We're pretty busy around here but I wanted to jump on the computer and wish ya'll a beautiful Christmas eve and a blessed and joyful Christmas morning. Rylie is very excited and she and Daddy have already been hatching plans to try to see if they can catch Santa before he leaves.
Have a wonderful night.
Hugs & blessings to all my friends!
Yes Rylie, there is a Santa Claus and today he (or she) sent Mommy a wonderful and much needed gift. You see I just went and got the mail earlier this afternoon. There was a large padded manilla envelope with my name on it, and strangely the return address simply said "A Family" and gave my address.
I opened it to find a lovely little Angel ornament and another envelope with a Christmas card. The front of the card read:
Believe
Do you remember
the way it felt
to make a wish
and never-
not even for a second-
doubt that it might
come true?
The inside message read:
Wishing you
the magic of dreaming
and believing
at the holidays and always,
because you deserve
to have all of your dreams
come true!
Hand written inside the card it said:
"May your holiday sparkle with joy!!!" And "Merry Christmas"
The true surprise came when I opened the card to find a $100 Meijer gift card. I nearly cried. No...really, there were tears right there, ready to start flowing. Can you imagine? A true gift from a Secret Santa with a blessed heart of gold. At first I thought it might be my Mom or Samantha, however one little hint was that my last name was mis-spelled, and I don't think either one of them would make that mistake, lol.
I don't know who this wonderful person is, but they will never know how valued this gift is. I can think of a million things I could use right now, or the groceries I could buy. But I want to keep the spirit of this selfless gift going and know of a little girl that will have an even better Christmas thanks to the amazingly big heart of this wonderful unknown person.
Again, I'd like to Thank this Secret Santa for this amazing gift from the heart. I just can't believe it...Thank you Santa!
5 Days until Christmas! Here's a quick little beauty tip if you've got a Christmas party to go to. Yeah...butt cream on your face, lol. But I've heard that this really works.
Puffiness under the eyes
Sheesh, I'm going to have to stop writing about what I'm making for holiday treats. I got a call yesterday with a request from my Mom for a couple batches of truffles. LOL So I already know how I'm going to be spending my Saturday evening. Rolling up a bunch of them lil' boogers.
Oh! A big welcome home to GOMER (lol). Our nephew got home from boot camp yesterday. I haven't seen him yet, but I've heard he looks really good and has some really funny stories. We're so happy he was able to come home for Christmas.
WELCOME BACK JOHNNY!
Granpa would be so proud of you. We all are.
Have a great day & hugs to all my friends!
Good Morning! Yesterday I realized I hadn't made any truffles yet. I also realized that I didn't have any whipping cream and didn't really feel like running to the store, so I went on a recipe hunt.
I used the last recipe this time, the Easy Decadent Truffles. Truffles are really pretty easy to make and so sinfully yummy. I made mine with Raspberry instead of vanilla. I rolled them in powdered sugar, coconut and dipped some in melted chocolate. Mmmm!
Anyway here are a variety of truffle recipes to try. Get the kids involved and let them roll these into little balls, I used a melon baller, and dip them into whatever ya'll decide on. This would make a great gift for the kids to give to relatives. Just package them up on a pretty little plate or bowl, whatever and viola!
Champagne Truffles-I think I got this one from Better Homes and Gardens
Ingredients
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup butter, cut into small pieces (no substitutes)
3 tablespoons whipping cream
1 beaten egg yolk
3 tablespoons champagne or whipping cream
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted powdered sugar, small white decorative candies and/or melted white chocolate
Directions
1. Combine semisweet chocolate, butter, and the 3 tablespoons whipping cream in a heavy, medium saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat until chocolate is melted, stirring constantly. Gradually stir about half of the hot mixture into the egg yolk, Return entire mixture to the saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat for 2 minutes.
2. Remove from heat. Stir in champagne or 3 tablespoons whipping cream. Transfer truffle mixture to a medium mixing bowl; chill about 1 hour or until mixture is completely cool and smooth, stirring occasionally.
3. Beat cooled truffle mixture with an electric mixer on medium speed about 1 minute or until color lightens and mixture is slightly fluffy. Chill about 30 minutes more or until mixture holds its shape. Scrape a small ice cream scoop, melon baller, or spoon across the surface of the cold truffle mixture, forming 1-inch balls. Place balls on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Refrigerate until very firm.
4. Gently roll balls in unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted powdered sugar, or small white decorative candies until evenly coated, reshaping as necessary. If desired, drizzle with melted white chocolate. Serve in decorative foil candy cups, if desired. Makes 25 to 30 truffles.
Make-Ahead Tip: Prepare truffles as directed and store tightly covered in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.
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Toasted Almond Truffles-recipe from Nestle
Creamy and sinfully rich, these chocolate candies are coated with a fine layer of almonds. A touch of vanilla adds a warm note to this sweet confection.
Estimated Times:
Preparation - 20 min | Cooking - 5 min | Cooling Time - 1 hrs 30 min refrigerating | Yields - 24 truffles (2 dozen)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 3/4 cups (11.5-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Milk Chocolate Morsels
1/2 to 1 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract
1 cup sliced almonds, finely chopped, toasted
Directions:
COMBINE evaporated milk and sugar in small, heavy-duty saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
STIR in morsels. Stir vigorously until mixture is smooth. Stir in almond extract. Refrigerate for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Shape into 1-inch balls; roll in nuts. Cover; refrigerate until ready to serve.
