Baking for Christmas...

I realize I just did a post about baking a few weeks ago. But, that was for Thanksgiving... so, I thought I'd share my Christmas baking list and see if anyone else has such a list that they might like to share?

** White Chocolate- Raspberry Bars
** Oreo Truffles
** Ultimate Sugar cookies (of course!)
** Splenda Gingerbread Cookies
** Cranberry - White chocolate & Macadamia Nut cookies
** Norwegian Forest Cookies

Also, a few websites that have really great {and simple} Christmas cookie recipes. Tis the season!

www.Pillsbury.com YUM...lots of great ideas and a lot of them are for already made (store bought) dough. If you are short on time...this might be a GREAT site for you!

www.kraftfoods.com Another site with quick and easy recipes! I get this one's daily recipe, which I've never done YET, but they all look amazing!

www.wholefoodsmarket.com More of a health nut? Or, just trying to incorporate a more healthful approach to cooking? This site may be helpful to you!

Have any to share? I'm always looking and always interested! Have a wonderful Christmas season and a happy time of baking!

Christmas Time is here

{gulp}
Can you even believe that it's Christmas time, again? This means a few things to me...
1) I have def got to finish painting and getting this house set up
2) My baby girl will be 1 very soon!
3) We head to FL in 3 weeks for a non-white Christmas

Today, Brad and I are working around the house - getting things cleaned up, rakes stored after the rest of the leaves are bagged (**yes, we STILL have leaves). I hope to get out my sewing machine to work on a mini-apron for Ava. She loves being in the kitchen with me and I thought it would be a cute idea to make her one. And of course there are the daily tasks: load the dishwasher, take the laundry to the basement, vaccum the living room, scrub the tub, sweep the kitchen floor... just another day in paradise! ;)

I still need to order some Christmas cards. However, the more I think about it... I really DO love writing our cards and just sticking a family pic inside. So, I may once again go the untraditional route and hand write our cards. I think I'm one of the only ones left who do this... oh well.
And, once all the house work is done at the end of this day - the Christmas music will be turned on and the boxes of decor rescued from the basement. {ahhhhh} I do so love this time of year. :)

Looking back a year

Lastnight on the way home from a quick mall outing - Brad and I were chatting about what our life was like just last year at this time. I was VERY pregnant, we were very tight financially, Brad was battling with his job and wondering just exactly what God had waiting for us...because it couldn't have been that for much longer.

And although things were so rough - we still had so many reasons to be thankful. We were surrounded by good, godly friends that loved us. This picture was at our Thanksgiving dinner last year - with the Jackson/Crocker families :) I think there were like 30 of us so we met at the church. So much good food and fellowship!

I'm amazed at how the Lord's timing is always perfect. Our Ava came 3 weeks later...

Today, the day before Thankgiving, my heart is so tender to the fact of how blessed we are. We have family, we have a home, we have a job, we have an adorable daughter, etc. This past year has been quite the chapter in Pausley Land Adventures thats for sure. We are eager to see what this year holds!

Things loved, things hated

Do you ever have one of those weekends where things just don't go quite as planned? If you have kids I'll answer that one for you... yes. Well, I just had such a weekend. My parents came in for a weekend visit and I was SO excited! We had a great visit with them - and went out to eat @ Bostons pizza, one of Brad's fave places. Overall great weekend! {I miss them already}... so, whats a gal to complain about?! Well, on Thursday night prior to my parents arriving the NEXT day Ava started to get a head cold. It's only her 2nd of the year - so I shouldn't be upset about that... however, she just started heading downhill and FAST. My poor little monkey. She was such a trooper all weekend and just loved being with "Grammy and Grampy" - but she felt miserable, thus saith the runny nose, goopy eye and wheezing chest. (dread, dread, dread) I gave her all weekend to recover, because she usually does, but not this time. So off we go this morning to see the Dr. 1 hour later we left the office carrying a nebulizer (sp?) and perscription for eye drops.

So, while I LOVED the visit with my parents. I was super disappointed that my little doll was a sicky and just didn't have as much fun as she could have. Now to learn how to do this nebulizer for an 11 month old... grrr.

