Baking Day

BAKING DAY!!!

 Don't you love having a baking day around the holidays?

My sister-in-law and my cousin came over to help make dozens of treats!

We made:

Brown Sugar and Maple Cookies from Cheeky Kitchen

Oreo Truffles:

1 pound oreos crushed

8 oz. cream cheese

Dipping Chocolate

-Just mix the crushed oreos with the cream cheese until it forms a consistency like cookie dough.  Then roll them into 1 inch balls and put them in the fridge to firm up.  After 15-30 minutes, take them out and dip them in melted dipping chocolate.

Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies with Mint M&Ms.

Soft Gingerbread Cookies

(I cheated and just bought the Betty Crocker Mix.  I still haven't found a made-from-scratch gingerbread that I'm in love with)

My too-cute-for-words-identical-twin-nieces helping themselves to some oreo truffles :)

We finished by making English Toffee from my other cousin's blog.

Every year I buy cookies tins after Christmas when they are 75% off at Walgreens.

Then I pack them away with my Christmas stuff until the next year.

That way I always have a cute, "free" gift ready to give to a neighbor or friend.

Every surface of my house was covered in cookies!

So fun!

What I Wore...Holiday

This is what I wore to church on Sunday.

It is my FAVORITE skirt!

My mom sent it to me one year for Christmas and I wear it all the time!

Skirt - Surrealist

Sweater - Target

This skirt is solid lace.

I actually had to buy a slip to go under it because it really is all lace...LOL.

It is different types of lace in different layers, and sheer from the knees down.

I had to wear legging under it because it was FREEZING on Sunday!

I asked my husband to take a picture of my skirt so that I could show you the details in it, and this is the picture he took...LOL...oh well.

I'm also getting a little bored of my hair lately.  I need some suggestions for long-hair ideas.  Any thoughts?

Tradition

   I LOVE holiday traditions.

I look forward to doing the things that make me happy and bring back wonderful memories.

When we lived in Chicago, we would go to my grandparents house every year on Christmas Eve and reenact the first Christmas.  Each cousin was assigned a part.  There were a lot of cousins, so we had everything covered...animals, shepherds, angels, etc.  I loved it.  The best way to learn is by doing and I felt like I learned the true meaning of Christmas when I was very young.

(My cousin Mike and I as Mary and Joseph)

Once we moved to California, we always had a formal Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas message at my Grandma's house.  On Christmas day, we would go over to my Grandpa's house because it is also his birthday.  I was a party! :)

Now that I live in Utah, away from family, I miss my traditions.  Nate didn't really have any Christmas traditions growing up, and we were too far away to participate in my Christmas traditions, so we've had to be creative and come up with some of our own.  The most important thing, is that I want my kids to know the real meaning of Christmas.  I want them to know why we celebrate.

And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow,

Stood puzzling and puzzling: “How could it be so?”

“It came without ribbons! It came without tags!

“It came without packages, boxes or bags!”

And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore.

Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before!

“Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store.

Maybe Christmas … perhaps … means a little bit more!”

(Dr. Suess, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, New York: Random House, 1957.)

Every year, on Christmas Eve, I dress my kids up in their church clothes and make a fancy dinner.  After dinner we talk about the true meaning of Christmas.  We talk about baby Jesus and why his birth was so important.  I talk to them about it all month, but on Christmas Eve, we make it the our sole focus.  We always play a DVD slide show that my Dad made for me.  It is music and pictures of Jesus, starting with His birth, through His death and Resurrection, and ending with one last one of His birth.  It's beautiful.

"At this focal point of all human history, a point illuminated by a new star in the heavens revealed for just such a purpose, probably no other mortal watched—none but a poor young carpenter, a beautiful virgin mother, and silent stabled animals who had not the power to utter the sacredness they had seen.

Shepherds would soon arrive and later, wise men from the East. Later yet the memory of that night would bring Santa Claus and Frosty and Rudolph—and all would be welcome. But first and forever there was just a little family, without toys or trees or tinsel. With a baby—that’s how Christmas began."  Jeffrey R. Holland

This year, we have invited my in-laws over for Christmas Eve.  They are moving here from Nevada on the 23rd, two of my sister-in-laws will be here with their families.  I want to make sure that everyone has a good time, and that everyone learns a little bit more about the true meaning of Christmas.

