Art

My kids are very artistic. I love it! Here are a few pictures of the work they have done recently.

This snowman is one the Zennek made at school.

This is Zenny's reindeer.

Zennek's Christmas Tree

Hannah's snowman that she made at school

Hannah and I painted ths one together.

I don't have any of Jade's work on my computer yet, but I will post some of it once I do.

Christmas Cookie Bonanza

I spent the good part of yesterday making cookie dough for today. Today I baked many dozens of cookies. Rolling cookies out, getting cookies in and out of the oven, mixing up icing, and piping snowflakes (I most definately have to give credit to pastry chefs everywhere. Piping in tough on the joints in the hands.) all the while sitting in a not so comfortable chair has made my back done for. I still more cookies to make, but I decided to take a break somewhere comfy.

I am trying a few new recipes this year and I just have to share the two that are the best. I know if you try them you will certainly enjoy them. Also, I have to give credit to Taste of Home where these two particular cookies came from. I have to say these are both VERY good cookies. I personally made one change to each cookie, but the originals are good as well. The changes I made are in bold and parenthases in the recipes.

Lime Spritz Cookies
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 (3oz) pkg lime (or other flavor) gelatin(I made mine with cranberry flavor gelatin)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
Red and green colored sugar, optional

1) In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar and gelatin. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour and baking powderr; gradually add to the creamed mixture.
2) Using a cookie press fitted with the disk of your choice, press dough into desired shapes 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Sprinkle with colored sugar if desired.
3) Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Strawberry Cream Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1 (3oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
3 tsps vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
seedless strawberry jam (I tried both raspberry and blackberry jam)

1) In a large bowl, cream the butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla. Add flour and mix well. Cover and refridgerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.
2) Shape dough into 1-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheet. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make a 1/2-in. deep indentation in the center of each ball; fill with about 1/4 tsp jam. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Well, I'm off to go continue my baking. I hope everyone has pleasant and enjoyable holiday!

Photos

Here are some pictures of the kids from the last few weeks. They are a wonderful reason to smile anytime of the year, but it is especially easy during the holiday season. I hope you enjoy these pictures as much as I did while I was taking them.

Oh the weather outside is frightful...

It is down right freezing! The temperature outside this morning when I put the kids on the bus was a whopping 9 degrees with the wind chill. On top of that, there is nearly no moisture in the air at all and so Mr. Winter has decided to take away all of mine. This has been especially true since I have been washing my hands constantly while baking and cleaning. We aren't supposed to get any moisture until the weekend.

Today Jade and I made christmas wreath cookies and lime sprtiz cookies. The wreaths were very easy, but sticky. They are made just like rice crispy treats, just with corn flakes and green food coloring, then decorated with red hots. They come out pretty, but you have to work with them quickly. As for the spritz cookies, they are like almost any other spritz cookie, but the recipe calls for a package of lime gelatin mixed in when you cream the sugar and butter. They come out a very light shade of green and a hint of lime flavor. Tomorrow we will try two or three more cookie recipes.

This last week has been busy. Hannah came down with strep throat but is healing fast with her medication. Chris and I went in the doctor's office to start testing. I've been working hard to keep up with the housework that never seems to be done. In between cleaning tasks I made out my Christmas cards and got them into the mail. On Saturday, we took the kids to a Christmas parade after which Hannah accepted her award for her essay.

This week will be busy as well. Lots and lots of baking to get done by this weekend so I have samples to be tasted this weekend. Along with baking comes lots of dishes and kitchen cleaning. Zennek has a Christmas program that the whole kindergarten will participate in on Thursday night. Hannah has a farewell sleepover this weekend for a friend that is moving. I am also busy crocheting blankets for the kids and sewing pajamas for them as well. I don't have a deadline on their blankets but I am hoping to get their PJs done for Christmas Eve. Then, sometime this week, I am hoping to get out and do my Christmas shopping. I just haven't had the chance to go yet.

That's about all that is going on around the Ewing household. I think it's more than enough to do at one time. If anyone has any cookie recipes for some "pretty" cookies, I would greatly appreciate them. I need some nicer looking cookies because I am baking for someone else to give to people at work.

Over the last year

I was sitting here thinking about Christmas cards and couldn't help but think of the past year while doing so. Last year I was busy packing up my house in North Carolina. Then Chris and I started our move across the country. It's so hard to believe that it has been a year now.

December through May was the longest time of my life. My babies stayed behind with their father. To keep myself busy and to earn a little extra cash, I got a job. Shortly after getting this job, I found out that I was pregnant.

May was a bittersweet month. I was overjoyed to have my three wonderful children home with me once again (the best mother’s day gift ever), but less than two weeks of them returning, our unborn baby had passed away. Jade's birthday too was bittersweet; it was also the day our baby was taken from us. I had a difficult time rearranging my schedule while recovering physically. When the kids came home I had to quit my job, because daycare costs were too high to keep it.

In July, Zennek had his birthday. They grow too fast as far as I'm concerned. We had lots of fun over the summer, but before we knew it, it was autumn. With autumn comes school; this is Zennek’s first year. Jade cried when he got on the bus because she didn’t know what to do without him at home. She still misses him enough that she naps in his bed nearly every day while he’s away.

Right about the time the kids started school, I learned that I was pregnat once again. A couple of months later, we discovered some problems with the pregnacy. Shortly after this, our little one (whom we named William) passed away. As of yet, we haven’t heard the results of the autopsy, and the doctors are now testing us to find reasons for the miscarriages.

Thanksgiving was quiet, but spent with family here at our house and it was nice. We are now gearing up for Christmas. It will be nice to be able to spend it with family.

Overall, if you look at our year in number of situations, it has been quite tame; but if you factor in all that each of those situations has been, it’s been an exhausting year. I am ready for the New Year, and ready for better times.

I’m not making any new year’s resolutions this year; I’m just hoping for happy memories, answers about things and lots of time with my family. I, like most Americans have a goal to become more healthy and fit, but unlike most, I have realistic goals about this and am starting to work on this today. I think that an everyday resolution is better than just the first of the year. There is no better time than now to improve you.

I hope that everyone has a great Christmas and a happy year ahead.