Wednesday, December 31, 2008

A New Year Already???

Hi! Just popping in a minute to wish you a very Happy New Year!

I have been a little MIA, mainly because I have been here:





So much fun! More about that later...


For now, I hope 2008 has been fabulous for you. It's had its ups and downs for me. More good than not. I turned 30 and I am looking forward to the decade ahead. There has also been plenty of learning along the way...

I still cannot believe it's coming to an end already! 2008...you'v been good to me! Now, here's to 2009! I will be back then with more to chat about.

Until then, here's to the New Year and all it's possibilities.....

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

The Cookie (Flop) Exchange

For some reason I have lost my baking abilities. Not sure how, or why or where they went to, but they're gone. Maybe it's the pressure of the cookie exchange party. I don't know. I do know that two years in a row now, this is what happens the first batch or two....or three...

Here is example one:



Snickerdoodles gone terribly wrong


And here is example two:



Butter Cookies gone smooshed and *slimy*

You see? At least this year was better than last year. Last year, the first three batches of snickerdoodles were, well, just like the first picture above. I had to completely re-do the whole thing and start over. It. took. forever. I was supposed to show up to the "cookie exchange" by 7pm. That's when it started. I finally arrived there at 7:30, being that I had pulled the last batch out right at 7. Yeah, fun.

This year, the first batch looked like the picture above with the smooshed stars. At least I quickly realized I had forgotten to add the rest of the flour and it was quickly remedied. Although, my son saw them in the oven and said, "mom? they look kinda slimy!". Gee, thanks kiddo. I assured him it was just the butter melting all over the cookie sheet because I forgot the rest of the flour. The *slimy-ness* apparently didn't deter him from eating the smooshed and ultra buttery stars, since I caught him snitching a few "to taste test".

I am not sure why I put myself through this. I'm not even a major cookie person. Why do I go to cookie exchanges? I have no answer, other than that I enjoy the good company. And, there are some seriously good cookies that even I, the not so much on cookies person, does enjoy. And I even get the recipe for it! Although I have yet to make cookies from the recipes, but I sure do have some good ones when the occasion ever arises!


Anyone else have this kinda trouble with cookies? Or any other type of baking/cooking disaster that's happened to them this time of year?

Monday, December 15, 2008

Fish Need Trees Too

Apparently our new Beta Fish needed some trees too. Or so my son thinks.



We took some tinsel pipe cleaners and wrapped them around our fingers and, viola! Little tiny tinsel trees!

Do they make ornaments for such small trees? I'm not sure I am inclined to make some that small...

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Advent Calender


A little project I am (still) working on. It's still able to be used, but my son has let me know with certainty that "mom, you haven't even finished sewing the numbers on! They can only go to FOURTEEN!"





Have no fear child, it will be done. Even if it's the number of the day I am sewing....it will be finished by the time they reach the stable.