A few of my favorite things

All of Zanders mans A huge remote control truck

Build a Bear Leopard

Dancing to he new mp3 player

There is so many more but these are the ones they really liked. I will do a couple more like Zanders guns he got. And maybe some of Annlyse's outfits she got.

You can be my Superman

The cape came out good and he didn't take it off all day!

Family and presents and food oh my!

The table Stuffing, ready to go ito the oven

Rolls, Cookies, hot chocolate stuff and icings to decorate the cookies

Appitizers and red cake

St. Lucia Day bread ( that was for school )

wow what a busy week! I wanted to do a cute email on Christmas but that didn't happen. We did have a nice Christmas though, the kids got lots of cool stuff and enjoyed playing with the cousins. We also had a really nice meal, the turkey I brined came out so tasty! I also have to post my pin Christmas present I got! Thanks Carlo it was perfect! So much to do!

Checking my list

Cheese ball, Check!
Everything today was made in this my second favorite tool, the Kitchen Aid is the first.

Peppermint Cool whip, Check! Just have to mix these together. Put back in container and freeze. (its ground up candy canes, sorry!)

Cranberry sauce,Check! cooked them until they popped and the blended them in the food processor.

Pie dough, Check!

Everything put in the freezer till next week. Check!

Crafting With My Girl

Annalyse and I finally got around to making these cute little candy ornaments. They came from the Martha Stewart kids Magazine a year or two ago. It is just Peppermint Candy's and red hots glued together. We also made a gingerbread man wreath but when we put the red hots on has buttons they melted into them (it wasn't gingerbread it was the cinnamon dough that hardens). So I had to throw it out. Maybe we will try again.

I am going to be prepping a bunch of things for Christmas dinner this week and putting into the freezer, like cookie dough, pie dough, cranberry sauce, cheese ball, and my be the rolls un-baked. If you want me to blog any of the recipes let me know.

We finally got pretty much all of our shopping done this weekend, it was a lot of fun shopping with the hubby who never goes shopping. I think he was really into it because Z is old enough to know whats going on, so he went a little overboard with the boy toys, I think he is excited to have his boys and do all the crazy things him and his 3 brothers did!

I think I will do some sewing today, Nursery yesterday did me in!

P.S. Please dont look at the mess in the background, or all of the handprints on the back door!

Gingerbread Cookies

4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg(or grated fresh
1/2 cup butter-room temp.
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 eggs

Combine the dry ingredients. Beat butter, shortening and sugar together until combined. Add molasses and eggs, mix just until combined. Slowly add dry ingredients 1/2 cup at a time.
Chill for two hours if you want to roll it out and cut shapes.
Or just scoop and roll in sugar. Bake 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until edges start to look dry.

Note: You can also add some chocolate chips to the batter.

Weather Out Side

(Sung to Let it Snow)

Oh the weather out side is yucky

its drizzling and sticky and mucky.

There's simply nothing better to do, then

let it sew let it sew it it sew!

This is what Zander did while I sewed away.
I made Annalyse two skirts, this one came out real cute, and in my favorite colors at the moment. I know it needs ironed.

This one is from some purple paisley I have had since I was 12.

I sewed yes sewed these little scratch books for the kids, they are so into drawing and writing, thought I could put them in there stocking. Sewing on paper is fun!

I would have kept going but I ran out of ideas of things to make, I am waiting for a little boy to go to sleep early so I can make his Superman cape!

