No-Bake Drop Cookies #chocolate #peanutbutter #easytreats

It drives me nuts how much grocery stores and cookies shops charge for these cookies when they are so cheap and simple and fast to make at home! Our local cookie store charges $1.50 for one of these cookies, which is the equivalent of about 2-3 of the cookies from the recipe below (they just made it bigger and in the shape of a patty). They also charge $3 for one dozen of the small cookies. Plus, this recipe makes about 4 dozen cookies, which makes them perfect for taking to school or other events while you save some for yourself at home!

You can find this recipe along with 12 more great dessert recipes in my book, The Tater Tot Casserole Cookbook!

1 stick butter
1/2 cup milk
2 cups sugar (I made these with 1.5 cups coconut sugar and 1/2 cup regular sugar and they were okay; taste was different but probably better for your glycemic index)
3 T cocoa
1 t vanilla
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups quick cooking oats (not old fashioned)

Bring first 4 ingredients to a full rolling boil in a saucepan. If you don’t, the cookies won’t set up and will be a blobby mess.

Take them off the burner and stir in the peanut butter until it’s all mixed in. Then add vanilla. Then add oats. You might need a little more than 3 cups, but go easy because they do set up once they are on wax paper.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper. A small scoop is great for this. Wait a little bit before eating and eat the rest out of the pan using a spatula!

don't let small children help with this recipe because it's HOT!!! here is Samuel back in 2011 helping make some other desserty concoction!

Physical Investment Ideas For The Beginner

Getting into investment can be tough. Of course, at first you’ll need some form of disposable income that you need to get your foot in the door, and this truly does need to be disposable because you could lose it if something goes wrong. You can mitigate the chances of losing your money by being savvy and doing your research. This way, you can hedge the investment in your favour as best as possible, after all that’s what investment is all about. The true investment skills come with years of practice, so caution is needed until you are competent. To start out, here are some tips that can see your investment opportunities pay off.

Go For Property

If you have disposable income, then property is one of the best routes to take. Primarily because you can actually have something tangible and physical to show for the investment of capital. You can start buy buying to rent out, which is always a good earner on the side. You can go for lovely places where people would want to go on holiday, such as this land for sale. If you find nice areas like this then you are pretty much guaranteed a return, but be weary because if the weather turns for a portion of the year then you may be without income for this time. You don’t need to buy to let either. Instead you can buy a property, make some changes then sell it on at a profit. The issue here is tradesman costs. It can work if you know a tradesman who can do the work at a good rate. Otherwise, your margins need to be dead on to ensure you are making a profit. These changes can be small, or large such as major structural expansions. Whatever you decide, make sure to do your research first. Work out how much you will make by investigate similar sales in the area. If you fail to plan you plan to fail, map it all out and you’ll be fine, but if you go in blind you could lose your money.

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Art

Again, another type of investment that you can actually hold and see is in art. It can be quite hard to get the investment right, so be sure to find something from someone with skill and indeed something you know will look good in your home. Further down the line, when there are no pieces left from that particular image or painting you can sell it for a profit. To truly make huge profits in art you need to be well versed in the industry, but you can still invest. You can find some good pieces here for all budgets.

Precious Jewels

Physical investments like in jewels or metals are a great bet too. Gold has never been more expensive, so those who have it can sell it on for favourable rates. It is far better than stocks where you cash can vanish into thin air, because again you actually have the items in your grip. Prices fluctuate, so keep an eye on the price and sell when high for a return.

Naturally Fun Ways to Get Outside with Your Kids

Pic from Pixnio

Sending your kids off to play is a great way to get rid of them when you need a break. But you don't always want to send them off to do their own thing. They're growing up fast, and you don't want to miss out on too much with them. Perhaps you want to join in with their play, but you're not sure how or if you're welcome. Playing with your kids outside can help to keep you fit, and it gives you time to bond. But you have to be able to keep up and make it fun for them, or they won't want you tagging along. Try these ideas to get outside with your kids.

Be Willing to Run Around

If you want your children to keep fit and run around, you have to be willing to join them. Leading by example is the best way to pass on your values to your kids. So if you want them to have a healthy attitude to exercise, show them that you're happy to back up your words with your actions. If you're not used to running around, it might take you awhile to get used to it. But the more you play soccer or touch football or join in with a race, the easier it will get to keep up with your kids. You can even go on runs together.

