Natalie's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Here is the recipe for the delicious chocoloate chip cookies that Caleb swears changed his life. Just remember if you try these you'll never go back. They're just that good.

Natalie's Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 c shortening

1 1/2 c brown sugar, firmly packed

1 1/2 c sugar

4 eggs unbeaten

3 1/2 c flour

2 tsp soda

2 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

12 oz pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips

4 cups oatmeal

Bake @ 375 for 10 minutes on greased cookie sheet

Parties, Parties, Parties Galore.

Park Family Thanksgiving

 Brooke always wants to hold the baby.

 I seriously cannot look at this picture without laughing. Kim and I were taking a picture with Claire, when out of nowhere Brooke the photo bomber showed up. 

 Rigby Family Party

Marci was teasing Daisy with her candy.

but she got over it in time to give us a big smile.

I just love this picture so much. I want to frame it and put it in our living room.

Anything but boring...

Seriously? These two are brothers? Haha

Indee had a performance that night so half of the family left to go see that. She just looks so dang cute in this picture that I had to include it.

 We were trying to figure out different facial hair options.

 

Looks like the 'stache works best.

   Ugly Sweater Party

Cute girls.

These guys are crazy.

 

Not very many of our sweaters made it to the end of the night.

 

Park Christmas

 

 Cute Hollie

 My mom in shock that we got her a kindle.

 Jonny opening his awesome Jets jacket.

 The best present ever! We were supposed to get food storage but decided we needed an Xbox kinect more.

I'm not sure what was so funny here but I bet it was good.

Holl and I showing off our awesome scrapbook stuff.

 Brookie with all of her new princesses.

 Parker loved his new keyboard for Rock Band.

 Ash was just as interested in Brian's gift as he was.

 Rigby extended family party

 We didn't take many pictures but these two were my favorites. Daisy was our little BFF throughout the party.

 Game Night with Santillans and Lloyds.

 

 Always a good time when we break out the Kinect.

 I am so happy to know that there is another couple as competitive as Caleb and I... haha  Even while 9 months pregnant Karabeth was not about to let her husband win her in Dance Central 2.

 

Clearly we couldn't be bothered with posing for a picture, we needed to win.

 

 These two have matching blue eyes... that is neat. =)

  

  This is the best picture we could get from my old school phone using the self timer.

2011 was fantastic. I can already tell 2012 is going to be better. ;)

Follow up story and How many can you fit in your shirt?

Here are some pictures after the clean up. The Rigby's used to have a row of trees up by the street and another random row in the middle of the lawn (someone was going to build on the top of the lot when they planted it). But now there is just a big open space.

Mike was pretty optimistic about the future saying that now they have a fresh start with the landscaping and they can do whatever they want. Caleb was also excited that now they'll have a bigger yard to play football on.

One of the trees took out a some of the fence and the basketball hoop.

It looks so different.

You can now see the house from the street. So weird.

We went with my sisters and their families to pick a tree and see the lights at the Layton Park.

I put Boston inside my jacket and Kim zipped him up.

He was perfectly happy but he kept sneaking his hand out to push down the blankets to get a better look at the lights.

This is the best picture I could get of Ashton he was all over the place trying to see everything.

Brookie all bundled up.

Caleb, Claire, Kim, and Hollie. Cute Caleb held Claire the whole time.

Sometimes we like to pretend that our nieces and nephews are our own kids. =)

The sweet little baby fell sleep

 Back at Hollie's for hot chocolate when creeper Caleb jumped in the picture at the last second.

  Caleb is such a good babysitter. I snuck the sleeping baby in there while Caleb was studying. He "watched" Boston like this for about 15 minutes while I cleaned up, before he even realized. =)

At the Rigby family dinner Caleb and I got to hold our newest Rigby niece Eleanor (or Ellie as Caleb calls her). She's super mello, and has a full head of hair like Ernie. =) So dang cute.

Kim brought Claire over so she could run to Kohls. She's kind of the perfect baby.
I can't decide which of these pictures is funnier. =)   

Smiling or just gas? You decide.

Funny story. My friend Natalie Bird makes the honest-to-goodness BEST chocolate chip cookies ever! Momma Rigby has an amazing recipe too. So last Sunday I was making some cookies to take to my Visiting Teaching ladies, and Caleb came down to help and said "Natalie's cookies have changed my life." Haha, silly boy. Usually if his Momma didn't make it he won't like it, but he gave these a chance and now he's hooked. Me too, because they're delicious.

I'll send the recipe to anyone who wants it. Just be warned you'll never go back to your old recipe.