It's Another Sourdough Sunday

The other day I needed to make some *gasps* chicken for Hazel and Thatcher - I know, meat in my happy vegetarian kitchen. The things we do for love... sigh - And it was on sale at the store buy 1 get 2 free. My children only needed like 3 pieces at most, but when I added the pack of chicken to my grocery delivery, sure enough 3 packages were there. SO I needed to lure family members into my house to eat said dead carcasses so I didn't have any remains left in my house. And so I said, "Who wants a big chicken dinner, green beans, pasta with tomatoes, and a big cookie with ice cream for dessert?" And thankfully family members answered my desperate call to arms.

And let's be honest. The cookie was mostly for me to replace my cooking with happy thoughts of baking AND to make them be taste testers to another... *cues music*evil laugh here* Sourdough Discard Recipe!!! (YES I know I need to get brave enough to actually try making a loaf of sourdough bread soon, I just have a LOT of discard to get comfortable with first)

And thus the Brown Butter Chocolate Chip 'Skillet' Sourdough Discard Cookie was added to the menu.

I was so busy juggling different aspects of dinner, (see onions in corner haha) taking gloves on and off, STILL scrubbing the daylights out of my hands *because EWWW* I forgot to take pictures of my baking until this step. So please imagine for me: One stick of butter on the stove over medium heat until caramelized. Let cool for 5 mins (okay 3 mins I was in a hurry) and added to the mixing bowl that contains the brown and white sugar- which I had already blended together.  

Imagine me mixing my wet ingredients: an egg, my sourdough discard - LOOK AT THOSE BUBBLES!!!- and vanilla

The rest of the dry ingredients prepped: All purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. 

The mixed butter and sugar 

Add the sourdough starter mix

IT STILL BUBBLES GUYS

Now gradually whisk in the dry ingredients

And you should get a semi wet batter like this- Because we melted the butter if you wanted to make regular cookies, you would need to refrigerate the dough for at least 30 mins before shaping

Add in chocolate - the recipe I found said 3/4 C to 1 C so I naturally went with 1 heaping cup because chocolate 

Now it's supposed to go into a skillet BUT mine was sadly being tortured with the task of cooking the chicken and so I went with my favorite pie dish my sister gave me <3 

Into my makeshift skillet and topped with more chocolate- as if there is another choice here!

Then into my toaster oven to bake! 350* for about 26 minutes

I wish I could share the gooey caramelized cookie dough smell in this blog. Just almost enough to block the smell of chicken roasting

And finally after dinner was eaten - Turns out I can make excellent chicken *bows dramatically* I shall not let your chicken death be in vain!- It was time for our dessert! I topped the cookie pieces with flaked sea salt and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. ALL of it is GONE. I am about to start making another one as soon as I finish this blog and for reference it is currently 3:02am as I finish typing - I had to clean a massacre of dishes, of CHICKEN and onion dishes. WHY did everyone have to leave so fast!?! Wasn't it assumed with my invitation of MEAT and lure of cookies that SOMEWHERE down the line SOMEONE could help a vegetarian girl out and wash the cast iron chicken skillet!?!? I mean I GAVE them all the leftovers!! SIGHHHHHHS HEAVILY

Anyways, I am going to need more nutty gooey chocolatey hint of salty cookie ASAP.

After all it is the ONLY way to cleanse my kitchen...

Off to do more baking! I'm not insane, I just realllly thorough with my efforts to make my kitchen feel better.

Right? Yes, that is the story I an going with and I am sticking to it!

I HAVE to do it!

Always,

Amelia 

How to Spend a Caturday Morning

It is very important to spend a Caturday morning with just the right steps

Step One - it is best to start the day with a bath from Mommy

Followed by lots and lots of purring

Then get ready for the next step

Milk Bar time!!!!!

That step needs repeated many times of course

Finally - so many snuggles.

Snuggling is what we do best!

Happy Caturday!!!! 

Happy 2nd Birthday Kirby!

 I can't believe it... Kirby is celebrating his SECOND birthday already!!!

I will always think of Kirby like this...

At camp Always Amelia and asking for belly-rubs for a job well done :) 

Well aPAWrently I am wrong and sweet 'little' Kirby celebrated his second birthday in the cutest of PUPdates! 

Kirby loves sleepy snuggles

Outdoor recess

More cuddles

Naps

His FURever family

 

And had the very best PAWty complete with a very dapper bowtie, blueberries, fun at the dog park, and a new birthday toy.   

Thank you so very much for the beautiful PUPdate on Kirby! He is one very loved Yesteryear Acres doodle doggie!  

Mentally giving the birthday boy a big hug from me!!!

Happy 2nd Birthday 'little' Kirby!