****************************
Peanutty Chocolate Truffles-recipe from Nestle
The classic combination of chocolate and peanut butter is a taste that everyone loves. These delicious truffles will make any party a hit, but don't forget to make a few extra for yourself!
Estimated Times:
Preparation - 25 min | Cooling Time - 30 min refrigerating | Yields - 24 truffles
Ingredients:
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
4 tablespoons (2 envelopes) Rich Chocolate Flavor NESTLÉ Hot Cocoa Mix
1 cup finely chopped cocktail peanuts
Directions:
LINE baking sheets with wax paper.
BEAT peanut butter, butter and vanilla extract in medium bowl until creamy. Combine powdered sugar and cocoa mix in another bowl. Stir into peanut butter mixture.
PLACE peanuts in flat dish. Scoop peanut butter mixture into 1-inch balls; roll in peanuts to coat. Place on prepared baking sheets. Refrigerate until firm.
NOTES:
Try to make these a day ahead as they hold well and taste even better the day after they are made.
****************************
Easy Decadent Truffles-from All Recipes
"Insanely easy, but oh so rich! Recipe makes a large amount but you can vary flavorings and coatings to make several different varieties."
INGREDIENTS
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until well blended. Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla until no streaks remain. Refrigerate for about 1 hour. Shape into 1 inch balls. Notes
Roll truffles in ground walnuts (or any ground nuts), cocoa, coconut, confectioners' sugar, candy sprinkles, etc.
To flavor truffles with liqueurs or other flavorings, omit vanilla. Divide truffle mixture into thirds. Add 1 tablespoon liqueur (almond, coffee, orange) to each mixture; mix well.
Have a great day & hugs to all my friends!
Good Morning! Is everyone ready for the big day? Are you beginning to feel the "I've got so much to do and it's only a week away" feeling in your stomach yet? Well if you have company coming for the holiday, and your worried about how things look, then this next cleaning tip may come in handy.
White Heat Marks and Water Rings on Wood Furniture: If the wood has a good finish (don't try on bare wood), mix equal parts of baking soda and regular white, non-gel toothpaste. Lightly dampen corner of a clean, soft white cloth with water and dip into the paste. With circular motion gently buff the marks for a few minutes. Wipe area clean, and buff to a shine. Follow with furniture polish. (If rings remain after buffing five minutes or so, they may have penetrated the wood; you might have to refinish the piece). If that doesn't work, dip a cloth in vegetable oil, then in cigarette ashes, then rub it over the mark. Another method is to rub real mayonnaise onto the stain, allow to sit overnight, then wipe with a dry towel.
Well, I haven't started in on the heavy duty cleaning yet. Just another thing, among the many, that I yet have to do. However, last night Daddy, Rylie and I did do some cookie decorating. It was hilarious! I've decided that next year I'm just throwing a plastic tarp down. We talked about this with Rylie the day before when I made the cookie dough up ahead of time. So by the time last night arrived Rylie was ready to go.
I got the dough out and rolled it out and we let Rylie pick out the cookie cutters and showed her how to press the pattern. She'd then take the excess bit and try to press them back onto the rolled out dough. I showed her how to put them into a pile so we could re-ball them and roll them out again. She then proceeded to pick up a bit of the flour off the counter and throw it at Daddy. She thought it was hilarious. We just laughed and had a great time with her.
We, finally, got the cookies all cut out and baked and were ready to go. I decided to make lots and lots of icing since we usually run out of one, or another, color. I put out spoons and butter knifes to ice the cookies. Rylie was having so much fun. Daddy and I decided this sure was a good way to help our wee one improve upon those fine motor skills.
Rylie then showed us that there was a much easier way to ice the cookies. She dunked the whole cookie into the bowl of icing. LOL Then we heard "Oops, sooorry". We looked and she had thoroughly...and I mean thoroughly, coated one of her cookies with colored sugar. It looks like someone is going to get a real sugar buzz when they eat our Christmas cookies.
Usually, messiness makes me uptight and antsy. However, I was having too much fun watching Rylie have so much fun to worry about the mess. And believe me it was a real mess. When I went to clean up I just grabbed a spatula and began scraping down the counter. There was probably almost enough icing to cover a small cake. LOL
Here are a couple pictures of our princess having her fun. The border of the picture is a repeating tile of a picture of a tray of the cookies.
See those eyes in the bottom picture? I think someone had a bit of a sugar buzz going on. LOL
Then Daddy and Rylie went into the living room and started dancing to the Christmas music we had playing.
Rylie loves to dance and she especially loves to be dipped. LOL She is just too cute, and so was daddy last night. You can't really see it in this picture...but her little jeans were hardened by the icing all over them. Maybe next year I'll cover her with a tarp too, or a plastic poncho. LOL
Have a great day & hugs to all my friends!
Anyone else having trouble with AOL today? I'll try posting this entry again, thank goodness I saw AOL was being funky this morning and copied my original post.
Good Morning! Just 7 days until Christmas Eve! Weeeeeee! Ohmahgosh...can you remember how exciting this time of year was when you were a child? The anticipation was nearly overwhelming. Did anyone else shake packages to see if they could figure out what was inside? I so remember being able to tell the difference between the quiet and heavy shake of clothes (which was "blah, boring" as a child but is so great nowadays, lol) and the rattle of toys or other goodies.