Here are some ideas that I've found:

-I found a cute family activity on Family Volley about having Christ and Santa in the same holiday.

-Read The Forgotten Carols by Michael McLean.  I have been to the live presentation of The Forgotten Carols, and it is beautiful.

-I LOVE this Christmas ornament tutorial from A Lemon Squeezy Home.  I'm definitely going to make some of these.  I'll post about it when I do because I think it is such a cute idea!

-Watch the video of Luke 2. 

What are your favorite Christmas Traditions?

Giveaway - Stuff I Love

 -Giveaway Closed-

Winner:

#16 Chelsea

Please email me for instructions on how to claim your prize :)

I have another AWESOME giveaway for you today!!!

First, I want you to meet Cat:

My name is Cat and I have a little blog called Stuff I Love.  It's a place to offer up product reviews, book reviews, recipes, giveaways, parenting info and more!  We also have a forum where you can give each other advice and offer your own opinions.  In my 'spare' time I keep a couple of etsy shops at Mimi Baby Boutique and Big Red Kite.  Today I'm pleased to be offering you one of my items!

Cat is offering these gorgeous, silver chandelier earrings to the winner!

Do you want to know what else I love about Cat?

Her shop, Mimi Baby Boutique, gives 50% of all proceeds to charity.

Isn't that amazing?!!

The charity this month is The Shine Project.

You can also find Cat here:

http://www.voicemyopinion.weebly.com/

http://www.mimibabyboutique.weebly.com/

http://www.etsy.com/shop/BigRedKite

http://www.mamacatskitchen.weebly.com/

So, here's how you enter:

1.  Like Stuff I Love on Facebook
2.  Follow Stuff I Love via Google+
3.  Follow on twitter @mimibabyb
4.  Like Mimi Baby Boutique on Facebook
5.  Follow Mimi Baby Boutique via Google+
6.  Like Big Red Kite on Facebook

7.  Follow Cait. Create.

8.  Follow Cait. Create. on Facebook

9.  Get my button

10.  Blog/Facebook/Tweet about this giveaway

  10 ways to enter!  That gives you 10 different chances to win these darling earrings!  Good luck!  Giveaway ends Thursday, December 22nd at midnight.  Winner will be announced on the 23rd.

Reindeer Poop Craft - Tutorial

For Saxon's preschool class party yesterday, we had to bring a "treat or trinket" for all of the kids in the class.  Last year we brought hot chocolate packets with candy canes.

This year...

Reindeer Poop

 

Reindeer Poop Poem

I woke up with such a scare when I heard Santa call...
"Now dash away, dash away, dash away all!"
I ran to the lawn, and in the snowy white drifts,
those nasty reindeer had left "little gifts".

I got an old shovel and started to scoop
Neat little piles of "reindeer poop."
but to throw them away seemed such a waste,
So I saved them, thinking you might like a taste!

As I finished my task, which took quite a while,
Old Santa passed by and he sheepishly smiled.
And I heard him exclaim as he rose to the sky~~~
"Well, they're not potty trained, but at least they can fly!"

We found the free printable HERE.

And HERE is a link if you would prefer SNOWMAN POOP instead.

Saxon was SO EXCITED to give his friends "Reindeer Poop."

He giggled the whole way to school.

I also found this online:

 (Living on a Dime)

I thought it was a cute and inexpensive way to give someone a fun, holiday gift.

Reindeer Poop: Malt Balls

Snowman Poop: Marshmallows

Elf Poop: no idea?

What I Wore...Thrifted

This summer I went thrift-store shopping with my sister.

She has a great eye for unique pieces.

I don't.

I'm sure I made a face at everything she handed me...including this one...

This shirt is a size B8.  I don't really know what size that is, but it's too big on me.

My sister's advice "just belt it and it will look fine."

And here's my attempt:

Shirt: thrifted

Jeans: hand-me-down

Belt: thrifted

Feather Earrings: forever 21

Shoes: Jessica Simpson from Nordstrom

I did my hair in a twisted side pony with a braided headband.

It's easier than it sounds.

First I took a piece of hair from behind my ear and braided it.

Then I wrapped it over my head and secured it with a clip.