Nothing much

I don't have much to blog about but I wanted to do a post. OH I forgot to take a picture of the candy cane cake that I made for Justin to take to work, dang it! I bet its all eaten now! I have the pan so I guess I will have to make another one, I also made some banana bread which is almost gone, I'll try to go snap a picture of it.
I haven't done much of anything this past week, including cleaning the house which is seriously getting on my nerves, it is just so cluttered I just want to get a big bag and throw everything away! I might just have someone come in and deep clean this mess!
I'm going to save up my outings this week so I can go out with Justin and finally get some Christmas shopping done, we are not going to get a ton of stuff for the kids, for 1 they don't need a whole bunch and 2 I am a little worried about all of the lead reports coming out, so A is going to get some clothes and girly things and Z will get a couple toys that hopefully didn't make or will make the list(I love homemade and wood toys so maybe I will stick to that!).
Anybody have any fun and exciting things going on for Christmas?
We are staying here and I am making a big meal and I think the family is coming over for it to, I cant wait! I didn't make Thanksgiving dinner so I have this urge to still make the big meal, I need to go big shopping in the big city this week! I might just have two outings this week! I just love to go grocery shopping! I hope they still have some good turkeys left, I like the organic or free range ones they are so much more juicy then the others. I am also going to brine it this year something I have never done but heard it comes out really good.
Well I have to wrap up my rantings about nothing, I have a hair apt. I am so excited! I haven't had it done in like 4 mo.! Hey about the same time I found out I was pregnant! Go figure!

Another Apron

This one is for the Pink Christmas Swap that I am a part of. I know its not pink but it doesn't have to be, the whole thing about Pink Christmas is that it is homemade.

I am going to have to make my self one! I just don't like any of the fabric at Wal-Mart and I haven't made it to the big town to get some cool stuff. And I better hurry cause pretty soon its not going to fit around my waist!

Candy Canes and Guns

Funny story about candy canes, I usually buy some to put on the tree and Zander picked out some Starburst ones. I thought they would be good, I'm not a big fan of real sweet sweets but they were for the kids. One morning I find Zander eating one while watching his morning cartoons, I took what was left away and let him finish what he had in his mouth. That evening I was changing his diaper and kind of freaked out at what I saw, his butt was blue! I was thinking of all the stuff it could be! And then I realized it was the blue candy cane he had eaten! They must put a ton of coloring in those things! Justin also had changed him earlier in the day and thought there was something wrong with him until I had told him that night. So we threw out all the candy canes! Sorry kids!

I snapped a picture after he was done eating his morning sugar dose. His mouth stayed blue pretty much all day. That should teach me to buy candy for my kids, I hate candy in the house, I don't even eat it! SO an Elf came and took all of the Halloween candy!

On to guns, Z has a obsession with guns right now. He will turn anything into a gun, I especial like it when he sees the #7 and says its a pew pew(you have to make the sound and that's how he says it!). If he cant find anything to use as a gun his fingers become pistols. He is getting quite good at making shooting sounds, Justin and I were just commenting on that on the way home from church yesterday. We were also wondering if was something to be proud of? He is perfecting using his voice right? And therefor wont have any speech problems right? I guess its another boy thing. He just gets so into it makes me laugh! I think Santa is bringing him a plastic riffle, we might just have our own little Christmas Story(you'll shoot your eye out!) ( Not really cause its a fake gun!) Boys! Aren't they fun! No more Disney Princess stuff were on to Superheros, guns and wrestling! And with another on the way its only going to get worse, and it doesn't help that dad is right there with them watching superman cartoons! (still love ya honey!)

Annalyse and are going to have to stick together and be way girly!

Bump

This is for you Jen! A picture of my belly! It doesn't look as big as I feel! 15 weeks and a ton more to go.

Bread Recipe

Hoped you all liked looking at the bread as much as I liked eating it! J/K I will give you the recipe so you can make it for your self.

