A few weeks ago, after returning from my trip to New York (which I will blog about soon!) my husband said, “You know… I feel like you are a part of this whole other life that I just don’t even get.” He was referring to the blogging life. How many of you have experienced this same sentiment with friends and loved ones? They don’t understand what we do, why we do it, the purpose, etc. I’ve been blogging for quite some time now and my husband still has a difficult time grasping the whole blogging world. He likes that I do it. He appreciates that it is an outlet for me, but he still doesn’t “get it”.
I’ll be honest… I can probably count on two hands the number of times he has read Dine & Dish. Just a very small part of my side of the family reads my blog but I’m pretty sure his side of the family doesn’t. They watch me as we have dinners taking pictures of food and things, but I don’t think many of our family members really get it. That’s fine… it’s not something everyone is going to understand.
This is why I was intrigued the other day when Nick got off the phone with his dad and said “My dad has a surprise for you!” Nick was giddy… I was clueless. What could his dad possible have for me? Then Nick said, “You’ll be thrilled… it has to do with your blog.” Huh? I didn’t even really think his dad knew I had a blog. Now I was really curious.
Well, we went to visit his family in Iowa this weekend and walked in the door around midnight. Nick and his dad quickly went to the garage and then Nick came back out and summoned me to go to the garage. I went and when I opened the door I saw the most beautiful, beat up old barn door. A barn door that can easily be distressed even more and turned into a table top. A table top that can be easily used for food photography photos. Yep… I was pretty thrilled. When I wasn’t noticing, Nick and his dad were working hard to “get” what I do and had been on the search for old barnwood.
So, just when you think your “people” don’t get you, think you are bizarre, and question what you do and why you do it, just wait. Pretty soon they’ll observe enough, ever so silently, to realize where your passions are and do whatever they can to support you in their own little way. Just wait.
Snickerdoodle Cookies (from Beth Sigworth on AllRecipes)
I know that people claim all the time to have “the best” this cookie or that cookie. Beth’s recipe here is truly the BEST Snickerdoodle cookie recipe I’ve tried. I lowered the bake time to 8 minutes and they came out soft, chewy and tender. Yum!
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- Cream together butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, the eggs and the vanilla. Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Shape dough by rounded spoonfuls into balls.
- Mix the 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls of dough in mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.
- Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until set but not too hard. Remove immediately from baking sheets.
If you love Snickerdoodle’s like we do, you’ll love these recipes too!
- Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars from Dine & Dish
- Snickerdoodle Pie from Noble Pig
- Snickerdoodle Ice Cream from Our Best Bites
- Snickerdoodle Cake from My Baking Addiction
I love this story! The cookies look tasty too. 🙂
I love it! How sweet of them to create a beautiful backdrop for your stunning photos. I am glad they are “getting” it:)
Kristen, that is SO awesome! I would love to find an old barn door like that. Wonderful photos. My family doesn’t really ‘get’ my blogging either, but someday I hope they do. The very best snickerdoodle I had pretty much followed the recipe above, but instead of straight cinnamon, it used pumpkin pie spice. Amazing.
So true! I was just talking to the OH about people not getting what I do! It’s funny, and sometimes just plain tiring explaining people that I blog and what it’s all about.
This is so, so true. Now my husband and family read religiously, but don’t really “get” it. No one does unless you are a blogger yourself, which is why the community is so wonderful!
I love it, Kristen! I struggled with the similar issues for a while, and I still don’t think my dad get it at all, but my mom recently figured out how to share my website with her coworkers and even started looking up the recipes she wants instead of calling me. Daily.
The barn wood is lovely, and how exciting that your father-in-law was in on it? Not to mention the snickerdoodles. Drool.
Oh, how sweet is that! Stories like that always bring a smile to my face. 🙂
Kristen, my heart just did a little flip. You are one lucky gal! And those really are delicious looking cookies.
That’s a whole new level of “Getting it”. I had a friend give me a new camera, but props for the photographs?? That’s great! I have to say the snickerdoodles look especially delicious for the back drop.
That is great!! I too struggle with other’s not getting my blogging either. At least my kids and Mr. does, they always “Can we eat/try it yet? Did you take a picture?” lol. I love the table top, I’m going to keep my eye out for some slab of wood, so I can change up my photos too.
oh, I forgot to say, those are the best snickerdoodles!! I’ve been using that recipe for the last 10 yrs or so, and everyone always expects them at potlucks. lol
Thank you for sharing this. I struggle with this same issue constantly. Maybe one day, my husband will “get” what this is all about and enjoy the ride as much as I am enjoying it! Lovely post, delicious looking cookies and FABULOUS barn door!