Get Some Wheels

If you're not that keen on running, getting something with wheels can change things. You can get a bike, look at scooters for sale, or even try a pair of rollerskates. Whether your kids are on their own wheels or just on their feet, you'll be able to keep up with them. If they like going to the skatepark, you can join them and maybe even try out some tricks together. You could go for a bike ride together, and even put smaller ones in a seat or trailer if they're too young to have their own bicycle.

Pic from Wikimedia

Encourage Playing Pretend

The world is a big place, and it's easy to turn it into a land fit for adventure. Whether you're in your backyard or roaming a forest, there are so many ways for the kids to use their imagination. You can help them get started and encourage them to keep going. If you feel like you don't have a great imagination, it's easy to find some ideas online.

Explore Nature Together

Another way to explore when you're outside is to pay attention to nature. You can help your children to do this by giving them activities to do and helping them out with them. For inspiration, just look online for nature activities for kids. You can print out some activity sheets, use pieces of paper to draw and write things down, or even buy some simple tools like magnifying glasses or binoculars. You might find yourself enjoying nature just as much as the kids do.

You don't have to send off the kids on their own whenever they play outside. Join in and have fun with them while they'll still let you.

Give Thanks For All You Have

It is far, far too easy to focus on everything that we don’t have in our lives. This causes depression, feelings of worthlessness, anxiety, and a whole other range of negative feelings that we could really do without. There’s a secret antidote to this, however, and it’s so simple that you might wonder how you ever lived without it. It is: giving thanks! Whether you’re religious or not, sharing a few moments of gratitude with the universe for all you have is the key to a happy life, and will bring you a level of joy that no product or even experience can match. Here’s how it’s done.

Source: Pexels.com

Get Some Perspective

Everyone needs some perspective every now and again, but it’s much harder when we live hectic lives in a busy urban area. On any given day we might: have a rushed morning, have a terrible day at work, be stuck in traffic, and have an evening where we do little other than make dinner and fall asleep. If we live in a busy city, this cycle might become our entire lives. When it’s like this, it’s hard to look at the bigger picture and give a nod of thanks for all we have. But take a step back and you’ll soon see that you live a pretty charmed life. Take a trip out to somewhere beautiful, somewhere where you can see stars, and look at your life from outside. It doesn’t look so bad, does it? Make that part of your cycle too, whether it’s once a week or month, and see the world anew.

At the End of Each Day

Remember the list of bad things that might have happened during your day that I mentioned above? Well though they weren’t great, they were only a handful of things that happened during your day. Many more things happened also, and they most definitely were not all bad. For example, did you have a nice lunch? Were you able to buy a special coffee? Do you have somewhere to sleep tonight? We’re conditioned to want more and more, but we should really be thankful for what we have. At the end of each day, make a list, written or mental, of all the good things that you had in your day. You don’t need to go overboard and get all sentimental about a nice coffee; just listing them will reinforce good thoughts and feelings.

Spread the Love To Your Family

Your family have always done their best, whether it feels like it or not. All families are complicated, and we might feel hurt and let down by some actions of our immediate family, but they’ll always be your family - and you should be making sure you're doing all you can to make them feel thrived by life. When your parents are getting old, make sure they’re well taken care of; make sure they have enough food in the fridge, or click here to find a senior living community. With your siblings, make sure they know how much you value them. Spreading kindness to others can bring a deep sense of joy, which shows that humans by nature are inherently kind - and lets your family know you are thankful for having them in your life.

...And To Strangers

It’s easy to get wrapped up in our own lives, and to see everyone else in the world as merely a small character in a universe that is our own. But don’t forget: every single person on the planet is going through something, they’re experiencing the same highs and lows as you are, have anxieties and insecurities just as you, and want to be happy just like you also. Don’t brush them off, or think that in any way are you superior to them. Treat every single person as you would like to be treated. You would be nowhere without your fellow man (really! What would you do if other people weren’t around to prop you up?), so giving thanks for them is one to show gratitude for your life.

Compare With Yourself

Humans get to their lowest points when they compare where they’re up to in their life with other people. Perhaps your friend has a house and a car, while you’re still struggling to pay rent. Maybe another friend travels the world, while you feel tied down by a house and a mortgage. Everybody wants something they don’t have, and no matter how great a person’s life might be, it won’t be perfect - perhaps what is unique about theirs is that they don’t let their problems bring them down. If you have to compare, do so against yourself - where you’ve been, how you’ve grown, and so on. Odds are, you’ve come a long way without even realising it.

