New Year Fun!

Thank you so much for all your help tips and recipes for my Christmas steaks! I hope you are enjoying the last week of the year. We are getting new toys put away and preparing for a New Year's Eve get-together with friends.

Speaking of the new year, this is the perfect time for a peek through the past year of blogging. Just like last year, there is a Mr. Linky for you to join in, too!

Post the first sentence of your first blog post of each month. You can also add a favorite picture from each month. Here are mine:

~January~
Thank you to everyone who joined in the New Year blogging fun!



~February~
Happy February to you all!



~March~
Springtime is the land awakening.



~April~
Hello everyone!


~May~
The merriest month of the year arrives bringing with it sunshine, birdsong, apple blossoms, budding lilacs, and longer days to enjoy life as spring's promise is finally fulfilled.


~June~
"I Remember Laura"~My Special Quilts


~July~
Hot July brings cooling showers,
Apricots and gillyflowers.


~August~
We've had a very busy three days.



~September~
Happy September!


~October~
Listen! the wind is rising,
and the air is wild with leaves,
We have had our summer evenings,
now for October eves!


~November~
Now the autumn days are gone
Frost is sparkling on the lawn,
Windows winking cheerful lights
Warm the cold November nights.


~December~
Happy December!


If you would like to participate feel free to add your blog to Mr. Linky! Link back here, so others can join in the fun, too. I'll leave Mr. Linky up through the week. Don't forget to come back for Show and Tell Friday!

Happy Boxing Day!

Good afternoon! We had a wonderful Christmas with our family and now we are enjoying one of my favorite days of the year...Boxing Day. New toys, games, movies and leftovers! Speaking of leftovers, I cooked some really nice top sirloin steaks for Christmas dinner and they were so tough we could barely chew them. Luckily, Phillip's mom brought a ham! I cooked the steaks to 165-170F which was probably my first mistake.

Anyways, if you have any ideas on what I can do to make them edible, please share your "tough meat" leftover recipes! I'll be back soon with Christmas pictures.

Merry Christmas!

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.



So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.



While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.



And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."



Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."



When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.



When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. Luke 2:1-20

~Merry Christmas from my family to yours!~

Christmas Baking

Good morning! We have baked our cookies and treats and many are on their way to family right now. The rest are in our freezer for later this week.


~Gingersnaps~


~Whipped Shortbread~

We also tried several new recipes this year and all were a big hit...


~Peanut Butter Chocolate Truffles~


More peanut butter truffles rolled in red sprinkles. The girls and I renamed them Sugar Plum Tuffles!


~Chocolate Snowballs~


~Brown Sugar Almonds~ They are so good!

There are links for the gingersnap and shortbread recipes. Scroll down on my main blog page for the other recipes. Are you busy with last minute Christmas preparations? I'm off to wrap presents!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Truffles

Peanut Butter Chocolate Truffles 

3/4 cup butter 

1 cup peanut butter chips 

1/2 cup cocoa 

14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk 

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cocoa, mini chocolate chips or sprinkles for rolling 

1. Combine butter, peanut butter chips cocoa and sweetened condensed milk in saucepan over low heat. 

2. Stir constantly until thick and glossy, about 10 minutes. Stir in vanilla. 

3. Chill for several hours or until cool enough to handle. 

4. Shape into 1 inch balls and roll in cocoa, mini chocolate chips or sprinkles. Store in refrigerator.

Chocolate Snowballs

Chocolate Snowballs 

2 cups sugar 

1/2 cup milk 

3/4 cup butter 

7 tablespoons cocoa 

3 cups quick oats 

1 cup finely chopped pecans 

1 teaspoon vanilla 

Powdered sugar for rolling 

1. Combine sugar, milk, butter and cocoa in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. 

2. Remove from heat and stir in oats, pecans and vanilla. Cool to room temperature. 

3. Shape into one-inch balls and roll in powdered sugar. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container.

Brown Sugar Almonds

Brown Sugar Almonds 

3 cups whole almonds or pecan halves 

1/2 cup butter 

3/4 cup brown sugar 

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1. Arrange nuts in a foil lined 9"x13" pan. 

2. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; add brown sugar, vanilla and salt. 

3. Stir for one minute, then remove from heat. 

4. Pour over almonds, stirring to coat. 

5. Bake at 325F for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. 

6. Remove from oven and spread on wax paper to cool. Store in airtight container. 

Christmas Ornaments ~ Show and Tell Friday!

Welcome to “Show and Tell Friday!” Do you have something special to share with us? It could be a trinket from grade school, a piece of jewelry, or a treasured collection. Look around your home for something to share; dig through those boxes in your closet if you have to! Share photos and the story that goes with your special item.


Today, I am going to share some of my favorite Christmas ornaments. I love birds, and have several on our tree, including this robin.


The girls and Benjamin each have "First Christmas" ornaments.






My email friend, Cathy sent me this beautiful homemade Victorian ornament.


And my friend, Lady Farmer made me these sweet acorns and oak leaves. They even have real acorn caps!


Lastly, since we are all on the computer right now, how about a "mouse surfing on a mouse" ornament! :0) Thank you for taking a look at my show and tell!

Please read the Show and Tell Guidelines for step-by-step instructions on how to participate.

If you would like to join in, please leave your *permalink* below, along with your first name only (this makes the list easier to read). If your link has been removed from Mr. Linky, please re-read over the guidelines before re-posting. Have fun!

Show and Tell Friday will take a break next week for Christmas. Join in the fun again, on January 2!

Gingerbread Cookies

For Family Night this week, we made a big batch of gingerbread cookies.




I gave everyone lots of dough.






Then, let them loose with icing, sprinkles and chocolate chips!





Gingerbread Cookies

1 cup sugar
3 teaspoons ginger
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup melted butter
½ cup evaporated milk
1 cup molasses
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups all purpose flour

1. Combine the sugar, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda and salt.
2. Add the melted butter, evaporated milk, molasses and vanilla. Mix well.
3. Stir in 1 cup of flour at a time. The dough should be stiff enough to handle without sticking to fingers. Add up to ½ cup additional flour if necessary.
4. When the dough is smooth, roll out ¼ inch think on a floured surface and cut it into cookies.
5. Bake on greased cookie sheets in a preheated 375 F oven for 10 to 12 minutes (ours took around 7 minutes).


Let me know if you make some too!

Paper Crafting Thursday

Paper Crafting Thursday is taking a break until January 8th, but I wanted to announce the winners from last week. Congratulations to Scrapdolly and Tami! Please email me your addresses and I'll get your prizes in the mail.

Christmas Tea Time

Thank you so much for stopping by on the Christmas Home Tour and your sweet comments! I enjoyed seeing everyone's decorations, too.


My friend Revee and her two girls are coming over for a visit today, and I have my Christmas tea tray ready.










We are having gingerbread cookies for dessert.


I made extra special ones for her girls to take home.


Have you tried any of the Celestial Seasonings holiday teas? We love Gingerbread Spice and Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride the best. Cookie recipe coming soon!