household...and I couldn't be Happier!  The weather today screamed out that it's a baking day, so we made our fav Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies.  They are gooey and divine. Here is the recipe:

Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies:

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 11/2 tsp. vanilla
• 11/2 C. flour
• 21/2 C. quick oats
• 11/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (large chunks)
• 3/4 C. nuts. (I make half the batter with and half without)

Mix softened butter, brown and white sugar, eggs and vanilla. Beat until fluffy in Kitchen mixer. Add flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Beat 2 more minutes. Bake at 350 on foil lined cookie sheets.  I use a cookie dropper for even baking and I bake for 9 minutes, so they are a tad undercooked. Thats the key... Take them out before they look done, then let set on wire cooling rack for 10 minutes. Perfection every time!

I have a few weekend habits that I look forward to every Friday. Here is the list:

• Friday Food and game night. We either grab Red Robin, Pei Wei, or Pizza with the kids then go home and have family game night on the Wii. Right now we are in a bowling tournament against eachother and Ky is in first... I'm in last, no surprise there!
• Saturday morning waffles and Lounge time.  We always whip up our waffles on Saturdays and stay in our jammies till at least ten... sometimes longer if we have no where to be.
• Sunday french toast lunch and movie afternoon.  Our ward meets at 9:00 am so Sunday mornings its a quick bowl of cereal...However, when we get home at noon we always are treated to dads french toast for lunch.  Seriously Justin makes the best french toast.Ever.Period.  I have tried to recreate his, but there is something so delish about the way he makes it.  He is so sweet and even cuts everybodys up into bite size squares on their plate.  My Hubbys a Doll.  We usually watch a family movie Sunday evenings and make "Theater Trays", complete with individual popcorn bowls with white cheddar seasoning, red vines for Justin and Kyler, and Peanut M&Ms for Jerron and I.  We then choose our drink of choice (usually lemonade) and snuggle on the couch.  We love it.
• Sunday evening with J.  The kids always go to bed by 8 on Sundays to get ready for the week.  This allows a nice alone night with the Hubs.  We always lay in bed, watch celebrity apprentice and go over the week schedule together, and write our to-do lists.  It sounds mundane, but I love that alone time to connect and get organized for the week together so we are on the same page.

I had to post this photo of J.  Even in Maui he made his Yummy French Toast.

I don't think it's coincidence that the activities at home are what make me happy.  They are simple. Thats what this life is about. Sisimplicity in all things.  Home should be a sanctuary and it truly is for me. What are some of your weekend routines that make you Happy?