I remember the year that my older brother came and told me he had found the stash of Christmas presents my parents were hiding. Hmm, did I want to go and check it out? It would so ruin the surprise, but then again...well, I was just a kid. LOL
I loved everything about being a kid at Christmas time. The anticipation, seeing distant family members, the preparations (which weren't nearly what they are as an adult), the Church services, especially the mid-night service. After mid-night Church service we would come home and be allowed to open one gift from Mom and Dad (Santa had been there of course, he had probably been at Church too).
It took us kids a couple of years to figure out that every year that Christmas eve gift was always the same thing. It was always our Christmas pajama's. LOL I think it was my older brother that finally put it all together. Then we would start begging to open just one more. LOL
On Christmas morning whoever woke up first would go look in the living room and then come and wake up the others. Then the 3 of us would go to wake up Mom and Dad. When we got to a certain age...I think it was after my older brother learned how to cook scrambled eggs...my parent pulled this "Oh, we are so hungry. Your going to have to make us breakfast in bed first."
Ugh! Didn't they realize that there was much more important things to do on this morning? LOL That was probably the fastest cooked breakfast they were ever served. I wonder how many times they ate eggs that weren't thoroughly cooked?
Okay, enough of my Christmas stories from my childhood, or as my kids would say "the olden days".
I remember my mom always had some divinity around at Christmas. I tried to make it once and it didn't go very well. I'm going to give it a try again this year though. I just have to decide which recipe to try.
Hm, the Spumoni recipe is sounding pretty good. Depending on how much time I have I may make that one. It time is limited I'll have to do the Easy recipe. Although...I bet I could do the Easy one and make it spumoni...hmm, theres an idea.
Well, I have lots to do today. Another batch of cookies, a few errands, some laundry and the usual house cleaning and whatnot. Plus I'm not sure what the roads are like at this point. We got quite a bit of snow this past weekend. I wouldn't go out if I didn't absolutely have to. Yikes! And there sits my pile of Christmas cards on the back corner of my desk! Oops! I guess I'll also be running by the post office.
Have a beautiful day!
What a long day. I got up around 6:20 this morning. I had to wake up Rylie around 7 am. We had to be in Point Place by 8:45 for her evaluation by early childhood development. Rylie is not an early riser, so she had a rough day.
I left a little bit early because I wasn't exactly sure where I was going and I didn't want to be late. We found the building and still had about half an hour until we had to be there. So I took Miss Rylie to McDonalds for a hot (and what I had thought would be fast) breakfast.
It wasn't very busy there and they only had about 4 or 5 people working. I thought we would be in and out in no time at all as there was only one man in front of us ordering. However, the cashier didn't seem to know what she was doing and rather than take our order and let the others fill his, we had to wait 10 minutes for him to get his order before she even took our order.
Then it was another 10 minutes to get our food. It's not like we ordered everything on the menu, just an egg and cheese bagel, cappucino, cinnamon roll and chocolate milk. I don't know...maybe she had to milk the cow. We finally got our food and had a few minutes to eat before we had to leave to get back to the building.
There was a psychologist, a speech therapist and a pre-school teacher there doing the evaluations. There were also 2 little four year old boys being evaluated. The kids basically played while the adults watched, asked questions and took notes. Then they took the kids for hearing screenings and the speech therapist spent some time talking one on one with each child. There was some motor skills testing and after a little more than 2 hours we were done.
Each parent had a separate meeting with the group of teachers and found out about our kids. Although Rylie is a bit behind on her speech and some of her motor skills they don't consider it severe enough at this time to enroll her in any of their special education classes.
They said that Rylie is actually doing fairly well. Her speech is a bit delayed but they think that the more time she spends with children her own age the more she will pick up. They gave me some ideas to help her with her speech and improve her motor skills. They also suggested we enroll her in a pre-school setting so she could spend more time with kids her age.
They were impressed with how she handled herself with 2 boys a bit older than herself and her ability to stand up for herself. She did spend alot of time jumping from one thing to another and a lot of time on her own (away from the other kids). But I kind of liked the fact that she didn't just go along with the other kids and did what she wanted to. She did start off talking in a whisper, but as she got more comfortable in her surroundings she started talking in a louder voice.
Luckily she did not have any melt downs, lol. They did notice that she would walk up and take whatever toy she wanted...even if another child had it. And when one of the boys would ask her if they could play with a toy she had...she hugged the toy tightly and just looked at them.
They said that at this time she doesn't qualify for their help, however if we are still concerned in 6 months, we can have her re-evaluated. We were really pleased with the results and happy to know that the things we were concerned about weren't really that serious.
As I said, Rylie is usually a late sleeper in the morning so she in conked out on the sofa right now...looking like a little angel. Me? I'm thinking about hitting the hay too. I'm getting up early tomorrow morning to make it to a store Grand Opening. I'm hoping to be one of the first 50 customers and get one of their little gift baskets.
The snow is suppose to hit tomorrow, from what I understand just 1-3 inches the first day. But by Sunday night we may haveas much as 6-8 inches. Rylie heard us talking about the snow and layed down on the floor and began practicing her snow angels again. LOL She just jabbered on and on about the snow.
Well, have a nice night and stay warm!
"On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me..." Oh how I do love my true love. He can be a pain in the arse on occasion, but then he's merely a man. LOL Okay, on with things. I don't know if this really works or not, but it isn't anything dangerous so I guess it would be worth a shot.
