It happened on a Wednesday and this was not my best day. I was doing some housework and cleaning and was in the laundry room upstairs. I don’t know what was going through my head because it happened so quickly. I was reaching for the detergent and knocked over the bleach. . which was left on the counter and OPEN and proceeded to spill everywhere. All over my clothes and the floor.
Insert many bad expletives here. Many.
I was fuming. So mad. My husband does his own laundry from time to time and left the bleach open. The cap was on but not closed. We’re talking nearly a full 3 quart (96 fl oz) jug of Clorox Bleach. Spilled everywhere. While I was cleaning it and inhaling the fumes, I thought. . OMG, this could be dangerous. And then I was mad again. Fuming mad. I wanted to call my husband and yell at him. Which would do no good and make him have a bad day but I wanted to call anyway. And then I looked up on the counter and saw this sticker.
A sticker that said, “My teacher prayed for me.” (I re-stuck this on Madeline’s back so you could see it)
At our church, Madeline attends the 2 year old Sunday school class. At the end of class while the kids are munching on gold fish crackers, the teacher volunteers go around the table and pray out loud for each child. And then they place this little sticker on their back. I think this is so lovely and special. Every kid needs to be prayed for. Always.
I was doing laundry a few days earlier and found the sticker on Madeline’s dress and for some reason, couldn’t throw it away and placed it on the counter. And now I know it was so I could see it again. On this Wednesday. After this crazy accident.
I thought about the meaning of this little sticker and my daughter, Madeline, and gained perspective and calmed down. I realized I was just tired and in a bad mood and probably PMSing. But that little sticker did it. Sometimes you just need a reminder or something to bring you back to reality. OR if you don’t have a “my teacher prayed for me today” sticker. COOKIES.
In the short time we have been here, WA has been really great. We honestly love it here. We have some very dear friends, Will and Victoria, with whom we alternate watching each others kids so the parents can go on date nights. We haven’t had a set-up like this ever. It’s brilliant. Also, our kids really love playing with each other and their twins, Alex and Abby (age 7) treat Phoebe and Madeline like their own sisters.
Abby is allergic to eggs so one day I made these 
If you read my blog on a regular basis, you may have noticed the surge of posts (almost everyday) recently. I have a problem. When I’m feeling anxious or restless, I like to work or cook or bake to take my mind off things. I’m coming back to reality and don’t want my posts to become anything less than what I intend so I will be pulling back on the number of weekly posts. I promise.
For those who will continue to read my blog, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for taking the time. It really means a lot to me.
Hi, Alice. Great looking cookies!! Clearly, Abby is a chef in the making. Most children will outgrown food allergies so hopefully she will outgrow hers, as well. Sorry about the bleach incident but look at how disinfected and clean your floor is. 🙂 There is always a silver lining in everything.
You are so right, Richard!! I was thinking that the other night when I looked at the floor. . silver lining! 🙂 Happy Friday!
Loved this story. Ugghh…I don’t know WHAT I’d do if I spilled all that bleach! (were the “fuming mad” puns intended? haha) Amazing how God can calm us down in unexpected ways.
Sandra, yeah I noticed that after I wrote it. . haha!! YES! it was crazy. . I usually remove that little sticker right when we leave church but that Sunday she wore it all day so that’s how I found it on her dress when I was doing laundry. . yes. . amazing!
Damn Alice– what a day! Pretty sure I would’ve called the hubby… Good restraint on your part, lol. Thanks for sharing your hard times and your therapy. 😉 I’ll have to try these!
haha, thank you Jenna!! Seriously, it was all God and the sticker!
Woman, don’t apologize for publishing all of these fabulous posts! I can’t get enough so keep ’em coming! The silver lining to the bleach episode (which would’ve made me LOSE.MY.MIND if it happened to me!) is that you get to go buy yourself a new wardrobe, don’t you think? I was having a terrible night on Wednesday too, funny enough. I had a long ass day at work, had to bring some work home with me, and then the husband goes out and Abby’s acting up, just being her usual rambunctious puppy self but it was driving me nuts. I lost it and started yelling at a puppy. Full on swearing. I sounded like a crazy person. I wish I had that sticker to bring me back to earth or these amazing cookies.