Love the story and the gorgeous barn door look. Very nice! My son requested snickerdoodles for his next care package and lucky me that you’ve posted a great recipe. 🙂
That is great! I know my husband supports me too, but doesn’t get it either! I am lucky to have someone to support me even though he doesn’t get it:)
This is such a touching story! My boyfriend doesn’t get it at all! And he gets very upset when he wants something for dinner and I say: No, I’ve already posted that. I’m making this instead.
To be fair, I have no idea why fishing is so interesting.
I know so many people who I think ‘don’t get’ it – my best friend is one – she finally checked out my blog and mentioned that she was amazed at how I post so regularly. It only took her a year to finally look at it! I suppose in her defense they were remodeling their house for the past 6 months…
Those snickerdoodles look delicious – I love how simple yet delicious snickerdoodles are!
I think “Kitten with a Whisk” has a great point– everyone has private interests and you can’t expect everybody around you to get it. It’s good to remember that when, as a blogger, you’re trying to make people understand why your blog is important to you. It helps not to be judgmental (that only puts people off even more, like you’re part of some snobby clique, haha).
Very cute story. My husband often surprises me like that– he’s the strong and silent type, and I don’t always think he is paying attention, just because he doesn’t “talk back” to me. But he definitely notices things and then surprises me with his thoughtfulness!
First up, the cookies in the photo are so enticing–those are one of my favorites!
Second, how unbelievably sweet of your husband and his dad! See? They do get it. 🙂
Third, can they find one of those barn doors for me? 😉
How sweet! The cookies look wonderful (especially with that gorgeous backdrop). 😉
Lovely story, brought a tear to my eye. That barn door (I’m assuming is under the snickerdoodles) is stunning! Thanks for the reminder to be patient with the people that don’t “get it” yet! As long as we all do what feeds our soul, the rest will follow!
Aw, that was such a super sweet gesture! And the wood looks so gorgeous!!! Yeah, most of the people I know don’t get why I spend a lot of time blogging, as if it’s such a big waste of time. Also? They rarely even read the blog, if at all. :p
Oops, completely forgot, I’ll be baking snickerdoodles this weekend, too!
Anytime I mention twitter, my friends / family go blank! Ha. Good piece!
Oh my gosh, that’s so cool! (The cookies are pretty awesome too!)
Aw, great story! Love the idea of using a door for photos, too!
I recently made a cake for my mom to bring to work. Knowing that I wouldn’t be able to get any ‘interior’ photos of the cake, I told her she should bring her camera to work with her. I was emailed pictures a couple days later, where she said, “I even remembered to take the pictures near the window for natural light!” 🙂
What a fabulous story, and I’m totally laughing b/c I clicked on your Twitter link and when the post loaded my first thought was, “WOW, awesome old wood in that photo!” I just kept thinking of it the whole way down as I read the post…and then spit out my water when I read the ending to the story! They really did find a beautiful way to “get it”!
Thanks for sharing! 🙂
That’s so funny. I just had a friend, a YOUNGER friend, tell me yesterday that she really doesn’t understand blogs and I’m not sure she’s ever looked at mine. 🙂 My MIL certainly does not get it.
This barn door is awesome and I love the cinnamon sugar spilled out in your picture!
How wonderful – and thoughtful!
We do all handmade holidays and I asked my husband for old wood painted in various shade, assembled into flat surfaces – I think he thought I had lost my mind. Even more so when I gave him a reading list to look at images – ha!
I’m so glad they were able to figure out a way to be part of your joy and to bring you joy – and that you shared it with us!
That’s so sweet! A lot of people definitely don’t ‘get’ what I do…
Oh I love this story! So glad I came across it on Twitter. You should take a photo of the whole table. 🙂
Kristen, congrats on your new door & recognition. I know, it is so funny to be very passionate about something like food blogging & have the majority of folks you know & live with think your a bit cuckoo. I now just tell most people I am a recipe developer. They get that, with out dishing the weird looks! These Snickerdoodles look great:) xo
awe that’s super cute…….my family doesn’t really “get it ” either, but I do know several of them read my blog, they just don’t comment.