Pain Reliever
I have a bit of time today to spend as I please before a neighbor drops off her child for me to baby sit while she takes care of some things. Rylie loves playing with this little girl, even though she is 2 years younger than herself. She has been talking about this little girl coming over all week.
Yesterday Rylie and I worked on her ornament to hang on the tree this year. She colored a picture of Daddy, Santa, herself and me. LOL I do so love her interpretation of the world. The people are basically a sort of round circle (the head) with 2 more sorta circles (the eyes) and a line (the mouth), then there are 2 lines that are about 4 times as long as the head that jut out from the bottom of the head (the legs). It is too cute and an ornament I will treasure for many years to come.
I just need to pick up some more ink so I can print out the picture of her creating this masterpiece and put it on the backside of the ornament. I go through so much ink with all of the projects that I make. But I guess when you consider how much money I save on picture printing it is worth it. But just to replace my ink cartridges it is a little over $50, and that is buying recycled cartridges. UGH!
I saw this info-mmercial the other day. It was for this really cool printer. It is made by Kodak, it's called the Kodak 5300 and sells for about $150. To replace both the color and black ink it only costs about $25. Don't get me wrong, I really like the printer I have now, it was a Christmas gift from Ray and has served me well these past few years. This other one just looked very cool and I like the fact that it costs half as much as mine to replace the ink. I have a birthday coming up in about 23 days...hint, hint...LOL
Oh! I almost forgot, I want to pass along this information that my oldest daughter sent to me. Here is a copy of the email...
"A favor to ask, it only takes a minute....
Please tell ten friends to tell ten today! The Breast Cancer site is having trouble getting enough people to click on their site daily to meet their quota of donating at least one free mammogram a day to an underprivileged woman.. It takes less than a minute to go to their site and click on 'donating a mammogram' for free (pink window in the middle).
This doesn't cost you a thing. Their corporate sponsors /advertisers use the number of daily visits to donate mammogram in exchange for advertising.
Here's the web site! Pass it along to people you know.
Please go and click on the Pink Box to help donate mammogram's for women who can't afford them. While your there check out some of the items that are sold there, it looks like they have some pretty neat stuff.
Have a great day & hugs to all my friends!
Good Morning. Just 13 days until Christmas morning! Here are a few things you can do with the kids, or by yourself, for Christmas. If you have little ones this is a great way to spend some quality time with them. If your kids are making these be sure to stay nearby to help them out as some require the use of a hot glue gun or wire snippers, etc.
Those all came from a website called Kaboose. I've been there a few times and it seems like a great site for families. Go take a quick look!
The following ornament ideas are some that I have made in the past and have listed on my web page. These are a lot of fun to make with the kids. I used to mix up a batch of the Bakers clay dough and my older 3 kids and I would sit and make these. The kids had a blast cutting out their ornaments and painting them. After the paint dried I would spray them with a clear coat to help preserve them.
Spiced Ornaments
1 C ground cinnamon
1 tbsp ground allspice
1 tbsp ground nutmeg
Fine decorativeglitter (optional)
Unsweetened applesauce
White craft glue
Drinking straw
Butchers string, jute twine or ribbon
Glue gun (optional)
Magnetic strips (optional)
Combine spices and glitter in medium bowl. Stir, adding applesauce 1 tbsp at a time, as needed to make soft dough. Makes about 1 2/3 cups dough. Divide dough into smaller portions. roll out each portion between sheets of waxed paper to 1/4 inch thickness.
Cut with cookie cutters into desired shapes. Use a drinking straw to puch a hole, or holes, to thread string for hanging. Place on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake in 200 degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes until dry. (There is no need to turn at half-time) Thread with string or glue magnets onto back.
~Also thread on a long string with dried apple and orange slices to make a wonderfully scented garland.
Bakers Clay Dough
This dough is intended for craft projects. Please do NOT eat it.
2 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 C salt
1 C water
In large mixing bowl combine flour, salt and water. Mix thoroughly with spoon till all the flour is moistened. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead till smooth, about 10 minutes. Shape into a ball; return to bowl. Keep covered with a damp cloth or paper towel till ready to use.
Before beginning project, check the consistency of dough. If the dough is too sticky, add a small amount of additional flour. If dough is too stiff, knead in several teaspoons additional water.
Roll dough on floured surface 1/8 to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters. Place ornaments on lightly greased cookie sheets. Make hole in top of ornaments for hangers. Brush ornaments with 1 beaten egg. Bake at 325 degrees till hard, 25-30 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Makes about 2 dozen.
After we made our ornaments I let the kids decorate them with acrylic paint. When that dried I sprayed them with clear coat .
*Word of warning for those with pets. Someone once told me that her dog just loved the ornament I gave her. Although it is all natural, so perhaps it's also a good recipe for doggie biscuits if your not worried about their blood presser (sodium).
At Kaboose, they also have a page with gifts you can make for the pet in your life. Another great way to spend some time with the kids and make them feel involved in all the holiday preparations. Just go to this Make Gifts For Your Pet link.
I hope you found something that perks your interest today. If you make something, take a picture of you and the kids doing the project, send it to me and I'll be sure to post it. Oh! That reminds me of another ornament project for wee ones!
