tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2182128307525059492024-03-12T21:05:09.246-04:00Love & Life & LearningLove & Life & Learning: Random thoughts on life's trials and the little gifts that come with themVeronica Bartleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04452926814324819692noreply@blogger.comBlogger401125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-218212830752505949.post-77707971235298138612024-03-12T20:55:00.000-04:002024-03-12T20:55:07.979-04:00Book Club Treats: Jane Austen EditionAs you know, I almost exclusively read KidLit. But every once in a while, someone hands me a book written for grown-ups that I thoroughly enjoy. ONCE PERSUADED, TWICE SHY by Melodie Edwards is a modern retelling of Jane Austen's PERSUASION, and it's every bit as fun as the original (which will always hold a special place in my heart as my first Austen novel). It follows the original plot almost Veronica Bartleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04452926814324819692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-218212830752505949.post-60100831401430240512024-02-20T21:25:00.007-05:002024-02-20T21:27:27.528-05:00Easy as Pie: KidLit Confections Chocolate Walnut PieWhy do we say something is "easy as pie" when most bakers would argue that pies are definitely not one of the easiest things to make? Some people spend their whole lives trying to perfect their pie crust recipes, arguably the most difficult part of making a pie. Cutting the fat into the flour to just the right consistency. Adding the water and mixing just enough to bind it without making it toughVeronica Bartleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04452926814324819692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-218212830752505949.post-16081351334597385552024-01-24T11:57:00.006-05:002024-01-30T20:58:47.456-05:00Good Different: KidLit Confections Oatmeal CookiesWe often think about things that are "different" as bad, unsavory, or at least unpleasant. When we see something unfamiliar on the table for dinner, it's common to think "I'm not going to like that." And when the new kid in school dresses differently or has a funny haircut, we might wonder if they'll fit in with our friends...These days, I'm pretty good at keeping an open mind, because most of myVeronica Bartleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04452926814324819692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-218212830752505949.post-52935458381613941002024-01-12T22:50:00.003-05:002024-01-13T00:23:17.639-05:00KidLit Confections: Cilantro Lime Cookies vs. Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cookies (aka: We Need Diverse Books)(The recipes, including a link to the index of printable PDF files, can be found at the bottom of this post.)Ah, January. That time when we collectively resolve to change everything about ourselves in order to fit the mold we think everyone else wants us to cram ourselves into. Isn't it magical? wonderful?? absolutely terrifying?Ugh!! Stop. This isn't a post about my New Year's Veronica Bartleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04452926814324819692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-218212830752505949.post-39999792090961025842023-10-24T20:50:00.016-04:002024-01-30T18:50:00.060-05:00Challenge Accepted! #KidLitChat Popcorn PieWhether we're real-life, in-person friends or just casual acquaintances from social media, if you're here, reading this blog, you probably know me well enough to know a few key facts about me:1. I love KidLit! From cute and quirky picture books to heart-wrenching middle grade novels to YA books that make you think about the world in new ways (hopefully with a heavy dose of laughter swirled in)...Veronica Bartleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04452926814324819692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-218212830752505949.post-18216021299284016912020-10-15T11:34:00.000-04:002020-10-15T11:34:55.967-04:00Not a "Nobody" (+ Phantoms Cookie Recipe)This post will probably be the most vulnerable I have ever allowed myself to be in public, so if you are only here for the recipe, I'm putting it right up top for you.This is a fun, fall recipe, inspired by my love of the Netflix original show, Julie and the Phantoms. After you bake the cookies, you won't be able to see the mini marshmallow "ghosts," but even though these ghosts have no bodies, Veronica Bartleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04452926814324819692noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-218212830752505949.post-85417518193886452672020-07-06T11:45:00.002-04:002020-07-06T11:48:11.468-04:00KidLit Creatives On-Demand Virtual CoursesAfter years of promising that on-demand writing and marketing courses were "coming soon!" ... I'm finally pleased to announce that "soon" is here!I have teamed up with author Annette Whipple to bring you the KidLit Creatives Write Now! virtual school. Our
experiences in publishing include picture books, chapter books, middle