Funny when I was on the plain headed to NYC for a product Ambassador trip, the lady sitting next to me asked if my trip was business or pleasure……I said “a little of both”…….then I had to explain, while she sat there with a very perplexed look on her face! lol
Maybe my favorite cookie of all time. Maybe, I say, because I’ve been known to change my mind based on what’s within arm’s reach! Cheers!
That is so sweet of them! Luckily my boyfriend has been pushing me to blog for a while so I have some support in starting, but I am not sure what my family would think, my mom struggles to even access the internet!
The wood is beautiful too it looks great!
You better not leave that door outside or it may go missing.
SC isn’t that far away.
I’m just sayin’.
Aww that is so super sweet! A few of my friends read my blog but my parents rarely ever do. Once in a blue moon. They pretend to get it sometimes but don’t really. It’s hard for them to understand why going to BlogHer was such a big thing for me or why it’s exciting when someone sends me samples and stuff like that. But isn’t it so nice when someone gets it, even if just for a second? The table is gorgeous!
Great story! My husband doesn’t really get it either. He’s barely read it either. He says that he ate the food so why does he need to see pictures of it on the computer! My kids are funny, they are so used to seeing me photograph my food. I can make something like frozen pizza and before they start eating, they ask me if I need a photograph first!!
The cookies look wonderful! I love snickerdoodles! Thanks!
aww! Thats so sweet of them!
I can totally relate though. I get asked that a LOT…as well as “whats the difference between a blog and a website?” lol As for family, I doubt my siblings or my dad have visited once. My mother has, but shes a bit ‘overly’ enthusiastic at times. 😉
As in, she will give many suggestions and ideas, and Im thankful that she cares enough to think about it, but It’s clear that she doesnt “get” blogging when she gives her suggestions! lol
What a sweet story! And such a beautiful wooden door! You’re so lucky!
What a thoughtful gift. I’m sure my family doesn’t really get it either. I didn’t realize when I started just how much the friendships are an important/wonderful part of blogging. Guess I’ll be baking snickerdoodles soon.
Before I finished your story, I was admiring your new piece of old wood. How sweet!
I’m not going to lie… I have never eaten a snickerdoodle before. I’ve seen so many recipes on a variety of blogs… and I now feel like I’m missing out on something incredibly tasty!
Yours look particularly wonderful and I may now have to try these out! 🙂
Snickerdoodles are one of my favorite cookies! These look delicious!!
I feel very fortunate, my husband is my partner in my blog. He’s my photographer and reads every post! 🙂
Oh, that’s awesome! My family’s very supportive, too, but other than Carin, who posts to my blog once in a while, I don’t think any of them read the blog. I made it as a gift to my mom (it’s about her cooking, largely), and even she only reads it if I send her a link to a certain article I think she might like. 🙂
Aww what a sweet story. I can totally relate – my friends call it ‘that yumsi thing you do’, even the boy barely just gets it, doesn’t read it frequently either. But everyone has their little time to redeem, like with the wonderful gift you got!
Aaawwwe, what a sweet story. Don’t you love it when you get a sweet surprise like that. The snickerdoodles look amazing too!
I love this. When they do something like that, and really start to get it and love it, it makes the process all the more wonderful and enjoyable. I have a few friends that read, but I’m always surprised when they mention it or whatnot. Such a lovely thing :).
I love this post! It’s so true though 🙂 I feel like MANY people in my life think I’m a huge weirdo 🙂 But then after Chels and I started in on the Foodbuzz food blog competition, I started getting emails from friends, relatives, and people I haven’t talked to in 15 years saying, “I voted for you!!” It’s kind of surreal. But I love being part of such a fabulous community 🙂
Oh, and these Snickerdoodles look incredible!!!
Awww, that is so sweet! I am lucky enough to have a huge amount of family and friends that support me….but I also have some that have no idea what a blog even is! My Mother-in-Law looks at me like I am crazy when I talk about it.
Funny thing though, my husband made me a small table top out of old distressed wood too! So thoughtful of them!
First off, those snickerdoodles look absolutely yummy!
Secondly, I am so happy for you that your family did that. It is one of the best things in the world when you think people don’t care and then they surprise you. It’s an amazing feeling!
I think I’m just a nut for anything with cinnamon and sugar, but I adore Snickerdoodles! That’s pretty cool about the barn door. My husband kinda gets the blogging thing but would never think of something like that. I have quite a few family members on Facebook & though they know I blog about recipes, that’s about it. Not sure that they much “get it” either.
