Christmas Cookies Week 3

These were yummy and luckily we went to Jame's parents for dinner last night so I could give them all away and not eat the whole batch myself.

Toffee Studded Snickerdoodles
-1/2 C. softened butter
-1/2 C. shortening
-1 cup plus 3 TBSP sugar, divided
-2 eggs
-2 3/4 C. all purpose flour
-2 TSP cream of tarter
-1 TSP baking soda
-1/4 TSP salt
-1 1/3 C. Heath Toffee Bits
-1 TSP ground cinnamon

1. Heat oven to 400 F
2. Beat butter, shortening and 1 cup sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Add eggs; beat thoroughly. Stir together flour, cream of tarter, baking soda and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in toffee bits.
3. Stir together remaining 3 TBSP of sugar and cinnamon. Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls; roll in sugar cinnamon mixture. Place on uncreased cookie sheets.
4. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until lightly browned around edges. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to wire racks. Cool completely.

Ryann's 1st Haircut!!

This morning I took Ryann for her first haircut. I've been wanting to do it for awhile and lately her hair has been so hard to brush through. I wasn't planning on going so short but I think it turned out pretty cute. She had fun and thought it was pretty neat to go to the salon and get "pretty". The before pictures already make me sad. But it's just hair and will grow back.

Christmas Cookies Week 2

This is the recipe I tried out today. They were okay but I think I may have toasted the nuts a little too long.

I got this one out of a Christmas cookie magazine.

Chunky Nut Blondie Drops
1 1/2 C. packed light brown sugar
1 C. (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 C. coarsely chopped chocolate
1 1/2 C. coarsely chopped pecans toasted*
1 1/2 C. coarsely chopped walnuts toasted*

*to toast nuts, spread on a cookie sheet. Bake in preheated 350 F oven 8 to 10 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently.

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Beat brown sugar, butter and granulated sugar in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until blended Combine flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a small bowl; mix into butter mixture. Stir in chocolate, pecans and walnuts.
3. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 1 1/2 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheets. (if dough is soft, refrigerate about 1 hour before baking)
4. Bake 15 to 17 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on cookie sheet 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Enjoy!!

Private???

I too, as many of you have, am considering making this blog private. You just never know what kind of people are visiting. But in a way I'd like family and friends to not have to ask for an invitation. I'm kind of torn. One reason I'm considering it is because recently I posted some pictures of my kids taken at Kiddie Kandids and titled the post Kiddie Kandids x 2. After doing this I noticed some weird places coming up on my live traffic feed. After this I went to google and did a search for Kiddie Kandids and my blog came up!!! This really made me think about the content I've been putting in my blog and I renamed that post. So just something to think about, please let me know if you'd like your email address added to the list. I'm still undecided though.

Christmas Cookies Week 1

I know its a little early to be posting about Christmas but... This year I've decided that I want to give my friends and neighbors cookies for Christmas, not just any cookies, I want to give them a plate of cookies that look like Martha herself made them. So I've decided from now until the week before Christmas (six weeks) to try out one and maybe two recipes a week. I got this recipe from my friend Jennie and they are yummy!! and easy!! I know some of you are probably thinking, what a dork!! But now that I'm unemployed I've got time on my hands.

Chocolate Powdered Sugar Cookies

-1/2 cup shortening

-1 2/3 cup sugar

-2 tsp. vanilla

-2 eggs

-1/2 tsp. salt

-2 tsp. baking powder

-6 tbsp. baking coco

-1/3 cup milk

-2 cup flour

-powdered sugar

Mix all together. Batter will be very moist, chill for two hours to set the dough. Use a cookie scoop and roll into balls, roll balls through powdered sugar until covered. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake @ 350 for 12 to 15 minutes.

Happy 16th Birthday Uncle Jordan!!

Ryann loves her Uncle Jordie and couldn't wait to tell him Happy Birthday yesterday. I cant believe he is 16!!

New Pictures x 2

Last week I took the girls to Kiddie Kandids to have their pictures taken not once but twice. The first time we went with BreeAnn and Macy and the second time me and Jame took the girls on Halloween. We only went the second time because I forgot Austyn's Halloween costume the first time and I just knew I'd feel guilty the rest of my life, since Ryann had her pictures in her costume for her first Halloween. Oh well, it was a fun thing to do on Halloween and we ended up with cute pictures.

Our Little Girly Girl

Ryann has got into my make-up a few times this week. This was her attempt at mascara "but" she says "I didn't get any on my clothes". I've also had to hide my rings because the other day she decided to wear my wedding ring around the house and who knows how long she had it on before I noticed.

Pony Rides

We sure have been enjoying having a pony around our house.

Halloween.

We had a fun filled day on Halloween. We started out at Kiddie Kandids for the second time this week (I'll post about that later). Then we went to Jamison's parents house to meet up with the kids before going Trunk-or-Treating. After that we came back to the in-laws for dinner. Ryann had a great Halloween and Austyn didn't know it was Halloween but she sure looked cute as a Glow Worm. We also had an unexpected visit from Uncle Nate who decided to come home for the pheasant hunt.

Our little Glow Worm having her first sucker. Actually I think her dad has probably given her a few prior to this because she sure knew right where to put it.

Dorothy and the Wicked Witch of the West (Ryann and her friend Kendall)
Austyn at the mall

Ryann & Austyn's Halloween Party

This past Sunday we had our annual Halloween party. This was the third year, and I really look forward to it every year. This year we had two witches (myself included), Dorothy, a caterpillar, a spider, a she devil, a fairy, two Raggedy Anne, the Red Power Ranger, Pumpkin Head Harvey, Gabriella, Darth Vader and Wonder Woman. It was a lot of fun and I cant wait to do it again next year!!! I took a ton of pictures but here are a few of my favorites. Thanks mom and Jamison for helping me get everything ready. I really couldn't have done it without my mom's help.

Dorothy and the Glow Worm

I took these pictures on my neighbors front porch and used them for the invitation to our annual Halloween party. Thanks Jennie for letting me use your porch and for helping me with the invitations.