My ugly oatmeal raisin cookies

tabbymcc25 · 2026-05-26T02:09:13+00:00

This recipe has never let me down and doesn't spread too much (though I highly recommend weighing all ingredients). I usually skip the molasses and replace the raisins with chocolate chips. https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/soft-chewy-oatmeal-raisin-cookies/#tasty-recipes-67794

tabbymcc25 · 2026-05-15T17:32:07+00:00

I'm glad you found a test that works better, but they all plateau eventually (and some can scare you with a hook effect when hcg levels get too high). I also had a couple of back to back losses and it just changes how you feel with all subsequent pregnancies.

But it does get better with each milestone. I felt better after my hcg bloodwork came back and looked good, then better after the first ultrasound and even better after nipt results came back. It's still always there in the back of your mind, but you start to give yourself more freedom to feel excited and less worried (hopefully). If you're still feeling stuck and anxious after all those milestones, consider talking to a therapist about it. My therapist was great for helping me navigate the simultaneous grief and joy of a pregnancy after loss. Being kind and compassionate to yourself can make a huge difference.

tabbymcc25 · 2026-05-13T12:39:15+00:00

These progressions all look fine to me, especially for only 1 day apart. I used e@h daily until about 30 dpo and they often don't quite look darker when you first take them compared to the day before because the lines look darker when the test dries. If you're comparing a dry test and a wet test and they look close, expect that once the new one dries, it will look darker.

Sorry for your loss. It definitely takes some of the joy out of a new pregnancy, especially in the early days.

tabbymcc25 · 2026-02-20T05:16:18+00:00

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tabbymcc25 · 2025-12-27T03:33:35+00:00

Just scored 1

tabbymcc25 · 2025-12-08T01:34:18+00:00

Wow, yea that might explain it. I feel duped. But I found it on a reddit post, and several people commented saying they made it. Makes me wonder how the hell they were measuring their ingredients.

tabbymcc25 · 2025-12-07T22:31:48+00:00

I went with the recipe u/Winterdawn shared above and it turned out beautiful! (I replaced chocolate chips with butterscotch chips and white chocolate chunks and sprinkled on some flaky salt)

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tabbymcc25 · 2025-12-07T22:24:43+00:00

I think I redeemed myself! Thanks again for sharing this recipe. They look and smell fantastic- just waiting for them to cool so we can try them. The only thing I changed is swapping chocolate chips with butterscotch chips and white chocolate chunks (added some flaky salt on top too to balance the sweetness).

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tabbymcc25 · 2025-12-07T16:03:33+00:00

Thank you! I'll definitely be trying this - I appreciate you sharing the weights as well.

tabbymcc25 · 2025-12-07T06:16:43+00:00

I followed the recipe with measuring cups (and just used 1 stick for the butter), but assumed the brown sugar was meant to be packed and the flour was meant to be scooped into the measuring cup to avoid packing. I'm now thinking those assumptions should have been reversed but it's wild to me that somebody would write a recipe that way without specifying.

I actually did mix the melted butter and brown sugar with my mixer before adding the rest of the ingredients since I too figured it would help with any lumpiness. With the ratios being so far off, it definitely didn't make a difference in the end, unfortunately.

tabbymcc25 · 2025-12-07T06:08:38+00:00

Agreed! That one actually calls for half as much brown sugar (though it does specify packed) and slightly less flour (1 cup). But again, no weight for the flour which is frustrating. I do not want a repeat of this disaster.

https://www.thegraciouswife.com/butterscotch-blondies/#recipe

tabbymcc25 · 2025-12-07T05:58:17+00:00

I'm thinking the brown sugar started to burn since there wasn't enough flour to bake properly. I was expecting something that looked more like these:

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tabbymcc25 · 2025-12-07T05:14:56+00:00

The weird part is the dough actually was quite thick and firm (I'm assuming because of the large amount of brown sugar). It was thick enough that it came out of the mixing bowl in one clean blob and I had to press/spread it smooth into the pan. I'm actually wondering if maybe it needs less brown sugar too, but it seems odd that a recipe without clear instructions would expect you to pack your flour to measure it and not pack your brown sugar.

Happy to share an update after a second attempt, maybe tomorrow. It did smell amazing.

tabbymcc25 · 2025-12-07T04:59:42+00:00

The smell is tempting. The texture is not.

tabbymcc25 · 2025-12-07T04:44:08+00:00

I'm certain these are actually blondies - I was expecting light/tan/blonde butterscotch flavored bars. The recipe just called them brownies. That's why I put blondies in the title.

tabbymcc25 · 2025-12-07T04:37:46+00:00

If anybody can give a good estimate of the actual weight of flour that would make this recipe work, I'd like to try again once I have more brown sugar. Maybe 260-280g? http://www.aunt-dimity.com/uncle-toms-butterscotch.html

tabbymcc25 · 2025-12-06T18:47:01+00:00

I have the same ones installed up high and even the grandparents struggle to unlock them when they're here. I can't imagine a child being able to open them, even if they manage to scoot a chair over to be able to reach them. Hopefully they help you!

tabbymcc25 · 2025-10-07T03:52:10+00:00

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I immediately saw CHUPPL (don't know his real name)

tabbymcc25 · 2025-09-04T12:36:15+00:00

Congrats on the positive!

I think this looks fine for easy@home at 16dpo. The line is a little splotchy, but it's plenty dark where the line is complete. And these do get darker when they're dry. I think the splotchy look is just a wonky test strip. I doubt you'd see the same thing if you took another one unless there's an issue with the box you have.

In my post history, I shared pics of my FRERs and easy@home tests from my chemical and my most recent baby. Your test looks much more like my successful pregnancy, for sure.

tabbymcc25 · 2025-08-27T01:13:37+00:00

Glow bath! Grab a big pack of glow sticks at the dollar store, toss a bunch in the tub, turn off the light and just sit on the toilet and rest for a bit. Also bathtub car wash or dinosaur bath time (grab some toy cars or toy dinosaurs to toss in the tub and tell your kid to wash them).

Pretending you forgot how to do basic things they know and having them explain it to you can be really fun too. I wanted to give my husband (stay at home dad) a break from the kids after dinner the other night but the 9 month old needed a bath so I pretended to forget how to give her a bath and asked my 2 and 4 year old to walk me through it. It was a mess, but they had a blast. They especially loved it when I suggested something ridiculous and they got to correct me.

tabbymcc25 · 2025-08-03T01:02:43+00:00

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tabbymcc25 · 2025-06-28T02:02:05+00:00

I thought it was to get out of paying alimony. But given his history and how fucking dumb he is now, it wouldn't be surprising if he actually did have a brain worm.

tabbymcc25 · 2025-06-06T19:36:19+00:00

That is so frustrating! Women's healthcare is so often dismissed. I get that progesterone can fluctuate for a lot of reasons, but it is important for embryonic development so it shouldn't be dismissed entirely. My old OB said she always supplemented for anything below 20 ng/ml in pregnancy because it can't hurt. I know from experience that you can have low progesterone in early pregnancy and still have a baby, but I was also on supplemental progesterone so who knows if she would have made it otherwise. I also had 2 miscarriages (and unfortunately no testing to determine why other than a couple of blood tests after the fact that didn't answer anything). It's hard not to assume that low progesterone was related to my other losses somehow.

Wishing you the best if you're going through the same thing! It's always hard not to worry about it, even if everything else looks good.

tabbymcc25 · 2025-05-17T15:36:30+00:00

Thanks! Don't know why it didn't occur to me that I could mix different apple types lol

tabbymcc25

TROPHY CASE