There are three cookies in my life and I don’t think I can rank them beyond mood, tastes and pantry staples. A while back I was curious about when and where these things were deamed “snicker doodles” and did a little research. If you like snickerdoodles, it is an intersting comparision. Maybe one day I will try all of the recipes. ( http://bakememore.com/2008/12/29/tracing-the-history-of-the-snickerdoodle/ )
Kristen, this is the exact recipe I use. I have never, never been refused a second taste.
p.s. the other two top three coookies would have to be chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies. Um, add classic sugar cookies too
My husband doesn’t ‘get it’ either. He referred to my blog as “The Family Foodster”. *sigh* But what a wonderful gift from your husband and father in law!! The cookies look delicious and I cannot wait to see more pics on your barnwood!
That is just too sweet for words…in so many ways. I completely understand what you’re saying that others in my life don’t get my blog. The look of confusion on some of my family’s face says it all.
I immediately noticed the picture with the snickerdoodles and thought, “Oh, what a beautiful table and backdrop for your photos.” So to find out that your husband’s dad managed to wrangle this up for you? That’s just too cool. And then I laughed. Who else but a food blogger would be so tickled to get a warn, weathered door as a gift?
Loved your post! Marly
This cookie just happens to be my childhood favorite and if my Nana was still alive she’d be blogging about food instead of writing in her diary.
Oh dear you spoke my heart there. Sometimes I get this “ah hmmm” from people who don’t have much to do with food in there life. They mostly live there life on takeouts and can’t really understand the making food or the purpose and happiness it brings to people! Here its a whole new world and whole new people. I dont really aspect my hubster to understand. Want him to stand by which he does :).
BTW I made snickerdoodle once and they really didnt take off for me and i’m bookmarking this one ! Hope to find it !
Awww…that’s so sweet. I can tell you that my surfer hasn’t read but maybe two posts and it’s not because he doesn’t care. He does, he just lets me have my happy spot all to myself the way I let him have the ocean 🙂 I love that your father in law got involved as well. What a gorgeous door!! PS: Great recipe
What a sweet husband you have. I love the barn door and the photo and of course the wonderful cookie recipe!
That is so sweet! I’m right there with you when it comes to people not fully understanding the food blogging world. I’ve only been at this for a little over a year but when talking to family and friends, they still have a difficult time trying to grasp the concept. Plus, they are absolutely floored when I talk to them about the food blogging community as a whole. My husband tries his hardest to understand why I blog and he is so supportive. It’s so cute when I listen to him explain my blog to others. It definitely puts a smile on my face!
That is so sweet!! I love the thoughtfulness of the barn door and the realization that he “got it”. Love love love!!
(I’m ignoring the yummy cookies…I’m in serious detox from all the good stuff! 🙂 just temporary though…will bookmark! 🙂 )
I have several close friends who never read my blog. I just don’t get it. If they had blogs, I know I’d check in on a regular basis. Funny how some just don’t have any interest. I still love ’em, though. On the other hand, my husband is one of my greatest fans. Guess that’s all that matters, huh?
BTW, your snickerdoodle bars are THE BEST! I’ve made them several times and they always get huge compliments. Guess I’ll have to try these, though. Sometimes you just have to have a cookie. Or two. 😉
I know my husband doesn’t get the blogging. He tries to be supportive but I can sense the impatience when I tell him I need to get some pictures before we eat. It’s a bit of a joke to him. What he IS supportive of is the way I am playing with ingredients to make a lot of low carb foods. He doesn’t have the blood sugar issues that I have, but he never complains when I tinker with recipes to make them suitable for me.
My family and friends know that I blog but they don’t follow along. Sometimes it feels like I’m doing this in a complete vacuum. If I write a post and nobody reads it, does it really exist????
Please have your husband and father in law contact my husband. Because I would swoon over such a thoughtful gesture.
Oh yeah, I hear this all the time: “you have a what???” (But then I’m way older than you!) I give up after that. How does one explain?
Anyway, let’s serve cookies….that’s something everyone can understand and support!
What a wongerful story!! Sigh..
I am with your on no one getting this world we are involved in, it is fun and something you need to be passionate about for sure!
LOVED the story…and I LOVE Snickerdoodles…my whole family does…while give these a try!
I just absolutely love this story. I’d cry if my FIL did that for me.