Pick up one of those little clear bended plastic picture frames (they cost like 99 cents). Have your little one color a picture on an index card, or small piece of paper cut to the size of the frame. If they are really little trace their hand onto the paper. Take a picture of them coloring. Put the picture on one side of the frame and their artwork on the other side. Slide a red or green ribbon up into the top of the frame and hang on your tree. It's not a really gorgeous ornament, but a great way to preserve a memory each year.
Have a great day & hugs to all my friends!
Good morning. It is still raining here. Yuck! What could be more depressing than cold rain in December?
Trash Bag Idea: Save money on trash bags by reusing plastic grocery bags. Use them in all your trash cans. To keep them from slipping down, affix a plastic, self-adhesive hook to both sides of the inside of the trash can. Hang the shopping bag from the hooks.
Have a great day & hugs to all my friends!
I may be a wee bit biased, but I think Rylie is just one of the cutest little girls ever. I went to do a bit of Christmas shopping on Saturday and Rylie went with me. I had wanted to do some of her shopping and was a bit disappointed she went with me. That is until we got to Wal-Mart and I found out that Santa was there and they were giving away free pictures of your child with him. YEA!
She walked right up to him, no fear or hesitation at all. She was so excited to see Santa and told him she wanted "Sponge Bob, Dora and TOYS!"
So I didn't get any Rylie shopping done, but we did pick up for a few things for daddy. Next we went to McDonalds for lunch. Rylie loves McDonalds, not for the food so much as for the toys in the Happy Meal. LOL Here are a few pictures I got of her there.
The look on her face after I took the first picture was too funny. She actually said "Mama..." like she was reprimanding me for being naughty or something, lol.
Have a great day & hugs to all my friends!
Good Morning! Here are a few more EASY Christmas cookie recipes I found at the Pillsbury website.
Yesterday, before running a few errands, I had to clean off the sheet of ice covering my car. As I went to go around to the passenger side my foot hit a patch of ice and I fell to the ground. My right arm went out in front of me and I pretty much broke my fall. Unfortunately, my right wrist is the one with the huge ganglian cyst on it. It hurt like the blazes for a bit.
Now it is better, however my rightshoulder blade is giving me a pain like heck. Ow! I am guessing I pulled a muscle or just bruised it. I'll continue to try to stretch my back muscles today and hope that helps.
This week Rylie and I are going to continue to bake cookies and prepare for Santa's big arrival. Yesterday I bought a few small gifts for her to give to 2 babies that she knows. She was so excited to have her own gifts to wrap...well, after she got done checking them out and making sure they were fun, lol. I cut the paper for her and pulled it over the gifts as she waited anxiously with her piece of tape in hand.
Then she would carefully place the tape almost near where I told her to. LOL She didn't even come close to the spot and the paper popped open again. Three times she carefully placed that piece of tape nowhere near where it would hold the paper in place. She finally got it and we moved onto taping the ends of the package up.
I helped her write the recipients names and her name on the gift tags and we taped those on. Then she got the bag of bows and very carefully chose one for each gift. After she chose each bow she would turn to me and say "It matches" and then point to the color on the gift paper that she had matched the bow to.
Another quick Rylie story...LOL. Last week Ry and I were sitting here and I got this sudden sentimental feeling. So I sat with her on my lap and we talked. I told her how much I loved her..."I love you too mommy". Then I said that no matter where I was she was always in my heart..."You in my heart too mommy". Awwww! Just made me want to melt.
Well, the other day she was walking through the living room and she turned to me and said "Mommy...you in my heart" and folded her hands over her little chest. I put my hands over my chest and told her "Your in my heart too baby...always and forever". Sometimes it is hard to believe that is the same little girl that will stand at her bedroom doorway screaming at me when I send her to her room for a mis-deed.
Oh, but she doesn't just stand there. I get tired of listening to the screaming so I tell her to go in her room and close the door. What's she do? She stands there at the threshold and puts her foot across the doorway. I tell her "don't you dare". Then she takes one step and stands just outside the bedroom staring at me.
These are the little moments that will mold my future with this child. If I laugh...she's got me and control of the moment. If I give in...she will be that much harder to deal with the next time around. So I walk over to her door, pick her up, carry her into her room and set her down. Lots and lots of screaming and crying now. I tell if, who knows if she can hear me over her own noixe, that she needs to take a time out and settle down. I'll come back in a little while and if she has settled down, then she can get up after she apologizes.
Now that is usually the end of it. Unless Daddy is home, then it is a whole new ball game for her and she has to push it to see what she can get away with him. The first time she and I went through this she kept on throwing that bedroom door back open and taking one step out and just glaring at me. Ohmahgosh...I thought I was dealing with a little monster. But I know she was just checking to see how long that rope was. To see how far she could push me and if I would give in.
It was probably 1/2 and hour or 45 minute long battle the first time. However, she finally got it in her head that Mommy means business. Now she will just push a little bit to see whether or not she can get by me. And the answer is always the same...No, do what I say and when time out is done all is good again.
Daddy, however, is going to have a problem when it comes to discipline. Not that he doesn't reach his limit, he has. But he prefers to be her best buddy and the favorite one. LOL That's okay...I mean it's not much fun for me to be the "bad" one. However, I can see the road that lies ahead for him and it has me LOL'ing quietly to myself. I may be the "meanie" in her eyes, but he is the "easy mark". LOL
Ahhh, once again I got to talking about Rylie and have rambled on and on. LOL I took a few pictures of her this weekend when we went shopping. I'll have to post them later.
