• Christmas Movie: “We’re No Angels” (1955)

    Jake and I decided to watch a Christmas movie as we were wrapping gifts.  Last year we watched We’re No Angels (1955) for the first time and now it is a family favorite to watch every year. During the Christmas Holidays three escaped convicts with the intention of stealing from a local store on Devil’s Island end up enjoying the shopkeeper’s family too much that they use their talents to help the family and their struggling store.  The story has some funny twists and turns in the plot as the escape convicts played by Humphrey Bogart, Aldo Ray, and Peter Ustinov have a change of heart once getting to know the family.

    Side note:  It may be best to rent this movie from them library or video store or buy it used since it is now out of print. To buy it new at this time is fairly expensive for an older movie. 

  • Song: “I Need a Silent Night” by Amy Grant

    After a busy week of celebrations this song came to my mind.  Sometimes we get so “wrapped” up in all the activities we don’t take the extra time to truly enjoy the reason for the Christmas season.  In the chaos of the season’s activities take a some time to spend in quiet reflection.

  • Creative Kids: Building a Gingerbread House

    Baths are taken, pj’s on, and the Gingerbread house is built! 

    Fun times over the Christmas Season with the family.

    Brina and Karlie love doing fun crafts and activities during the Holiday Season.  When we have the opportunity (get a coupon or kit on sale) we’ll build a gingerbread house together as a family.  The girls are getting old enough to do the majority of the work.  We help get the base set up and they do the decorating.

    If you do not want to use a gingerbread house kit or cannot find one on sale you can make individual mini Gingerbread houses by using graham crackers, white frosting and candies.  The girls enjoy doing both.  You can make the season enjoyable for the kids no matter what your circumstances or budget is this year.

  • Candy Cane Smile Pancakes!

    Now that our Christmas festivities are done with family and friends I am trying to come up ways to use some of the extra goodies.  Somehow throughout the various Holiday celebrations we accumulated a stack of candy canes and as we begin the first quarter of 2011 we are having fun finding ways to use up the remaining ones.  Instead of sprinkles on the girls pancakes we decided to have candy cane smiles.  They loved having minty pancakes for breakfast and the smiles added extra cheer for everyone, smiles really do spread cheer!  Do you have a creative recipe or way of finishing up the last few candy canes around your house?

  • My Parents Are Coming!

    Mom & Dad's picture from our 2010 Cruise adventure together!

    I am very excited to have my parents come out for the Holidays this year.  The majority of my family lives in the Midwest (Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, and Missouri areas).  We were not able to make it out there this year for the Christmas season so they are coming to see us along with my youngest brother Josh.  The girls are very excited to see Grandpa Russell, Grandma Penny and Uncle Josh. We will be celebrating Christmas and enjoying family time during their few days in South Carolina.  Thankful to have parents who love us and enjoy spending time with our family.

    Somehow I managed to wait until the last moment to finish cleaning and organizing for visitors.  I have some major projects completed but they are flying into Atlanta today and will be arriving early afternoon yet I still have cleaning to do….hm….  I will still be posting on the blog but they may a little shorter during the time that our family is staying at our house.  If anyone is bored today you can help me power clean! =)  Hope you have enjoyed time with your family as well over the Holiday season!

  • Crafts: Painting Christmas Ornaments

    Karlie and Brina's hand painted ornaments!

    We went to early service one Sunday with the family.  Love getting up early going to church and coming home to a relaxing time with our family.  On the way home we stopped by to get a newspaper at Walgreens.  As a super special treat Jake went to Dunkin Donuts, the girls were so excited to get donuts.  They picked out some yummy sprinkle ones and we headed home.  We had a relaxing time sitting around the table eating donuts, talking and laughing.

    After finishing up the donuts the girls wanted to do a craft.  We pulled out some ceramic ornaments, striped the girls down to their underwear and let them paint.  They had a BLAST!  We had to give them a bath after painting but it was well worth a bath in the middle of the day.  Jake watched the girls and started the crockpot for our potluck at church that night while I took a quick nap.  Sundays are a wonderful day with the family.  Not every Sunday is as peaceful and relaxing, however, we treasure the ones that are that way.  It is fun creating memories.  Hopefully they will look back at the ornaments and remember the sweet time we had together.

    Brina painting her tree!

    Karlie being silly!
    Brina checking out her ornaments....
    Karlie painting....
    Karlie's decorated ornaments!
    Brina's decorated ornaments!

  • Merry Christmas!

    Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!  I am looking forward to a wonderful day with my sweet family.  Jake doesn’t have to work today and the girls are excited about celebrating the Holiday.  Each Christmas is slightly different since we occasionally travel during Holiday season.  This year we will be having a relaxing breakfast with the family, open the stockings, then read the Christmas story and take our time enjoying the day together.  It is important to us to discuss with the girls why we celebrate Christmas so they can have a greater appreciation for this special day.  May today be full of great memories, laughter, and precious time with your family.

    Merry Christmas!

  • Recipe: Berry Shortbread Dreams

    I made these after our Christmas Baking Day for another event.  They are a super delicious treat for those looking for a fruity shortbread cookie to share this Holiday season.  I got this recipe originally from 2002 Taste of Home Annual Recipes and have done it several times with different flavors of jams, all of the ones I have tried have been awesome.  Chose a flavor that you enjoy for this recipe, we picked raspberry because it is one of our favorites.

    Berry Shortbread Dreams

    • 1 cup Butter, softened
    • 2/3 cup Sugar
    • 1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract
    • 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
    • 1/3 to 1/2 cup Seedless Raspberry Jam

    1.  In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.  Beat in extract; gradually add flour until dough forms a ball.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.

    2.  Preheat oven to 350° F.

    3.  Roll into 1 inch balls.  Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.  Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make an indentation in the center.  Fill the center with jam.

    4.  Bake for 14 to 18 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Remove and cool on wire racks.  Spoon additional jam into the cookies if you want.

    GLAZE

    • 1 cup Confectioner’s Sugar
    • 2 to 3 teaspoons of Water
    • 1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract

    Mix ingredients and drizzle over cookies slightly cooled cookies.  This recipe makes about 40 cookies.

    Photo by Taste of Home