Cookie of the Month

So, I have always wanted to be a member of the __________ of the month club - flowers, cheese, exotic fruits. I love to get packages and then this excitement is breed and fed by Red Envelope and Harry & David.

And to be honest I love to make cookies. (shocking I know) And I love to make GOOD cookies! And I love to discover a new GOOD cookie. And since I pretty much post a cookie recipie a month, I decided that you too might want to be a member of the ____________ of the month club too.

So here it is . . . . . . . the COOKIE of the MONTH CLUB!!

Now you too will get a little bit of goodness delivered to you monthly by someone who loves you- just to make you smile!!

Judy Brown's Soft Molassas Cookies ( aka supersoft gingersnaps)
(from Favorites)

1 1/2 c butter
2 c brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c molasses
4 1/2 c flour
4 teaspoons baking soda (this is not a typo!)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream butter and brown sugar. Add eggs and molasses and mix well. Add dry ingredients. Roll into balls with a cookie scoop and roll balls in sugar. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets at 375 for 10 minutes.

These make wonderful holiday cookies!

it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

thank you snow- for making a late (but better than never) appearance to really get me into the Christmas spirit. i wish I could capture for you the amazing beauty of the white snow hanging perfectly on each branch of the trees as if it was painted there against a blue blue sky.

There is a great song the 12 pains of Christmas that whines about the "pains" of Christmas:

finding a Christmas tree- riggin' up the lights- yo ho sending Christmas cards- and spending time with the in-laws - helping charities

But these are actually some of the best moments of the season

On Saturday we took the girls to pick out a tree- they loved picking out there tree- (actually the tree picked us. we were walking down the aisle and it fell over right in front of us!) Then having it tied to the top of the car and bringing it home to decorate.

The girls helped me set out the other decorations while we waited for Dan to put on the lights and then they loved helping me put on the ornaments!

And I had to truly put Kate's little lesson about her Christmas tree (see post below) when I got to the basement. We have lived in many different places since we have been married- some years I have been overwhelmed by how many Christmas decorations I had. In Boston space was so tight that I could only put out a few decorations- and well this year I have a new entertainment system full of empty shelves waiting for the perfect Christmas decorations. And because I do not have the appetite or budget for Modern Display to come and decorate my house I was honestly feeling a little discouraged. One of the last things I got out was our collection of Christmas books. And I had a total awe ha moment and instead of just putting them in a stack- I stood them up and suddenly I had shelves fully of my favorite Christmas books. Thanks Kate for the reminder I do not need more, instead I need to be more grateful for what I have!

And yesterday we were blessed with a new little niece: Ruby Louise

Ash & John welcomed their sweet baby last evening. She is perfect and sweet, and like Ash said it is amazing that you can love someone so instantly. I am glad that I got to be there and witness the miracle of birth that I never tire of!

more pictures to come!

We have a fresh snow, a tree, house lights have been up for weeks (as we took advantage of a 60 degree Saturday) the Christmas shopping is done, the radio is already giving me a Christmas music hangover, we have decorated Christmas sugar cookies (don't worry- i too have about hit my limit- valentines and then I am done for awhile I promise!!) my Christmas cards are here- and I'll start addressing them today. And now with the safe arrival of a newborn babe fresh from Heaven to remind us all of our own vulnerability and dependence on our Savior, we are ready for Christmas . . . .

O Christmas Tree

Kate found this little tree when Dan & I were cleaning out the storage room the other night. I told her she could have it for her own room- She took it upon herself to decorate it. Clips, build a bear bows, ribbons, valentines garland, and is that a Q tip?

What a great lesson in taking what you've already got and being absolutely thrilled about it. She currently has put her tree where we usually put our big tree- it is standing in until we get a real one. Part of me wants to leave it . . .

Thankful

Last night Dan, the kids and I made a list about the many things we are thankful for! The list was long and a little silly at times, but we really are so grateful for the many wonderful things around us!

Meg is thankful for balls, babies, cheese, apples, the baaaath, shoes, mama and dada!