Then I started on the side of my head and just twisted my hair until I reached the other side and I put a hair tie in.  My favorite hair ties: Lizzie Starr.

I love them, and my sister Brooke is the model in some of the pictures :)

The best part of my outfit?

Candy Cane toes :)

This is the other set that Jacilynn from Dashwood Shoppe gave me to review.

Aren't they fun?

They last forever too!  I just pulled off the black and white checkered set today.

Pumpkin Waffles and Buttermilk Syrup

This is what we made for breakfast on Sunday morning...

The Best Ever Pumpkin Waffles and to-die-for Buttermilk Syrup

I got this recipe from a girl I used to work with.

She is an amazing cook and this is one of my favorites that she used to make:

PUMPKIN WAFFLES:

In a large bowl combine:

2 C flour

2 Tbsp. baking powder

1 Tbsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. salt

In another bowl combine:

4 beaten egg yolks (save the whites for later in the recipe)

1 1/2 C milk

1 C pumpkin

3/4 C melted butter

1 Tbsp. vanilla

Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

Then, beat the 4 egg whites until they form stiff peaks.

Fold the egg whites into the batter.

Pour into the waffle iron.

*Usually I substitute the white flour for whole wheat flour and use low-fat margarine.

I also double the recipe and make a TON and freeze them.  Then I can pop them in the toaster like Egg-o Waffles and give them to my kids for breakfast.  I feel good about them getting the pumpkin and the whole-wheat flour, and I cut out some of the fat by using the low-fat margarine instead.

Buttermilk Syrup:

In a large saucepan, combine:

1/2 C butter (it has to be the real thing...no margarine)

1/2 C buttermilk

1 C sugar

1 tsp. Karo Syrup

Bring it to a boil, remove from heat, and then add:

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla

The baking soda will make the syrup double in size so make sure you plan ahead and use a big enough pot.

If you need ideas for what to make for breakfast on Christmas morning, this recipe is AMAZING!  Or, if you're like me, and seem to have a lot of canned pumpkin leftover after the holidays LOL :)

Cake Mix Cookies

Happy Monday Everyone!

Was your weekend crazy and busy?

It seems to be that way this time of year...

I spent Saturday battling the mall with my kids.

I love Christmas shopping, but I felt like I was going crazy by the end.  I could hardly push the stroller through the crowds, and every store had a mile long line!  Then my baby peed through his diaper, and I forgot the diaper bag in the car, that was parked about a mile away.  Some lady commented on my screaming baby by saying:

"That child has been screaming for like 20 minutes!  You would think someone would have tended to him by now."

Seriously.

I am giving up on the mall until next year.

Hopefully I can find a few last minute gifts elsewhere:)

Speaking of gifts, every year, I have a huge baking day and make treats for neighbors, co-workers, friends, etc.  It's cheaper than trying to buy gifts, and homemade gifts are always my favorite anyway.  So, I thought I'd share one of my favorite recipes with you:

Cake Mix Cookies (They're soooooo easy!)

 

 1 box of cake mix

1/2 cup oil

2 eggs

(Didn't I say it was easy!)

Then you just play around with the flavors.

This one, for example, is Chocolate Fudge cake mix, with Christmas Mint M&M's.

 Here's some other combos that I love:

Vanilla Cake Mix + oil + eggs + Mini Reese's Pieces

Yellow Cake Mix + oil + eggs + butterscotch chips + heath bits

Spice Cake Mix + 1 can pumpkin + chocolate chips

Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix + oil + eggs = Oreos...then fill with cream cheese frosting. YUM!

Chocolate Cake Mix + oil + eggs + marshmallows + walnuts = Rocky Road Cookies

Chocolate Cake Mix + oil + eggs + peanut butter chips

Vanilla Cake Mix + oil + eggs + chocolate chips = chocolate chip cookies

Chocolate Cake Mix + oil + eggs + candy cane bits/Red & White Andes Mint Pieces

There are a million possibilities, and they are all SO EASY!

I usually wait until Betty Crocker Cake Mix is on sale for under $1 at the store, and then I buy a ton!  If I have cake mix on hand, I can always come up with a quick and easy treat.

Try these out if you need a quick treat one night!

Or, if you already make these, let me know what your favorite combo is :)