CHRISTMAS 2012

Well it's official, Christmastime has come and gone for this year.  It seems like it was just Halloween but now here we sit on the edge of a new year and on the brink of another year of wonderful possibilities and memories to make. I am excited for what 2013 will bring for our family! (Hopefully the addition of another little miracle to our family, or at least the announcement of one. Let's keep our fingers crossed!) However we have several accomplishments to make before another lil one can be added to the family.  These include potty training and the movement to a "big boy" bed for Colton in the near future. Two things that are sure to prove stressful and time consuming. :)

Christmas for our family was wonderful this year, but very busy at times.  With the constant flow of family members in and out of town and lots of "last minute" things to get done, it's no wonder that the holiday flew by before I really had a chance to sit down and enjoy it!  I didn't even get my Christmas cards mailed out this year or family Christmas pictures taken. At times I felt like I failed this holiday season, but once I saw how excited and happy my son was on Christmas morning I realized that those other things don't matter, all that matters is that everyone is together, healthy, and happy!

Here is a few photos of the last few days:

Cubby's last night here this year. He had a

movie night with the Grinch and Max.

 

Santa Came!!

 

Santa's letter to Colton!

 

I love Christmastime and spending time with our families.  Even with the craziness of shopping, cleaning, baking, and visiting, there is nothing that I cherish more. I hope everyone out there had a wonderful holiday with their friends and family! :)







 

 



CHRISTMAS MOVIE NIGHT

Holidays are such a wonderful time, but with all the excitement and fun comes a lot of stress.  However, I made a vow to not let all the stress of cleaning, preparing, shopping, and family visits keep my family from enjoying the holidays! So every night after dinner, my son and I (and my husband when he's off) cuddle up under a warm blanket and watch holiday movies!



 

I really enjoy sharing the movies that I loved as a kid with Colton. Many of them are classics and much better than the ones that are made today. Here's some of my family's favorite movies to watch at Christmastime.

 

 









Yogi's All-Star
Christmas Caper

Mickey's Once Upon A
Christmas

Mickey's Twice Upon
A Christmas

                               



A Flintstones
Christmas Carol

Frosty The Snowman



A Charlie Brown Christmas





Winnie The Pooh
and Christmas Too

Caillou's Holiday Movie

A Flintstone Family Christmas (not shown)
and The Flintstone's Christmas in
Bedrock



The Polar Express

How the Flintstones
Saved Christmas

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Yogi's First Christmas

Shrek the Halls

Santa Clause Is Comin' To Town

Disney's A Christmas Carol

How the Grinch Stole
Christmas (Jim Carrey)

The Santa Clause 1, 2, and 3



A Family Circus Christmas

Jack Frost

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Mickey's Christmas Carol

The Year Without a
Santa Claus

 





Home Alone

Home Alone 2: Lost in
New York

Elf

Deck The Halls

SNL: Christmas

Four Christmases



A Christmas Story

Truman Capote's:
A Christmas Memory (Original)

Christmas Vacation










Holiday Inn



White Christmas

It's A Wonderful Life



A Christmas Carol

It Came Upon A
Midnight Clear



Miracle on 34th Street









I know there are many, many more wonderful holiday movies that didn't make my list. (These are just our favorites!) I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday filled with love, family, and friends!

SIMPLY SENSATIONAL TRUFFLES

Baking at Christmastime doesn't have to be confined to cookies, nothing adds variety to a cookie tray like delicious pieces of homemade candy. One type of candy that I love to add to my trays are chocolate truffles. These incredibly simple yet absolutely delicious treats are sure to please everyone! And with only two ingredients, even the most inexperienced baker can whip these up in no time!

 

 

WHAT YOU NEED:

*20 oz.  semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided

*1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

*colored sugar, colored sprinkles for decorating (optional)

 

WHAT YOU DO:

Melt 8 ounces of chocolate. Beat in cream cheese with mixer until creamy.  Blend in melted chocolate. Place in bowl and chill in refrigerator until firm. Once firm, using a cookie scoop, place balls of dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Return to refrigerator and chill until chocolate balls are firm.  Melt remaining chocolate. Using a spoon dip each chocolate ball into melted chocolate and return to cookie sheet.  Place in refrigerator and chill until outer chocolate is hardened.  Once the outer chocolate is hardened, place truffles into mini cupcake liners.  Store in refrigerator.



CUBBY HAS BEEN BUSY

The arrival of Colton's Elf on a Shelf has been a blessing this year. With temper tantrums a frequent occurrence, the reminder that Santa's helper is watching him seems to help. It's working so well that I'm considering having him stay year round.  Colton loves finding Cubby in the morning and seeing what he's been up to!

Cubby "Tebowing"...

 

 

Yesterday, Colton found Cubby trying to

steal Christmas cookies.

 

 

Cubby went on a date with Mrs. Potato Head.

Apparently she was talking too much, so he took

her mouth piece off!

 

 

 

TO BE CONTINUED...

 

 



CHRISTMAS KOLACHE COOKIES

Every year, I bake several different kinds of Christmas cookies and treats for my family as well as for friends and neighbors. While I always try to make a few new recipes each year, there are some true favorites (most of them family recipes) that I bake every year.  One of these family recipes is my grandmother's recipe for Kolache. These little jelly filled cookies are a hit with everyone!

 

WHAT YOU NEED:

*6 cups flour

*1 tsp. salt

*1 tsp. sugar

*1 pkg. dry yeast

*1 lb. butter

*3 eggs

*3/4 cup milk

*fruit preserves of your choice (I use raspberry, strawberry, and apricot)

*powdered sugar for dusting

 

WHAT YOU DO:

 

Pre-heat oven to 375*. Sift together flour, salt, and sugar. Sprinkle yeast over mixture. Cut in butter until its like cornmeal. Add 3 eggs and 3/4 cup of milk. Mix well. Divide into 3 balls and chill.

Roll out dough on sugared (not floured) board. Roll until dough is thin. Cut into squares. Fill with desired filling. Pinch closed.



Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Sprinkle with powdered sugar when cooled.

 

 

Makes about 11 dozen cookies.