Have a great day & hugs to all my friends!
We are having a wee bit of an "ice storm" here in Toledo today. Of course, the news is telling everyone to stay off the roads. I had to run to the pharmacy though, so on my way out the door I grabbed my camera. I use to take scenic pictures all the time...these days they seem to be mainly of Rylie so this was kind a bit of a change of pace.
Anyway here are two of my favorite pictures from today.
and
I really need to get out and use my camera more. I enjoy it so much, of course it is so much easier these days with the digital cameras. I remember 15 years ago having to wait and wait for the film to come back. Now I run home and upload within a few minutes. I love it!
Of course, I'm sure that a professional could have gotten some really great pictures, but I like these okay. Not bad for a "simple" housewife, lol.
Have a great day & hugs to all my friends!
Well, pooh! The Christmas spoilers must getting into my head as I found myself typing into the subject line "Holiday cookies"...duh! I don't make holiday cookies, I make CHRISTMAS cookies! LOL
I spent the morning going through recipes at Better Homes and Gardens and found a bunch of yummy sounding recipes to share with you today. I hope you find one or two to try out this year. I know I did. Enjoy!
Cappuccino Love Bites
Ingredients
1 cup butter-flavor shortening
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 tablespoon coffee-flavor liqueur or milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons instant coffee crystals
48 milk chocolate kisses with stripes or almonds
Directions
1. Beat shortening in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until mixture is combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg, liqueur, and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. If necessary, cover and chill dough in the refrigerator about 1 hour or until easy to handle.
2. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease cookie sheets; set aside. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar and coffee crystals. Roll dough balls in sugar mixture. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.
3. Bake in preheated oven about 10 minutes or until tops are cracked and sides are set; do not let edges brown. Immediately press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. If desired, while chocolate is still warm, swirl it gently using your finger or with a knife. Transfer cookies to wire racks and cool completely. Makes 48 cookies.
4. To store: Place cookies in layers separated by pieces of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw cookies, if frozen, before serving.
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Ruby Linzer Bars
Ingredients
1 cup butter-flavor shortening
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped toasted almonds*
1/2 cup strawberry or raspberry preserves or apricot jam
Almond Glaze
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 300F. Beat shortening in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg, vanilla, and almond extract until combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour.
2. Divide dough into three equal portions. Roll each portion into a 10-inch log. Roll logs in nuts. Place logs 3 to 4 inches apart on an ungreased large cookie sheet. Flatten each log to 1-inch thick. Make a 1/2-inch-deep, 1-inch-wide indentation down the center of each log, using fingers or the back of a spoon.
3. Bake in preheated oven about 30 minutes or until edges are firm and lightly brown. Cool on cookie sheet on a wire rack for 5 minutes. If necessary, reform indentations by pressing with a spoon. Transfer cookies to wire racks and cool completely.
4. Spoon some of the preserves evenly down center of each log. Drizzle each log with glaze. Let stand until set. Cut each log diagonally into 1-inch-wide slices. Makes about 36 bars.
5. Note: To toast nuts, spread them in a single layer in a shallow baking pan. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 5 to 10 minutes or until nuts are slightly golden brown, stirring once or twice. Cool completely. Finely chop nuts and set aside.
6. To store: Bake cookie logs as directed; cool completely. Do not fill indentations with jam; do not drizzle with glaze. Place cookie logs in a single layer in an airtight container; cover. Or place logs in resealable freezer bags; seal to close. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw cookie logs about 15 minutes. Fill logs with preserves, drizzle with glaze, and cut into slices as directed.
7. Almond Glaze: Stir together 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon milk, and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract in a small bowl. Stir in enough additional milk, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, to make glaze of drizzling consistency. Makes 1/4 cup.
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Peppermint Palmiers
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 tablespoons white creme de menthe
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon white creme de menthe
Few drops liquid red food coloring
1/2 cup finely crushed peppermint candies (about 20)
Directions1. For dough, in a large mixing bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg, the 2 tablespoons creme de menthe, the milk, and vanilla. Beat in as much of the 2-3/4 cups flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any of the remaining 2-3/4 cup flour. Divide dough in half. Cover; chill about 3 hours or until dough is easy to handle.
2. Meanwhile, for filling, in a medium mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, the 1/4 cup flour, and the 1 tablespoon creme de menthe. Beat with an electric mixer on low to medium speed until smooth. Stir in a few drops red food coloring until filling is pale pink. Gently fold in crushed candies. Cover and chill up to 2 hours. (Do not chill longer than 2 hours or the candies will bleed into the filling and the filling will become too soft and sticky.)
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll a portion of the dough into a 12x8-inch rectangle. Spread half of the filling over the dough rectangle to within 1/2 inch of each long edge. Roll both long edges, scroll fashion, to meet in center. Brush seam where dough spirals meet with water; lightly press together. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Wrap rolls in plastic wrap. Place rolls on a trayor cookie sheet. Freeze for 4 hours to 24 hours or until rolls are firm.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Using a serrated knife, cut rolls into 1/4-inch slices. Place slices 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet. Bake in preheated oven about 10 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are lightly browned. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool. Makes about 80 .
5. To store: Layer cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Powdered Sugar Icing (optional)
Directions
1. Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill dough in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 hours or until easy to handle.
