Yipee for home internet!! Or We have all become slaves!!

So if you follow my blog, you became acutely aware that I no longer had internet access back in October when I was taking part in the 12 weeks of Christmas Cookies blog hop!  I was going strong then bang..... I was gone.  Well, I had a bit of an issue with my isp and ended up cancelling my service!  It took me many months of trying to figure out what my best option was.
During those months I became acutely aware what a slave I was to the internet.  My life began to revolve around trips to Starbucks and the library just to get my daily fix.  I realized that I used the internet for meal planning, craft ideas, socializing, and this isn't even including the essentials like banking and email!!  Slowly, I began to realize that as much as I liked my constant Starbucks runs, I needed to get home internet again!
So I am glad to announce that I have joined the slave ranks again and now am sitting at my craft supply laden desk looking at all the awesomeness, that I will never in a million years have time to make, on pinterest!

 

12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies - Week 2

So it is week two of the twelve weeks of Christmas cookies. I am grateful to Brenda over at Meal Planning Magic for inviting me to participate in this!! My kids and I have had a blast coming up with what to do and then preparing things. This week I wanted to try something that I had never done before!! However, it may not have been my brightest idea!! Sometimes things that look very simple can become ridiculously difficult!! Ok, so maybe it wasn't that difficult .... just mostly a sticky mess!! I used a recipe that I got from allrecipes.com I chose Holly Christmas Cookies. I added the marshmellows, butter, vanilla and food coloring to the pan. Then once it was melted, I removed it from the heat and added cornflakes. Judging from the way mine turned out, I think that this recipes needs more cornflakes so it won't be as gooey!!

These probably wouldn't freeze well so they would be best made right before you plan to serve them.

Now you should go check out all the other cookies created just for The 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies Blog Hop!!

Costumes.....

So I have been invited to a few Halloween parties.....I am trying to come up with something that won't cost me a small fortune!! So here is what I am thinking......

I think the sugar skull would be pretty cool and probably very different than anybody else. I think I have most everything that it would take to make this one happen. It could also be fun for a photo shoot or a car show or even both!! This could be done fairly cheaply and I am confidant that I could pull it off!! However, one of the things I was invited to, has a theme!! The theme is Candyland. I think it could be fairly easy to do this......

Which one do you think I should do?? or should I do both??

12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies - Week 1

This week I made Peanut Butter Sealed with a Kiss cookies!  These cookies look great and freeze well!!
Here is the recipe I used:

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar for rolling
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 and 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 9 oz package chocolate kisses unwrapped

Preheat the oven to 375.  Cream the peanut butter, butter and brown sugar.  Add the egg and vanilla extract.  Wisk together flour, salt and baking soda.  Slowly combine flour mixture with peanut butter mixture.

Shape the dough into 1 inch balls and roll them in the white sugar.  Place on parchment paper on baking sheet about 2 inches apart.  Bake for 8 minutes and remove from oven.  Press chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie.  Return to the oven and bake for an additional 3 minutes.  Cool on wire rack.  Makes about 24 cookies.

Now who wants to come do my dishes??  :)

Christmas on the brain!!

I know it isn't even October yet but man, I have Christmas on the brain!!  All the prep for the Cookie exchange, I guess!  I have thought back to Christmases past and cherished old memories....like the one of Santa putting presents under the tree in his red bikini briefs...um, thanks dad!! LOL  Seriously though, Christmas has been a treasured time for me, like most.  A time for family gatherings and the smells of baking.  Last Christmas was a little tough but I hope to leave it in the past.

This Christmas will be the first where my kids don't rush in and wake me at 4 am, so it will be a little different.  However, I plan on making Christmas Eve extra special for my kids!!  On Christmas, you may find me volunteering somewhere or maybe at the movie theater(that would be a first)!

What is your favorite Christmas tradition?  Do you plan on starting new traditions?

Fishing....

Fish Lake, Washington

When I was a little girl my grandpa started taking me fishing.  I think I was three when I became his favorite fishing buddy!  We spent so much time on the lake and camping at places near rivers.  I had my own special cooler for soda and I got to bring my favorite snacks.  I remember being so impatient to catch fish.  I would cast out and reel it in then start again!!  LOL over and over cast reel cast reel!  It is a wonder I ever caught anything.    While I was fishing with my son a couple weeks ago, I remembered that I would lean over and tug on my grandpa's line to make him think he got a fish!  LOL  Some of my most treasured memories are those of fishing with my grandpa!  

Cookie Blog Hop

I am so excited to take part it this blog hop Hosted by Meal Planning Magic!!  It will be my first!!  I have been wanting to try something like this!!  There is still space available if you would like to join!!

Here is how it will work: each participant will post a Christmas cookie or candy every Thursday for 12 weeks!!  So far there are about 26 bloggers participating....that is a whole lot of cookies and candy!!

I can't wait to see what everybody comes up with!!  :)