Milk Bread
from Joy of Cooking

Combine in a large bowl of a heavy-duty mixer and let stand until yeast is dissolved, about 5 minutes;
3 tablespoons warm water
1 package yeast(21/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
Add:
1 cup warm milk(105-115 degrees)milk
5 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon salt
Mix by hand or on low speed for one minute. Gradually stir in:
2 cups all-purpose or bread flour
Gradually add until the dough is moist but not sticky:
1 to 2 cups all-purpose or bread flour
Kneed for about 10 minutes by hand or with the dough hook on low to medium speed until the dough is smooth and elastic. transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and turn once to coat with oil. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a clean cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
This is where you decide what you want to do with the dough, you could roll them up into rolls, cinnamon bread, regular bread, whatever. for rolls I like to divide the dough in two balls, roll them into a 12 inch circle. Use a pizza cutter and cut it into 8-12 triangles(depends how big you like, we like big ones so I do 8) Roll up from the wide side to make crescent shape, place on cookie sheet to let rise until doubled about 40-60 minutes. Bake for about 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
For the cinnamon bread roll the whole thing into an 8x18 inch rectangle brush with 2 tablespoons melted butter, sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon mixture and some raisins that you soak din hot water and then drained. Roll it up the short way and put into a well greased bread pan. Let rise another hour. Brush with a little egg wash(1 egg 1 teaspoon water, whisk it up) and sprinkle a little cinnamon sugar over the top and then bake 40-45 minutes or until the bottom sounds hollow when tapped with a knife.
And to make it even better you could brush it with some melted butter when it come out of the oven.
Bake all of these things at 375 degrees and you will have the best smelling house ever!

Look what I made!

Just a tease! I will post the recipe tomorrow.

Oh yea! Deep, Dark Brownies

This is an awesome recipe I found. The guy was on Martha awhile back. And I have been making them ever since.

Deep, Dark Brownies

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon best-quality cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

3/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder(you can leave out,it just intensifies the chocolate flavor)

5 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 light brown sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup(4 1/2 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips(optional)

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees.

butter an 8-by-8-inch square baking pan. Line with parchment.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour,cocoa powder, and salt; set aside.

3. In a large, heavy- bottom ed sauce pan, combine butter, and espresso. Place over low heat ans stir until butter has melted. Add chocolate, and stir constantly until mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. remove from heat, stir in both sugars until well combined.

4. Add eggs and vanilla and continue stirring until well incorporated and mixture no longer appears grainy. Sift flour mixture over batter, and stir until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips, if using.

5. Pour batter into prepared baking pan; smooth top with the back of a wooden spoon or spatula. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, 23-25 minutes. Be sure not to over bake. Let cool completely on wire rack.

Recipe courtesy of Matt Lewis from Baked

More trip pictures

So cold this morning!

I have one that will pose all the time and the other one had an attitude for for pictures that I had to bribe him with candy, that's his fake smile!

Cute thing! She could swing all day!

My mom teaching Annalyse to crochet.

Justin and the kids n front of the T Rex's.

The kids were in love with all of the leaves.

Well I was at the dr. all day yesterday to find out why I keep spotting. Come to find out the placenta is right next to the cervix, so I have been told to take it easy and try not to do to much, yea right! With two kids and a house to run that's gong to be real hard! And I cant do a lot of running around like shopping! I guess I will be doing a lot of online shopping this year. But I love going to the stores at this time of year! Maybe I will save up and go once or twice. The baby boy who has no name yet is dong good his heart rate is good, moves a lot and is growing.

I think I will go make some bread and watch a movie.

Were Baaaack!

At the Dinosaur Museum

The coolest swing I have ever seen! The whole thing moves as they swing

Tible Fork Canyon

Hanging around at the park

Not the best family picture, we tried to take some nice ones at the temple but it was to darn cold! And man I look a little puffy!

Even in Utah cold and everything Z still was found without clothes on!

Playing around with Uncle Jeremy

We had such a great time in Utah, it was so relaxing and nice to visit everyone. I loved staying at my sisters for the whole week. We went into the mountains which were beautiful, we went to a dinosaur museum that the kids really in joyed and of coarse we had a great thanksgiving dinner.

Oh! And I had to go to the Hospital while there and found out we are having another boy. I really thought it was a girl and was getting excited, I haven't even thought of boy names! But I am happy about it now, I will have two little monsters running around destroying the house together! We have so many pictures I need to figure out how to do a slide show or something.

One downside was that it never snowed while we were there poor Annalyse wanted to see some so bad! They kept saying they were going to get some but never happened. And come to find out it ad snowed here in Texas! Not where we live, more north but still! It snowed here and not there!

When we got home it was cold here and all I can think about is baking things! So hopefully I will have some good stuff to post about this coming week.