On a lighter {much lighter} note - My Gold Canyon Candle order came in! I have been waiting to fill my home with the smells of Pumpkin Pie and Mulled Harvest. Now I SO am :) On top of that my mom brought me a house warming gift of what else but a candle! A Yankee seasonal candle, at that... my fave! Those are def things LOVED. How can you not love these things?!

MIL

http://www2.highlandstoday.com/content/2009/nov/20/la-not-all-stores-offer-it/

We are so proud of our dear Mother Linda :) Boutique worker, extraordinarre! (sp?)

Very rarely does one have a mother in law in the newspaper! So today I am beaming with pride for the Pausley family!

P.S. They are coming to stay with us THIS week!!! :)

Breaking my own rules...

So...
if your volume is on you've probably already heard what I mean.
What IS this? Christmas music in November? BEFORE THANKSGIVING!?

Yea, I'm breaking rules. My parents are on their way from Ohio to HERE and I'm just really excited and feeling all festive.

So, enjoy my little playlist that I actually took some time and thought in putting together. And, enjoy your Friday :)

Things I'm baking today

Well, all of the sudden we have company coming. LOTS of company. My parents are coming this weekend and now we have more family coming next week, for the whole week. I had been planning on using next week to get all of my Thanksgiving treats baked, but looks like that has been moved up to today. :) Thought I'd share, in case you are looking for some Thanksgiving-ish treats, yourself.

Apple & Oat Bars

3/4 c. flour

1/2 t. salt

1 t. cinnamon

1/4 c. solid shortening

1 egg

1 small apple (peel/core/chop)

3/4 c. quick oats

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 stick unsalted butter @ room temp

1 c. brown sugar

1 t. vanilla

1/2 c. shredded sweet coconut, chopped.

1) Heat oven to 375. Coat a 9x9 pan with cooking spray.

2) Mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a bowl.

3) Beat butter, shortening and sugar in large bowl until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Stir in flour mix, apple, oats and coconut. Spread in pan.

4) Bake for 35-30 minutes. Cool on rack, then sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut into bars.

Oatmeal Ginger Chewies

2 c. old fashioned oats

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. baking soda

1/4 t. allspice

1/4 c. shortening

1 egg

3/4 c. sweet, dried cranberries

2 c. flour

1 T. ginger

1/2 t. salt

1 stick unsalted butter

1 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. molasses

1 t. vanilla

Glaze:

1 1/4 c. powdered sugar

2 T. + 1 t. water

1) Heat oven to 350.

2) Mix oats, flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and allspice in a bowl.

3) In another (mixing) bowl on medium high speed beat butter and shortening until creamy. Beat in brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg and molasses, then beat in vanilla.

4) On low speed beat in the oat mix. Fold in cranberries. Drop by 1/4 c-fulls, 2 in. apart on ungreased pan. Press in to make them into circles (about 2 1/2 in). Bake 1-16 minutes or until cracked.

5) Stir ingredients together to make glaze. Brush atop each cookie.

Cranberry-Nut Crunch Cookies

1 lb. almond bark

1 c. crunchy peanut butter

1 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. nutmeg

1 c. dried cranberries

1 1/2 c. mini marshmallows

1/2 c. chopped nuts

1/2 c. shredded coconut

3 c. rice krispies

1) Place bark in medium bowl - heat for 1 min in microwave. Then stir and scrape bowl. Heat another 30 seconds; stir and scrape. Continue at 10 second intervals until melted.

2) Mix in cranberries, peanut butter, marshmallows, nuts, coconut and spices. Slowly add cereal 1 c. at a time until coated.

3) Dollop mounds of the mix onto wax paper covered cookie sheets. Place in fridge 20 minutes. Serve.

No, I didn't say these were all healthy :)

And, fyi...this is my first time making all 3 of these recipes. But, I've had them set out for weeks and I'm very excited to try them all. Especially the "no bake" at the end - sounds like it might be a "Sugar shock", but, still delicious!