grade, young adult novels, children's magazines, educational materialsVeronica Bartleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04452926814324819692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-218212830752505949.post-4238551439542377402020-06-24T20:11:00.002-04:002020-06-25T16:52:32.100-04:00Family, Friends & Fireflies (plus a Recipe: Morir Soñando Cookies)I just finished completely rebuilding my website (the first time I've ever coded an entire website without starting from a cheater template--Please take a look around, and let me know what you think!) and as I was going through the content to figure out what to keep, I seriously considered deleting this blog. After all, I haven't posted anything since 2017, and I know myself. I probably won't Veronica Bartleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04452926814324819692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-218212830752505949.post-38052833723037135252017-06-08T08:31:00.001-04:002020-06-22T07:39:40.494-04:00Looking Beyond the Box: Believing Impossible Things (plus recipe: Sweet & Savory Sandwich Cookie)<!--[if gte mso 9]>
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Veronica Bartleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04452926814324819692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-218212830752505949.post-84390036739578070772017-06-07T06:30:00.001-04:002020-06-22T07:40:42.342-04:00Even in Darkness, Life Can Be Sweet (plus recipe: Dark Chocolate Anise Cookies)
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Veronica Bartleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04452926814324819692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-218212830752505949.post-65610189512940650542017-06-06T06:30:00.001-04:002020-06-22T07:41:56.249-04:00Don’t Be Your Own Worst Roadblock: Trust in Yourself and Others (plus recipe: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies with Red Chile)
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Veronica Bartleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04452926814324819692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-218212830752505949.post-31663154478621208712017-06-05T06:30:00.002-04:002020-06-22T19:52:20.341-04:00Unexpected Challenges Bring Great Rewards (plus recipe: S'mores Puffs)<!--[if gte mso 9]>
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Veronica Bartleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04452926814324819692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-218212830752505949.post-14077288837523866002017-06-02T06:30:00.000-04:002017-06-02T06:30:29.137-04:00Sending Cookie-Shaped Hugs (plus recipe: Salted Caramel Sugar Cookies)<!--[if gte mso 9]>
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As you’ve probably
guessed by now, food is my love language. I can’t always give hugs to the
people I care about. My friends and family members live all over the world
(usually far beyond my arms’ reach), which is kind of amazing, when you think
about it, but it makes getting together for a casual “I’m thinking about you”
date kind of difficult to pull Veronica Bartleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04452926814324819692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-218212830752505949.post-46695135518887972292017-06-01T06:30:00.000-04:002017-06-01T06:30:27.390-04:00Cookies and Hugs Might Not Fix the World, But I'll Do My Best!
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Veronica Bartleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04452926814324819692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-218212830752505949.post-36798895025054065502017-05-31T16:59:00.000-04:002017-05-31T16:59:52.380-04:00Gray Hairs and Aging Gratefully<!--[if gte mso 9]>
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I got my first gray hair a little while ago (I would post a picture as
proof, but I accidentally pulled it out while I was trying to get a closer look
– to prove that it was, in fact, a gray hair and not just a trick of the
light.)
I got my first gray hair, and I cried.
I’m not mourning the loss of my youth or feeling down about moving over the
hill. I Veronica Bartleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04452926814324819692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-218212830752505949.post-37624679038857920912017-01-03T14:19:00.002-05:002017-01-03T14:19:31.359-05:00Introducing Elder Bartles: a Proud Mama Moment (plus recipe: GF Giant Sugar Cookies)
Yesterday, my son flew to Brazil to serve a 2-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. After his training (learning all of the things he'll need to know to serve effectively ... like how to speak Portuguese!) at the Sao Paulo Missionary Training Center, he'll be serving in the Brazil Salvador South mission for the next two years. (If you'd like to write to him, his Veronica Bartleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04452926814324819692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-218212830752505949.post-75810962013173739042016-12-26T10:33:00.000-05:002016-12-26T10:33:22.065-05:00Don't Let Your Fears Get in Your Way (plus recipe: Spinach, Zucchini, Whole Wheat Cookies with White Chocolate)When I started promising to make any kind of cookies requested
by
the missionaries who sent me letters, I fully expected that the
requests would be for their favorite cookies that they missed from home.
