Place the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the ingredients until the mixture is fully combined and becomes light and fluffy. This should take about 3 or 4 minutes. Using softened butter should help the process along. If your butter is cold, you can soften it by microwaving it for about 15 seconds. Keep the mixer running and beat the batter until the eggs and vanilla are thoroughly incorporated. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda and oatmeal until the ingredients are completed mixed. Pour 1/3 of the dry mixture into the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix on low (or stir by hand) until blended. Do the same with the next 1/3 of the bowl, and finish by mixing in the last 1/3. Don't mix the batter on high - do it slowly! This way you can make sure the cookies will come out light and delicious, rather than tough. Last but not least, stir in the 1 1/2 cups of raisins - again, make sure not to overmix. Use a cookie scoop, a small measuring cup or a tablespoon to scoop out the cookies onto a nonstick cookie sheet. Space them so that there are 2 inches (5.1cm) in between each cookie, since they'll spread as they bake. You'll end up with about 2 dozen cookies, so you may need to bake them using two separate sheets or one batch at a time. If you don't have a nonstick cookie sheet, grease the cookie sheet before scooping. You can also line your cookie sheet with parchment paper. Make the cookies bigger if you'd like! Use a 1/2 cup measuring cup to scoop out giant oatmeal cookies that will be soft in the middle and crispy around the edges. Place them in the preheated oven and bake for 10 - 12 minutes, until they're brown around the edges. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool.

Summary: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Beat the butter and sugars. Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir in the raisins. Scoop out the cookies. Bake the cookies.

A low hanging ponytail is a slightly more styled version of a classic look that you can easily pull off in less than 20 minutes. You'll need some Velcro rollers, bobby pins, a brush, and an elastic band. Separate your hair into 2 to 3 inch (5.1 to 7.6cm) sections. Secure these sections with Velcro rollers, rolling the hair from the bottom of the lock to the root. If your hair is wet, allow your hair to air dry with the rollers in place. Once your hair is dry, remove your hair from the rollers and brush out your hair. From here, lift your hair up at the roots. Use a brush or comb to lightly tease the end strands of your hair, volumizing it slightly and calling attention to your natural waves. Pull your hair into a low, loose ponytail. The hair should hang slightly taut with this look. Leave a small 2 inch (5.1cm) section out of the ponytail. Secure your ponytail with an elastic band. Take the 2 inch (5.1cm) section of hair. Wrap it around the ponytail, concealing the elastic band. Secure with a bobby pin. A half updo can work great for curly hair. As curly hair is often thick, it can be hard to pull all of it into an updo without straightening, which can take a long time. Instead, try to do a partial updo. All you need is a curling iron and some bobby pins. Tease your hair with a fine-toothed comb if you want to add volume. Then, pull the front sections of your hair back. Twist the hair slightly and secure with a bobby pins. If your hair is too unruly for bobby pins, try using a small elastic band. Allow excess curls to hang down. Try using a curling iron to make your natural curls more apparent, teasing them slightly. This will allow your natural curls to shine, while giving you a fun and casual look. A bandana or a scarf is a great accessory for curly hair that can be put in place quickly. After washing and brushing your hair as you normally would, take a scarf or bandana. Wrap the scarf or bandana around your head, so it circles around your forehead and the back of your head. Twist a small strand of hair. Then, loop this strand around the bandana and scarf.

Summary: Use Velcro rollers and bobby pins for a low-hanging ponytail. Use a curling iron and bobby pins for a half updo. Roll your hair in a bandana or scarf for a casual look.

You have many options, and the type of child you want will drive who you work with during the adoption process. Spend some time considering the following: Do you want to adopt a child in the U.S.? This is called a domestic adoption. However, you might have to wait a long time for a child to become available. Do you want to adopt a child internationally? You might have a better chance at finding a child, but international adoptions can be complicated and more expensive. Do you want a baby, or are you open to adopting an older child? Would you like the child to be the same race, ethnicity, or religion as you? You might need to wait longer, depending on your preferences. Check your phone book or perform an Internet search to find private agencies. Generally, private agencies provide full service, including adoption education, counseling, home studies, and post-adoption services. Adopting a child will cost you around $4,000-30,000. Make sure the agency is properly licensed. Call the Department of Social Services (DSS), Children's Division, at 573-751-4954. Also check with the Missouri State's Attorney General's Office to see if the agency has been sued. Instead of working with an agency, you can hire a lawyer. They can search for a child to adopt by contacting doctors, advertising in the newspaper, or helping you create a website. Make sure the lawyer specializes in adoption and not in another field. Obtain a referral from the Missouri bar association by calling 573-636-3635 or visiting www.mobar.org. Discuss fees ahead of time. Lawyers charge different amounts depending on their experience and the complexity of the adoption. Generally, they charge $5,000-40,000. Missouri's Department of Social Services handles the adoption process. There are about 2,000 foster children in Missouri awaiting adoption. You can either become a foster parent first or adopt the child directly. Some foster children are special needs, but don't let that deter you from considering them. You can get money from the state, around $200-300 a month. Many people adopt from China, Eastern Europe, or Latin America. You should find an agency approved for Hague intercountry adoptions. International adoptions are complicated, so thoroughly research the adoption agency. International adoptions can cost up to $35,000. Ask for three or more referrals from people who have adopted through the agency and be sure to call them. Ask the referrals how complicated the process was. Did the parents feel like they had sufficient support? Did someone from the agency travel with them to the foreign country? Find out if there were hidden expenses or whether everything cost about what they expected.

Summary: Assess your situation and preferences. Work with a private agency for a domestic adoption. Hire an adoption lawyer for a private placement. Work with the state to adopt a foster child. Find an agency that specializes in international adoptions.

. The natural flavor for a truffle is chocolate, so this is a good place to start! Variations on chocolate truffles include chocolate rum truffles and white chocolate truffles. There are many different choices possible, here are just a few suggestions: Strawberry balsamic truffles Mint truffles Christmas pudding truffles Oreo truffles Pumpkin truffles.
Summary: Make basic chocolate truffles Branch out into different varieties of truffles.