The funny thing is, it’s the same thing in my family… pretty much my Mom & my sister follow my blog, but everyone on my husband’s side of the family- I’d be very surprised if they’ve ever read my blog at all. It’s so strange. My husband only reads it if I tell him, “LOOK WHAT I WROTE!” otherwise I don’t think he takes regular glances either.
Thank you so much for the story, that is so sweet of your husband and father-in-law. It’s an amazing feeling when you realize that the ones you love really do pay attention to something that is important to you!
Oh and by the way, the cookies are a definite HIT! 🙂
Snickerdoodles are the most underrated cookie of all time. Hands down, my favorite. I will give your recipe a try! My friends and family are the same as everyone else’s. I always say I write my blog for myself and if anyone else reads it, it’s just icing on the cake.
What a fantastic, heart-warming story, Kristen! How wonderful that these two men in your life were quietly working to do something that would be so meaningful to you. The wood is lovely and the cookies are one of my favorites!
I love this post AND this recipe. I am new to the blogging world (consistent themed blogging that is) but I am so excited about the things to come. My fiance is very supportive so we’ll see where life takes us.
I do agree that it is the best recipe for snickerdoodles– because it is the exact same recipe as appears in my 1960s Betty Crocker Cookbook! I actually just made them for my sister and I put some red sparkly sugar in the cinnamon mixture to make them special.
Beautiful post, pictures and recipe! I’m hosting a kids “sleepover” this weekend. I know what we will be making.
That is the key to baking Snickerdoodles…to underbake them a little. Mmm, my favorite cookie.
That is so sweet of him! Your photographs are always so beautiful…these cookies sound and look yummy. Printing the recipe right now. 😀
I found you on Tasty Kitchen today, and surprise! Besides thinking you have a great blog (kudos!) I would like to say thank you for saying what probably many of us “weird bloggers” feel!
You also just made my night on another front. I have been thinking about diving into the project of making a “better” snickerdoodle than my standard recipe, and I think you just accomplished it for me. Thanks on both fronts 🙂
XO, Heather Christo
That is so sweet! Much of my family reads my blog — even the members I don’t speak with as often (like my SIL and MIL). They love seeing what we are doing, and what my kids are up to (mental note: post pic of the kids soon). But that is so sweet that your husband and father-in-law figured it out and came up with such an awesome gift.
how sweet, My little sis is a avid fan, other family members occasionally read it, but how true they dont get…what’s to get? we LOVE food!!! lol
sweetlife
Wow, what a cool gift! I need to employ my family to look for photo props like that. 🙂 A lot of them don’t “get” it either, but my husband likes that I do it. (he brags about to people we meet, which I’ll admit, is a bit embarrassing, but kinda cool at the same time) These cookies look great!
I still remember the first time a few years ago my 92 year old Grandma mentioned she had actually cooked one of the dishes off my blog. I was floored. I honestly think that made every bit of my blog worth whatever blood sweat and tears I’ve put in or ever will put in.
That is so sweet!! I don’t know anybody that “gets” my blogging outside of the blogging world, so I never even bring it up. If I’m going to a conference, I usually just say I’m going to food conference and let that be that. Kinda sad sometimes.
Oh my gosh, that is such a cool gift! Probably one of the top 10 gifts anyone could get for a food blogger. He gets it!
You had me at “Hello”! I LOVE snickerdoodles. My first taste was when I was pregnant with my first son and oh my, I wanted more. Unfortunately, we were on a road trip and the little shack at the side of the road was long gone by the time I took my first bite. I’ve searched high and low for that same taste–perhaps this recipe will be the one! Let’s hope I don’t need the pregnancy hormones too 🙂
BTW–I recently found your site and I’m really enjoying it. I love your recipes and stories and your way of expressing your thoughts–very honest, and I appreciate that. Thank you!
So that’s the door you were talking about in Arkansas! love it! and yes, a resounding yes about people not getting it. It’s actually funny, my hubby and kids totally get my blogging, but when I started my website back in 1997, noone understood. I still can’t discuss aspects of blogging with them or anything, but they at least get it now LOL it took a lot of years though! 😉
I’ve been blogging for quite some time now and my husband still has a difficult time grasping the whole blogging world. He likes that I do it. He appreciates that it is an outlet for me, but he still doesn’t “get it”.
I made these cookies today! They were yummy but there was enough cookie batter to make at least 40 cookies!