Traditional varieties, like chocolate chip, snickerdoodles, or even
oatmeal raisin. But some of my favorite missionaries have taken my
challenge as an opportunity to push me beyond my Veronica Bartleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04452926814324819692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-218212830752505949.post-26648107891094087002016-12-21T08:50:00.003-05:002016-12-21T09:00:48.180-05:00Small Acts of Service Can Mean a World of Difference (plus recipe: Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies)When I was newly-married and in college, I sent care packages to all of my friends who left to serve missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I told all of them that I'd send them cookies (any kind they wanted), every time they wrote me letters. That way, I could ensure that my mailbox would contain more than just bills and junk mail, and they could get a little taste of homeVeronica Bartleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04452926814324819692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-218212830752505949.post-78715447519480889862016-12-13T11:47:00.001-05:002016-12-13T11:47:13.078-05:00Friends are the Most Important Thing (plus recipe: Double Chocolate Chip Cookies - Gluten Free & Vegan)When I was in college, and my friend, Ken, left to serve a
two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (the Mormon church),
I promised that every time he sent me a letter to let me know how
things were going on his mission, I'd send back a care package with a
fresh batch of his favorite cookies. He sent me several letters, keeping me up to date on his mission Veronica Bartleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04452926814324819692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-218212830752505949.post-74576591765857439772016-12-12T11:49:00.000-05:002016-12-12T12:12:38.083-05:00Sometimes, the Best Things Come from a Need to Adapt (plus Recipe: Lemon Snowball Cookies)When I was preparing cookies for our very first cookie party (in December 2009), I pulled out all of my favorite recipes. Cookies I'd made for years. Tried-and-true recipes handed down from parents, in-laws, and grandparents. Especially my favorite Christmas cookie: Russian Teacakes (a melt-in-your-mouth little bite-sized cookie full of chopped pecans). But then I realized that, for an open-houseVeronica Bartleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04452926814324819692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-218212830752505949.post-19148592244986048522016-12-07T06:00:00.000-05:002016-12-07T06:00:06.642-05:00Cookie Party Basics: the How, the Why, and Lessons Learned (plus recipe: Chocolate Mint Cookies)Many years ago, when my husband and I were still relatively
newlyweds, we went to church with a family that had a wonderful
tradition. Every Christmas, they would decorate their house and invite
everyone they knew to a great open house Christmas party. They had a
Christmas village, complete with a model train chugging along a track
around it, that filled one room. Platters piled high with Veronica Bartleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04452926814324819692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-218212830752505949.post-62930605768668807152016-12-06T11:11:00.000-05:002017-01-03T14:49:30.563-05:00Cookies & Cherished Memories: Why I'm Making 400 dozen Cookies this Holiday SeasonI've spent the last several weeks (I actually started making and freezing cookie dough back in October this year) filling my cookie freezer with little balls of deliciousness, all portioned out and ready to bake for our annual Christmas Cookie Open House this Saturday.
Yes, I have an entire chest freezer in my basement devoted to holding cookie dough in anticipation of our party. See? This is Veronica Bartleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04452926814324819692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-218212830752505949.post-17033991824094321922016-11-24T00:48:00.001-05:002016-11-24T10:52:01.372-05:00Happy Thanksgiving! Recipe: Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Egg-free (vegan) Pumpkin PieHappy Thanksgiving, everyone! I love this time of year: Gathering with friends and family to contemplate our many blessings while enjoying delicious foods we only have time to make once or twice per year. One of my favorite parts about the Thanksgiving feast is the dessert. Especially pies. I make pies of every flavor, and I try to make a new one each year.
This year, since my diet is severely Veronica Bartleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04452926814324819692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-218212830752505949.post-75441664641745322016-11-09T13:49:00.001-05:002016-11-09T23:40:54.901-05:00Love & Life & Embracing DifferencesOver the past few years, I've started a lot of my blog posts (and Facebook status updates ... and updates on basically every social media platform) with apologies for my long, unexplained absences.
I always have a solid explanation for why I've been missing in action.
Life has been busy ...
I've been sick ...
I didn't have access to the internet ...
Things were just a crazy, mixed-up muddle Veronica Bartleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04452926814324819692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-218212830752505949.post-15488321940258676042016-06-20T20:36:00.004-04:002016-06-20T20:36:56.774-04:00Broadway and Brain Tumors: Why Meeting a Celebrity Meant So Much to Me
As you know, on May 28, the anniversary of the day my life fell apart, I decided to replace the sad with happy memories and took my family to New York to see She Loves Me on Broadway. (It was fabulous, guys! If you have a chance, you totally need to go see it!! And you should take me, because I absolutely want to see it again. And again.)**
After the show, I had my first ever Veronica Bartleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04452926814324819692noreply@blogger.com3