2. Preheat oven to 375F. Roll each half of the dough to 1/8-inch thickness, on a lightly floured surface. Cut dough with a floured 3-1/2-inch cookie cutter. Place cutouts 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake in preheated oven about 8 minutes or until edges are set. Transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool. If desired, spread with Powdered Sugar Icing. Let stand until slightly set; pipe icing in decorative designs over iced cookies. Let stand until icing is set. Makes 36 cookies.
4. Powdered Sugar Icing: Stir together 3 cups powdered sugar, 2 to 3 tablespoons milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a medium bowl to make of piping or spreading consistency. Divide icing and tint portions with desired food coloring. Makes about 2 cups.
5. To store: Place uniced cookies in layers separated by pieces of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw cookies, if frozen. If desired, spread and/or pipe icing on cookies.
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Tender Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1-1/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Directions
1. Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add 1 cup of the sugar, the baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. If necessary, cover and chill dough in the refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes or until dough is easy to handle.
2. Preheat oven to 300F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in preheated about 15 minutes or until tops are slightly crackled and sides are set (do not let edges brown). Transfer cookies to wire racks and let cool. Makes about 60 cookies.
3. Tip: For a colorful platter of cookies, roll the dough balls in different colored sugars instead of the white granulated sugar.
4. To store: Place cookies in layers separated by pieces of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw cookies, if frozen, before serving.
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Spice Doodles
Ingredients
1 recipe Basic Dough (follows this recipe)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Directions
1. If necessary, cover and chill dough about 1 hour or until easy to handle.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degree F. In a small bowl stir together sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball in sugar mixture to coat. Place balls 2 inches apart on an unerased cookie sheet.
3. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 to 11 minutes or until edges are golden. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool. Makes about 40.
To Store: Place cookies in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
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Basic Dough
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Directions
1. In a large mixing bowl beat butter and shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour with a wooden spoon.
2. Continue as directed in individual recipes.
To Store: Pack dough into an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.
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Peppermint Stars
Ingredients
2 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
Red food coloring (optional)
Directions
1. Place egg whites in a medium mixing bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Line two large cookie sheets with brown paper or foil; set aside.
3. Add vanilla and cream of tartar to egg whites. Beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until soft peaks form (tips curl). Gradually add sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form (tips stand straight) and sugar dissolves. Quickly beat in peppermint extract. Tint pink with several drops of red food coloring, if desired.
4. Using a pastry tube with a large star decorating tip, pipe cookies onto prepared cookie sheets (form cookies about 1-1/2 inches in diameter). Bake in a 300 degree F oven for 15 minutes. Turn off oven and let cookies dry in oven with door closed about 30 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets. Cover and store in a dry place. Makes 45 cookies.
I've a million things to do today. More cookies...buy the stamps and finally get those cards in the mail...do a load or 2 or laundry...maybe a wee bit of Christmas shopping...YIKES! {{{looking at the floor))) ...And I need to run the sweeper too.
Have a great day & hugs to all my friends!
I got the first recipe, for Cranberry Buttermilk Muffins, from Clean Home Journal. That reminded me to post some of my other recipes for homemade gifts from the kitchen. I've had most my recipes for several years, they come from several cookbooks,r recipes that have been sent to me or are one's that I've found from various web sites. I've had most of them for years and can't give you the original source. I hope you find something interesting that you would like to try out.
These are a lot of fun to give and a great way to get the kids to help out and make them feel like a big part of the process of gift making and giving. If you have real little ones, you can always pre-measure the ingredients and let them pour each one into the jars. Then you can buy some stickers or ribbon, etc, and let them have fun decorating the jars.
Muffins In A Jar
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
To assemble the gift jar:
step 1Wash and thoroughly dry a 1-quart wide-mouth canning jar.
step 2Layer the ingredients in the jar as listed above, starting with the sugar on the bottom, then flour, cranberries, ginger, baking powder, baking soda and finally salt. Press each ingredient layer firmly into place with a flat-bottomed object (like a large plastic cup) before adding the next.
step 3Secure the lid and download our recipe card that shares instructions for baking the muffins.
Roll the following recipe directions into a scroll and tie to the jar with a colorful ribbon; affix holiday stickers to the jar and lid or put the directions on the back of a holiday photo or postcard.
Cranberry Buttermilk Muffins
Contents of gift jar:
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Plus you add:
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup melted butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Servings: 12
directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl combine buttermilk, butter, eggs and vanilla.
3. Add contents of jar and stir until just combined.
4. Spoon batter into greased or papered muffin tins, filling each cup two-thirds full.
5. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Cool for 10 minutes in the muffin tins and then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
7. Serve immediately or store in a Ziploc® Brand Snap 'n Seal Container for up to one week.
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Hot Choco Coffee Mix
2/3 cup Granulated sugar
1/3 cup Cocoa
1/4 tsp. Ground cinnamon
1/4 cup Instatnt coffee granules
Measure sugar into small bowl. Sift cocoa, cinnamon and coffee granules into sugar. Stir. Store in plastic bag or jar with tight fitting lid. Makes about 1 cup mix.
Directions to include: Heat 1 cup milk in large mug in microwave on high for about 2 minutes or until very hot. Add 1 1/2 Tbsp. mix. Stir. Serves 1.
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Dang near Hamburger Helper Mix
2 cups nonfat dry milk
1 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup beef bouillon powder
2 tablespoons onion flakes
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
Mix the ingredients together and store in an airtight jar.
