Lights, Camera, Cookies

Lights, camera, cookies.... now everyone has everything they need to get the house and yard decorated for Christmas. We also need some hot cocoa... Yesterday the kids and I tried to get the HUGE tree in the yard decorated.. that did not go so well....Dave and I are going to work on some different ideas this weekend without so much help... we did get all of the Christmas stuff out of storage and the sheds and the attic... also bought a bunch more... have a list of things we still want/need but we have started with what we have.

recipe for these sugar cookies.. they will melt in your mouth.
cream together
1 cup soft butter
1/2 cup powedered sugar
1/2 cup regular sugar
mix in
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cream of tarter
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 1/4 cup flour

sometimes I will add a bit of almond flavor with the vanilla

mix it all together and roll into small balls...flatten on the cookie sheet with the bottom of a drinking glass that has been dipped in sugar... bake in 350 degree oven for about 6 minutes.. it really depends on your oven.. you want to get them out right before the edges start to brown.


We did get our Christmas village all set up...
sad that we were not able to get one of the home depot houses to put in it.. they sold out super quick... who would have thought.. lol guess we are not the only rednecks spending too much time and money there.





We also got the tree up and pretty much done.. I think I want to string some pop corn (anyone with hints on the best way to do that please leave a comment) and put it on there... I did add some beautiful red ribbon... but so far I have not gotten it "just right" so it may end up coming back off. We have so many boxes in the living room that it is hard to tell how things really look... will have to wait until we get some more done and get the boxes out of the way.

Awesome

I always wonder if anyone really reads my blog.. I know I have some great friends who read it and family peeks at it.. sometimes there are comments and sometimes there are none... I keep getting new followers...*waves hi to each of them* thank you for the follow. Today I was on twitter and noticed that a friend tweeted about her blog post... which has something about one of my blog posts in it. It is totally awesome to find links to my blog on other peoples blogs...Thank you thank you Thank you!!! Now please go take a look at her blog which you can find right Here!

Weekend Plans

Well there are not a lot of them... I plan on spending some time working on a couple of orders that came in for some wine charms... going to get those in the mail on Monday... I also have some bookmarks that need to go out on Monday. We do want to go visit my in laws on Saturday for a bit.. see how they are doing and just visit. I know there area few things we want to get done around the house... want to put up the moose lights and the new kitchen blind and get the computer all set up in the entertainment center. I think that is about it. We do have two of the kids home this weekend so there will be some game playing, pizza eating and movie watching... one just called from the school and they lost power..... so everyone is hoping we lose it here tonight too... it is pretty windy so one never knows.....would be sort of fun... we love sitting around and playing games in the candle light.

I am now on google wave and I do hope to explore that some more this weekend too... I am thinking I am going to like it a lot... would love to have some contacts on there to explore it with. My email for it is glass_identities@yahoo.com I am not sure if I get a link to it or not... lol that would be one of the reasons I need to spend some time exploring it.

** update 11-14-09 all weekend plans have changed due to the fact that I am sick :( orders are ready to ship and that will be it for the weekend **

Caramel Corn

Make a bunch of popcorn.. air popped.. microwave wont work for this. I do three Big bowls.. it will all depend on how coated you want your popcorn.

Bring to a soft boil. (6 minutes)

2 sticks of butter... I use salted so I do not add salt later
1/2 cup of light corn syrup
2 cups brown sugar

after soft boil stage is reached
mix in 1 tsp of baking soda (will get fluffy. Kids used to think I was tricky)

Pour it over the popcorn and mix.( I like to mix small batches at a time ) Be sure to mix it a lot..get all of it coated.... if you want to add peanuts or walnuts or any nuts.. or pretzels or anything else.. I have found that adding it while mixing is the best time. (did learn that adding chocolate chunks needs to wait until after the oven stage... otherwise there are no chunks left) Spread it out on a cookie sheet and bake for an hour in a 200 degree oven.. mixing a couple of times.

I love this recipe.. it is so easy and quick (minus the hour baking time) and clean up is easy.... and everyone loves it!!

Mom Revenge

Today was my daughters one month check up since she had mono... she has been feeling pretty good.. still gets a little tired if she does too much but other than that I thought she was doing good. Turns out her tummy (spleen) is still a bit tender and swollen.. so doctor ordered blood work and ultra sound. Appointment is tomorrow early in the morning.. had hoped to do it today while we were out but she had already eaten and that is a no no. Turns out daughter has not been as up front with me as I would have liked.. and that her spleen has been hurting sometimes when she does too much... When she got abit upset that the doctor kept poking her in the places that she said hurt... as all doctors do... that the reason was because she had not been honest with me... she nodded and said with a sigh... ohhh mom revenge.


**update 11-10-09**

Today we went in and Missy got her ultra sound on her tummy.. they do the whole area.. all of her "guts" it was cool watching but it was a little painful for to have them pushing on her when she was sore and she hated the goo they squirt on there... now tonight she is really hurting.. I am hoping it is because they poked and pushed on it today and the doctor did yesterday... we are watching her close.. no fever and the area is not hot... I may end up taking her into the er to get it checked.. but then that means they will be poking on it some more and if it is only tender due to the poking then we will end up with it even more sore... the mommy in me is not very happy with doctors right now.. poking on what they know already hurts.. I understand it but it is not fair.