Fun eggs!

I really want to try this version of eggs for our egg hunt this year.  What a riot it would be to see the girls eyes when they found these. 

Owl Cookies

We brought treats to the school Halloween party. We are fortunate enough to live in such a remote area that kids are still allowed to bring homemade treats. This was prohibited at all the other schools my kids have attended. Everything had to be prepackaged and from the store. We made these owl cookies with candy corn beaks and mini chocolate chip eyes. We were fortunate enough to have a cookie cutter, but if you don't, you can make them with an owl template. They would be wonderful for your family or friends, a Halloween party, or owl themed birthday.  We got this idea from Sunset magazine.

Homemade Halloween Costume

My daughter wanted to be popcorn for Halloween. This was after she saw me looking on the Pottery Barn website for Halloween costumes. I did not want to pay over fifty dollars for a costume. Besides, my mom always made my costume for me growing up and I loved wearing them. So I did a little research, surfed the web, and came up with this...

I used an old box, cut a hole in the top for her head and holes in the sides for her arms. Then we painted the box white with acrylic paint. I was going to paint the stripes on with red acrylic paint, but noticed that the paint seemed to scratch easily since it was a glossy box. I went the colored duct tape route. Next, I opened up my computer program; the print shop deluxe, created the popcorn banner, and printed it out with my color printer. I attached it to the front and back using packaging tape.

For the finishing touch, we popped some popcorn and hot glued it onto the top! Let's just hope she doesn't eat the popcorn while at her school Halloween party.

The other daughter started reading the Guardians of Ga'hoole books at the start of school this fall. Then the movie came out and she changed her mind from wanting to be a witch for Halloween to a Barn Owl. So I turned again to my trusty Google search and found these easy directions for an owl costume. I put my own spin on this by creating wings. She does not like the mask on the original website so we will create our own.

Love

May you reach all the sweet things in life! Wishing you all Happy Holidays!

Christmas Stockings

Here is a picture of our stockings hung by the tree. Aunt M knit the first three from the left. The 4th one knit by my great grandma. I did a little photo editing of the names. Don't worry Aunt M, your knitting did not come undone. We took down the stockings today. Packed the ornaments into tissue paper and put them away until next year. Z and Lulu were very sad that we had to remove the holiday decor.

A bite anyone?

If you have seen the Christmas Shrek movie then you will know how scared the gingerbread man is when he sees Santa Clause.

Gingerbread Men Cookies

3 cups flour

2 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup firmly pakced brown sugar

1/2 cup molasses

1 egg

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Refrigerate: 4 hours

Cook Time: 8-10 minutes
Makes 2 dozen

Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt in large bowl. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add molasses and egg; beat well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on lowspeed until well mixed. Press dough into a thick flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness on lightly floured work surface. Cut into gingerbread men shapes with 5-inch cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake in preheated 350 degree oven 8 to 10 minutes until the edges of the cookies are set and just begin to brown. Cool on baking sheets 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks, cool completely. Decorate cooled cookies as desired.

Have you written a letter?

I have a little tin of coal in my sock drawer that I got from Santa one year. I tell my girls that Santa gave it to me when I was not being good. They love to open the can and unwrap the dark lumps and look at them. They certainly don't want to find any in their stockings on Christmas morning.