Source: Pexels.com

Feel Alive

In all likelihood, you’ll have eaten or drank something today without even stopping to actually taste what you’re putting in your mouth. Learning to be more thankful for your life is about opening yourself up to the wonders of life, to let your senses really feel what’s happening. This can be taking the time to enjoy a prepared meal, actually focusing on a song that is playing, or just being aware of what you’re touching. Being thankful is closely linked to feeling alive, and there’s no better way to feel alive than to let sensations wash over you.

What are You Saying?

It’s amazing how what we say can dictate how we’re feeling. If you’re complaining about life on a daily basis, then of course things like stalled traffic and other daily inconveniences are going to annoy you - it’s confirmation bias, effectively. You think and say negative things, something negative happens, and you see the world through negative eyes. On a daily basis, do you say things like “wow, look at that blue sky!” and “say, that was a fine meal!”, or do you say “it’s a bit cold isn’t it’ and ‘urgh, now we have to do dishes”? Whatever you preach will come true. Make sure your voice is looking on the bright side of life, and things might just begin to look good!

Lie in The Grass

There are many things you can do to make yourself make thankful, but how often do you sit back, lie in the grass, and just let your mind wander to wherever it wants to go? Not every moment of your life has to be about self-improvement or trying to be happy. Take some time to do, well, nothing, and you’ll almost certainly find yourself in a happy, positive state of mind. Life can be many things, and that’s great, but you can’t beat spending some time in the sunshine (or in front of a fire if it’s winter), dreaming of all the things you’ve yet to do.

...and If All Else Fails

If you’re absolutely struggling to see the good things about a commute to work or daily grind, then remember this: today is the best time to be alive...ever. Depending on where you’re from, you probably have more opportunities to travel be who are than at any other point in the history of the world. It’s easy to get bogged down in the feeling that there isn’t much to be thankful for, but there really is - the world is safer, better fed, better watered than ever before. Things are picking up and improving all the time. So if you only have one thing to be thankful for, make it: that you’re living in a prosperous age!

The Aging Parents Role Reversal: Five Coping Strategies You Need

There comes a time in life when the roles reverse. The parents who brought you up, cared for you, gave you your values and nursed you through every phase of life... suddenly need your help. It seems to happen overnight, and it's a startling realization that you're now the primary adult and decision-maker in the relationship.

If you find yourself struggling with the new change, it's worth making the time to take a few steps to help you adjust to the new situation. With a little time investment, you can ensure the new status quo is one that works for everyone.

1. Give yourself a chance to be upset. When you realize that your parents are aging and may not be able to make the same decisions they used to, it's heartbreaking. Give yourself some time to adjust rather than trying to force yourself to be okay with it. It's a big change, a sudden assumption of responsibilities for you and a fresh set of concerns. It's normal for you to feel thrown by it.

2. Make sure you know what to look for. There is a significant risk of degenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's Disease or dementia as people age, and this is something you need to be aware of. With treatment and therapy, these conditions can become a lot more manageable and significantly increase the quality of life for your loved one. So familiarize yourself with the warning signs, and if necessary, seek medical advice.

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3. Get the information you need. If you work and/or care for your children, there's every chance you might not have many spare hours to care for an ailing parent. Or perhaps you literally can't be there, if you now live in a different part of the country. Discuss with your parents and see what routes they would prefer to go down in the future. Perhaps they would prefer at-home for Alzheimer's care or are more reassured by the idea of a retirement community. It might even be feasible for you to bring them into your own home - but these are all conversations you need to have as early as possible. Facing these realities will help ease anxiety for all concerned.

4. Think the worst. Try and run through a few likely scenarios and think of how you would deal with them. If your parents called you in the middle of the work day and said they were feeling unwell, what would you do? Would you need any outside assistance from anyone else? Might you need a care agency, or perhaps they need a nurse for this exact situation? Run through the possibilities and see how you would respond.

5. Know where to get help. When you do the above exercise, you may realize you need a nurse or other support staff to assist you in caring for your parents. So source such assistance as soon as possible, before the crisis hits. You can be reassured you have got the right plans in place should the worst happen. Your parents will also have the time to meet and get to know anyone who might be assisting you, making it easier for all concerned.

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There's no doubt it's a difficult adjustment to make, but with a few precautionary steps, you can walk forward ready for what comes next.