Always,

Amelia

A Grandpa Kind of Day

 This morning I had to go to the Dentist and I asked Hazel if she wanted to come with me and she said, "That's okay Mommy, I can go to Grandpa's house." 

Well alllll-righty then! To Grandpa (and Grandma's) house we went.

From an escorted drop off 

To Dragon oatmeal

and Tractor buddies

     My text updates went a lot like this...

Time to coral the dragon crew

"Looooove hurts...."

"Sometimessssss"

Master of the Keep

Everyone loves Grandpa

The purrfect morning with Grandpa

Thank you for being VolunTOLD to play with Hazel and Thatcher!

Best Grandpa kind of day <3

Always,

Amelia

Tail-Wagging Love

 I received a PUPdate from one of the humans I am so grateful to have had our paths cross. Her doodle girlie, Miss Bindi Sue Bear, is one of the first puppies to have gone to Camp Always Amelia!

Bindi remains as sweet and loving as always! She is a therapy doggie that does lots of special work with her Human Mama. But most of all...Bindi loves LOVE!

She loves to dress up!

Especially for the PAWlidays! Bonus points if her outfit is pink ;)

And each and every night, Bindi takes all her "babies" to bed and waits to be tucked in with her Mama <3

Bindi Sue is all Tail-Wagging Devotion and love wrapped into one very special doodle doggie. 

Thank you Bindi for the PAWsitively adorable PUPdate!

Always so happy to hear from you <3

Always,

Amelia

Meowy Cute PUPdate

We LOVE love love our PUPdates as you all know, but what is becoming extra exciting are Kitten and puppy PUPdates! Having Yesteryear Acres kittens and doggies in the same FURever family makes my heart extra warm and fuzzy! Because why put yourself into a box and just be a dog OR cat person when you can choose them both and get sweet pictures like this!!

Wilson and Evelyn in their FURever home with their wonderful PAWrents. 

It's the coordinating teddy bear sweater on Evelyn to Wilson's teddy bear hair for me!

SWOON!

Thank you for the MEOWY cute PUPdate!

Always,

Amelia

New Traditions

 Since Hazel has turned 2, I have allowed her to watch some selected TV here and there. Kipper the dog has been a favorite in our house and quite possibly one of the best things ever as Hazel will break out in random British bursts which is simply amazing. This Christmas I let her watch 'Olaf's Frozen Adventure' (after much explaining that there were some sad parts, but friends and family come together to make things better- My sweet Hazel is VERY sensitive to emotions, especially when modeled on TV). And since viewing Olaf searching for holiday traditions, Hazel has ALSO searched for traditions around the house, in her brother's drawers with ALL the folded clothes (please stop), outside, in Target.... Everywhere. I have gone over some of our family traditions and explained what a tradition is, and finally this Valentine's Day it clicked!!!!

Last year I wanted to turn one of my least favorite holidays (why is there so much pressure on Valentine's Day? Even when you're with someone, it is simply too much obligation and stress to enjoy fully) into something I looked forward to. Something that Hazel, and one day Thatcher, could look forward to. No matter what was happening in their lives or at school, this aspect of Valentine's day would always bring a smile to their faces. And so I started Valentine's Day baskets. 

Hazel's first "Heart Basket"

Valentine's Day 2025

Hazel's favorite part, Heart glasses. 

Hazel has talked about her Heart Basket on and off over the past year- especially the heart glasses- and when we talked about traditions I told Hazel that her heart basket was a new family tradition we started together. And I had been working on this year's Heart Baskets for a few months. Now this got Hazel VERY excited and she has been telling Thatcher ALLLL about Valentine's Day. 

So this year we started Valentine's Day with sibling pictures. Hazel picked out ALL her hearts to wear and Thatcher got to wear his outfit I had originally gotten for Christmas, but finally fits him now.

Valentine's Day 2026

Celebrating Sibling Love

My sweetest Valentine's

Thatcher's First Valentine's Day!! Outfit complete with Grandpa's hat.... ALWAYS PUT YOUR BABIES IN BOWTIES!!! I laughed all day long, his little old man outfit, I am obsessed.

And after working the morning at Yesteryear Acres and the afternoon from home, it was finally Heart Basket time!

For my Hazel Puppy Valentine

And my Thatcher Tumbleweed Valentine

New Tradition officially unlocked

Complete with heart glasses (WHEW! I spent forever finding the same ones as the year before!)

"See Thatcher?!"

Heart glasses for all!

Hazel loved her card from me and 'read' it to herself and would go "AWWW MAMAAAAA"

Picking out our Valentines to share with family and friends

The reason for everything I do <3 Pure happiness and love. My Snuggle Puppy Valentine 

One of my new favorite days

Better start prepping for next year's Heart Baskets!

Happy New Traditions (and please let the searching for more in the organized drawers around the house stop HAHAHA!)

Always,

Amelia