From Tarantulas to Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

It's not my typical Friday activity to begin the day visiting with Tarantulas, Stick Bugs and snakes but that's how this Friday began.

After dropping Bryce off at school, Paige and I met a handful of her preschool friends at Marin Treks Natural History Museum.  Luckily, this girl wasn't allowed out of her viewing container during the hour and a half 'field trip'.   I really can't stand spiders, so I didn't know how I was going to do this morning.

Just viewing this Tarantula through the container gave me the creepy crawlies.

This baby Gardener snake came out for a visit though!

One brave little girl decided she wanted to hold the baby Gardener snake.

Paige only wanted to watch and I can't say that I blame her because these snakes were really quite active.

Miss Stick Bug was next. 

Paige would only pet the stick bug and would not hold it.

I thought I'd hold it, if only to show Paige that there was nothing to be afraid of, but she still wouldn't hold it.....which was totally fine!  Hmmm, maybe holding the Stick Bug was more to prove to myself that there was nothing to be afraid of......it kind of worked, but it still gave me the creepy crawlies.

Along with Stick Bugs, Tarantulas and Gardener snakes, they also had a variety of other snakes including a Python, and various other reptiles.  Definitely a fun place to take the kiddos to.

The idea behind Marin Treks is:

"a family oriented outdoor science education and adventure company. Our mission is to inspire a lifelong love for the outdoors and a basic understanding of the natural phenomena that drive our planet. Each of our programs are designed to give children hands-on fun as they learn about the natural world."

Moving on to the later part of my day....I volunteered to teach cooking to the K - 1 class at Bryce's school every other week.  Today, being the first day, we made Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Here's how it went..... 

All that was lacking was a BIG glass of ice cold milk.

Here's the recipe:

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 3 cups oats
• 2 cups milk chocolate chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt, cinnamon, ground nutmeg; stir into the sugar mixture until well blended. Stir in the oats, chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven for a chewy cookie or 14 minutes for a firmer cookie.

4. Cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheet and then remove to wire rack. Cool completely and then store in tightly sealed container.

Happy Friday!  Cheers!