Dude, if I had been wearing something nice, I would have lost it more. . but I was doing housework and wearing sweats so Paul got lucky. 🙂 When he got home, I calmly told him about the incident and asked that he not forget to close the damn thing and to put it away! Dude, Madeline could have been in there with me .. that would have been scary. . thank God everything was ok and now I have a clean-ass floor. 😛
I feel for you. I’ve had my share of bleach incidences. I’m sure it is impossible to have around without messing up something sooner or later (or often in my case). Glad you had the sticker to bring in good thoughts and calm down from being angry. Even better to have those wonderful cookies.
thank you, Renee! 🙂
What an honest story that all of us could relate to. But what a happy ending – sanitized floor and delicious cookies! I’ll share this Abby – she will love her name mentioned and these are hands down by far her fave cookies on earth!!! Thanks Alice for all your sweetness.
Haha, yes, a very sanitized floor and nice new white spots on my favorite sweat pants! 😛 I guess that’s why sweat pants are meant for house-wear! 😛 I hope Abby liked it! 🙂
I have those days too Alice! The days when you’re being productive, getting through the tasks and then one little thing happens and boom! I think it’s one of life’s quirks sent to teach us we’re never truly in control and that they don’t call life a roller coaster for nothing…cookies are obviously the answer too!
well said, Alice!!! so true!
I feel for you and your spilled bleach Alice. Not well closed caps drive me nuts! Very irrational of me but true. I love the way you turned it around with the sticker. I´m constantly looking for signs, otherwise I will be in a crappy mood with most little things on a daily basis.
I´m discovering baking without eggs and it´s opening my mind a lot. These cookies are tremendously good! Glad you found a treat for Abby.
Thank you, Paula. . yes. . me too. . I need these signs too or I, like you, sometimes let things get the best of me! I’m searching too but it’s so hard since eggs help so much in baking. . but yes, good to expand and learn. .
good thing you didn’t call paul at work. way to restrain yourself. flaxseed and water can also be used as an egg substitute in baking. i bought a jumbo bag of flaxseed at costco – just b/c i’d heard it was good for you. then i didn’t know what to do with it, so i had to look up recipes. but mostly, i just mix it in the kids yogurt and smoothies.
Thank you, Grace! Will give the flaxseed a try!
Oh Alice – I completely know how you feel but I’m glad thing went out fine. Sometimes that little thing (sticker) is a good reminder to handle our emotions and remain silent. What a lovely story and hope you’re doing well now. I love reading your blog, it’s very inspiring and encouraging. Keep on shining, sista! I’m in love with your cookies because I don’t need to wait for the butter at room temperature. 🙂
Thank you SO much, Linda! and yes! I know!! I feel the same way re: room temp butter! 😛
Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies bring me back to college….my roommate’s mom made some for us and they were heavenly. I’m sure it had been way too long since we had eaten homemade anything. What a sweet treat for Abby…and a great babysitting set up! All moms need that!
Yes, definitely thrilled about our date night set-up! 🙂 Thanks for the comment, Liz. 🙂
Hi. I wanted to know which type of chocolate is best or which you prefer when making this recipe. semi-sweet or bittersweet?
Hi Mona,
It really just depends on what you prefer. Both work brilliantly! I actually can’t decide which one I prefer, maybe the bittersweet. You can also separate the cookie dough into 2 batches and mix in semi-sweet first and then bittersweet in the 2nd batch? That way, you can try both. Again, totally up to you! Please LMK if you try the recipe! 🙂 Cheers
Are these cookies hard or soft?
These are crispy and slightly chewy. . and delicious!
Thank you. I have egg allergies and can’t wait to try them.
you will love these cookies! I would make these all the time for my friend’s daughter who is also allergic to eggs.
Oh Alice, I’m sorry you went through that. We’ve all had bad days like this and you seem to have gotten a good grip on stopping yourself from calling and yelling at him. Lord knows, I may have not had that same control as you. Something I’m working on. But I do believe (as you’re my evidence to this) that sometimes all it takes a little saying or a posted affirmation to put things into perspective. On a side note, these cookies look absolutely delicious!
Thanks so much, Connie!!