Attach the following recipes to the jar:
Chili Mac
1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
1 cup water
1/2 cup macaroni noodles (uncooked)
2 cans chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 cup mix
Combine all and simmer 20 minutes or until macaroni is cooked.
Stroganoff
1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
2 cups water
1/2 cup mix
2 cups uncooked egg noodles
1/2 cup sour cream
Combine all except sour cream. Simmer 20 minutes or until noodles are tender. Stir in sour cream and serve.
Potato Beef Casserole
1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
3/4 cup water
6 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
1/2 cup mix
Combine all and simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove cover and cook until excess water is evaporated.
Quick Lasagna
1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
1/2 cup mix
1 onion, chopped
2 cups water
16 ounces tomato sauce
3 cups lasagna noodles, uncooked, broken into bits
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
Combine all except mozzarella in large skillet. Bring to a boil, let simmer for 15 minutes or until noodles are cooked. Top with mozzarella. Turn off heat and let cheese melt.
I have more recipes like this and will be adding them soon, so be sure to come back and check for them. I hope you found something interesting to try. I don't know about ya'll, but I love to include a homemade gift with my Christmas presents.
Have a great day & hugs to all my friends!
Good Morning! The theory is that oily skin tends to stay young looking longer. Although if you have oily skin I'm sure that is not very comforting when you feel like people can see their reflection on your forehead. The following is a mix of various recommendations I've found on the web and heard first hand. I hope you find it useful.
Oily Skin
Oily skin is shiny, thick and dull colored. Often a chronically oily skin has coarse pores and pimples and other embarrassing blemishes. It is prone to blackheads. In this type of skin, the oil producing sebaceous glands are overactive and produce more oil than is needed. The oil oozes and gives the skin a greasy shine. The pores are enlarged and the skin has a coarse look.
Causes of Oily SkinOily skin needs special cleansing with plenty of hot water and soap to prevent the pores from being clogged. Avoid harsh products that strip your skin of oil and encourage flakiness. They can cause a reaction known as reactive seborrhoea, where the oil glands work overtime to compensate for the loss of natural oils.
Be sure to use hot water as it dissolves oil better. Avoid the use of harsh soaps or cleansers. Use a pure soap with no artificial additives. Try an antibacterial cleansing lotion or a lightly medicated soap. Do not use cleansers or lotions that contain alcohol. My daughter used a lavendar soap for her skin and she highly recommends it. After cleansing, apply a natural oil-free moisturizer to keep the skin supple.
Natural Skincare
Half an hour before taking your bath apply on your face half teaspoon each of lime and cucumber juice mixed together.
If your skin is excessively oily, mix in a few drops of eau de cologne. This not only helps keep oiliness away but also helps in refining the pores of the skin by acting as astringent, thereby preventing acne.
To prevent the problem of your makeup becoming patchy either on the forehead, chin or nose due to excessive oiliness in these areas, apply a little cucumber juice on the excessively oily parts of your face, dry thoroughly and then apply your makeup.
For oily skin, mix 1/2 cup cooked oatmeal, 1 egg white, 1 Tbls. lemon juice, and 1/2 cup mashed apple into a smooth paste. Apply to face and leave on 15 minutes. Rinse.
Mix half teaspoon of honey with 1 egg white and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Add brewer's yeast powder and mix into a paste and apply to face. Remove with water after 20 minutes.
Beat together 1 egg white, 1 tsp spirits of camphor, 1 heaping Tbsp skim milk powder and a scant drop of essential oil of mint. First apply a thin film of odorless castor oil to the skin , then apply a thick layer of the egg white mask. Lie back for about 15 minutes. Wash off with warm water, then rinse with an apple cider vinegar and water solution or witch hazel.
Essential Oils For Oily SkinBergamot
Cedarwood
Cypress
Frankincense
Geranium
Juniper
Lavender
Lemon
Sage
Aloe vera has excellent healing properties. Apply aloe vera gel topically, as needed.
Burdock root, chamomile, horsetail, oat straw, and thyme nourish the skin.
Lavender is very good for oily skin. Mist your skin with lavender water several times daily.
A facial sauna using lemongrass, licorice root, and rosebuds is good for oily skin. Two or three times a week, simmer a total of 2 to 4 tablespoons of dried or fresh herbs in 2 quarts of water. When the pot is steaming, place it on top of a trivet or thick potholder on a table, and sit with your face at a comfortable distance over the steam for fifteen minutes. You can use a towel to trap the steam if you wish. After fifteen minutes, splash your face with cold water and allow your skin to air dry or pat it dry with a towel. After the sauna, you can allow the herbal water to cool and save it for use as a toning lotion to be dabbed on your face with a cotton ball after cleansing.
Ohmahgosh! I can't believe Christmas eve is just 18 days away! Which means that Christmas at my mom's house is in a mere 16 days. That is just a little over 2 weeks...oh my, how time flies. It feels as though I just got done cleaning up after a huge Thanksgiving dinner.
Well, after I run to the store today, to get some bread, I am going to need to start making some more cookies. The molasses cookies went over really well so I will probably start with making a batch of those. Then I think I'm going to make some of those Russian tea cakes and more sugar cookies.
Well, it looks like it is going to be a busy day around here so I better get my bum in gear.
Have a great day & hugs to all my friends!