Kate is thankful for her teddy bears, food, toys, furniture, cousins and friends, the phone, her dad's tools so that he can work, Jesus, TV, stickers, and songs about Jesus that sound like the Backyardigans.

Annie is thankful for her school and primary teachers, for books and learning, for "the Friend", the Holy Ghost, a house to live in and clothes to wear, her parents, Grandmas & Grandpas, cousins near and far, and lets not forget aunts and uncles. Annie is also thankful for animals and Santa!!
A is thankful for modern appliances: washer & dryer, furnace, dishwasher, cell phones. little noses (see picture of Meg above) sleep, family, the Light, the blogger dashboard, wonderful fun kind children, wonderful friends, prayers that are answered, little giggles, and Pitter Pat Photography for the wonderful pictures!

Dan is thankful for a job, good health, cheap gas, nice fall weather, the scriptures, spending time with family, nice weather, honest people, indoor plumbing, loving supportive kind wife, ipods, good co-workers, a good client, "the pitter patter of little feet"

At this thanksgiving time we are all grateful for the wonderful family and family that we have. We are grateful for your love and examples, and your friendships. You bless our lives in so many ways.

And as we begin this Christmas Season we are very grateful for our Savior Jesus Christ. We all may believe many different things about Jesus but I hope that we can all know that He is aware of us individually and that we might all find inner PEACE this season!

wasting time

Oh how i wish I had something great to blog about- something that would require lots of time, uploading pictures and writing and re-writing to get it perfect. Something to keep me from the torture that awaits me in my basement. I wish I had somewhere to go or dishes to do- but alas in 15 minutes the kids will be in bed, dishwasher already loaded - even a load in the laundry. It is amazing all that you can accomplish when you are trying to be too busy, for P90X.

So I think most people give up on new exercise programs about week 3. Yep. I'm there. Ready for my "1 1/2 hour of nothing to do" evenings back. Long tub with a good book sounds a lot better than 330 sit ups. Oh I remember like it was yesterday when I joined Powerhouse Gym with the twins and Paige. I could hardly walk down the stairs from the 3 floor where we lived. I remember being sore for a while- a week or so I think.

3 Weeks folks and I am still super SORE! it is killing me! I wasn't planning on beginning this extreme exercising program when I bought it for Dan for his birthday. I thought he could get in shape and I could sit on the couch with a symphony bar and a book and try and look supportive while he chiseled out his new hot body. But the day of his birthday he opened the package and said "come on babe". And now if I stop- I'm a quitter. I don't quit anything. Dan knows I have an addictive competitive personality and that he had me at "lets go."

so for all of you that we have talked into joining us- like Tony says "Just keep pushing play"

Candy for Soldiers

Wondering what to do with all of the left over Halloween candy??

Ours has been sitting on our counter since Halloween and the few things I like are already gone. The novelty of it all has seems to have worn off for Annie & Kate (except for when she realized it was gone) and Meg as found new tactics for climbing up onto the counter to get the candy. An 18 month old and candy never mix well. It is either sticky or chocolaty and either way it is a total mess. So off it went today to Soldiers Angels who will add your left over Halloween candy to care packages sent to the troops. It was super easy (I know my dentist will be proud) and even if it cost me a little in shipping- I feel like it went to a much better place than just the garbage!!

Here's the link for where to send your candy!!

bummer! (and for the moment totally ungrateful)

So I was thinking about blogging about:
how thankful I am
Maybe a "dear" post like Ashley does.
Or maybe some thoughts on the Election
and P90x..
or Dan's birthday.

But instead I am sitting here pouting. (how ungrateful is that for one who just witnessed a very peaceful election process.)

I have just spent the last hour trying to get my blog into book format for Christmas presents for the grandparents. A great idea that is only offered by blurb Well they could have mentioned before I spent 1/2 hour downloading the software- that blurb and blogger are current not "talking" to each other. Then I spend even more time searching for another site that will "slurp" my blog into a book to no avail. I don't want to have to wait while my slow computer (and connection) re-uploads all of the pictures into a book like shutterfly or costo. I love the slurp and edit idea.

any thoughts? bummer!