A new year!

As many others, I am keeping the tradition by making new years resolutions.  Only I like to call them new years goals.  That way, I feel that I can start small and continue to meet my goals throughout the year.  Probably makes no sense but at least it makes me feel better!! 

This year I had many new years goals and a major one was my schedule.  I bought a dry erase board, mounted it on my kitchen wall and wrote out my new daily schedule.  It is all the things I do in a day normally, plus a few I felt needed to be added.  So far, all week, I have stuck to it and am extremely proud of myself!!

One new thing on my schedule is a daily craft time with H.  I have discovered this week that she LOVES our craft time and many times throughout the day I find her in the drawer where all the craft things are stored.  And this child loves to paint!!  She is always taking the paints out and bringing them to me.  Who knows, I might be helping her discover a God given talent- art!! As for the meantime, I am loving this daily time with her and encouraging her to do so many new things!!  A+ for that!  :)

On the first day, Monday Jan. 3, she painted and she LOVED it!!!!



I think she's pretty pleased, what do you think?? 
When daddy and V came home later that day, she was soo excited to show them what she did. 




On day 2, she glued tissue paper, glitter and feathers on her paper and created a masterpiece!



Day 3 was painting and making a marshmallow cloud!  After glueing the first few marshmallows, she discovered what they were.  So she stuck a few on her tray, waited until I was distracted and stuffed them in her mouth!  She knew exactly what she was doing and thought she was quite clever.  Love that girl!!  :)





A beautiful picture of a cloud, green grass, blue sky and a brown house!

Day 4 was a totally new thing- edible finger paint!  We used chocolate pudding and I have to say this was on the top of her list of favorites.  :)

I found a "healthy" chocolate pudding.

Put a little spoonful on her tray and had to show her what to do.

She got into it right away and had a blast!!

The best part was when she discovered she could eat it and it was ok!!

Mmm, so much fun!!  But I am a little afraid to give her real finger paints- will have to be extra careful she doesn't put her fingers in her mouth then!

At the end, she clapped her hands together and pudding flew everywhere!! 

My new favorite Christmas treat

My cousin Lisa posted this recipe from allrecipes.com for Layered Peppermint Bark on her facebook the other day and I told her I wasn't going to make this because I have no self control when it comes this delicious stuff!!!  Well, I lied.  I ended up making this last night- ONLY to give to V's teachers for Christmas gifts.  Unfortunately, there is half the recipe left over and I have to look at it in my kitchen and tell myself no all the time.  Just because I tell myself no, doesn't mean I do what I tell myself!!  :)  Isn't that just terrible!! Now I am wondering who I can bring it to it's out of my house!

Anyway, thanks for letting me "confess" that.  Now I feel better! :)



Here are my girls with their chocolate Advent calendar!  Hannah asks for that chocolate all day- she doesn't understand that she only gets one a day!!  Now I wonder what we are going to after Christmas when it's all gone!

Hannah is talking to grandpa.  Isn't she just so cute!  :)

My little Diva!

Layered Peppermint Bark

Line a 9x12 inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper.

Melt half of the white chocolate in the top of a double boiler over just barely simmering water, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching. 

Spread the white chocolate into the prepared pan.

Sprinkle 1/4 of the crushed peppermints evenly over the white chocolate.  Chill until firm, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the dark chocolate, heavy cream and peppermint extract together in the top of a double boiler over just barely simmering water, stirring frequently, until just melted.  Quickly pour the chocolate layer over the chilled white chocolate layer; spread evenly.  Chill until firm, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the remaining white chocolate layer.  Spread quickly over the chilled bark.  Sprinkle with the remaining peppermint pieces; chill until firm, about 20 minutes.  Cut or break into small pieces to serve!  Enjoy!!

Mmmmm.  Makes me want to go in the frig and get a piece.  "Sheri, do NOT do it!!!"

And with the leftover peppermint candy, give it to your kids to enjoy!!!

 Layered Peppermint Bark

20 oz. white chocolate, coarsly chopped, divided

30 peppermint candies, crushed, divided

10 oz. dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

6 T. heavy cream

1 t. peppermint extract

Line a 9x12 inch baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper. 

Melt 1/2 of the white chocolate in the top of a double boiler over just barely simmering water, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching.  Spread the white chocolate into the prepared pan.  Sprinkle 1/4 of the crushed peppermints evenly over white chocolate.  Chill until firm, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the dark chocolate, heavy cream and peppermint extract together in the top of a double boiler over just barely simmering water, stirring frequently, until just melted.  Quickly pour the chocolate layer over the chilled white chocolate layer; spread evenly.  Chill until firm, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the remaining white chocolate in the top of a double boiler, stirring frequently, until just melted.  Spread quickly over the chilled bark.  Sprinkle with the remaining peppermint pieces; chill until firm, about 20 minutes.  Cut or bread into small pieces to serve.

This recipe is really easy to make and very delicious to eat.  I hope you enjoy it too!!



My oh my how time flies!!

I can't believe I haven't blogged in a couple weeks- it sure has been a busy couple weeks though!!  We were blessed with family visiting us last week- they were our first visitors since we moved here!  Very exciting for us.  I had these great plans of blogging about Christmas baking, asking you what you loved to bake for the Christmas season and as you can see- I'm a little late in doing that!  Oh well, all that matters is that I am doing in now. 
So, what is your favorite thing to bake/eat during the Christmas season?  Do you get into the baking or do you just like to eat it?  :)  I used to bake tons during Christmas.  Since I LOVE to bake, for me, it was an excuse to be able to make huge amounts of cookies/bars!  Then I would send it to my dear husband's work for the Christmas party and usually it was eaten up.  My highest was 14 different kinds of cookies one year.  But, as the kids get older and responsiblilties get more and I get older (can't stay up as late as I used to!!) , my baking isn't as much of a priority as it once was.  Kind of makes me sad, now that I think about it.
A couple of weeks ago I made some delicious chocolate chip cookie bars and I wanted to share the recipe with you.  Hopefully, in the next couple days I will be doing some baking- we have some more family coming next week for Christmas.  I am so excited!!!

In large bowl, combine brown sugar, white sugar, butter and shortening; beat til light and fluffy.

Add egg and vanilla.

Blend well. 

Add flour, baking soda and salt,; mix well.

Stir in chocolate chips.  I used the chocolate chunks for something a little different!

Spread dough in ungreased 13x9.  Bake at 375 for 15-25 minutes or until light golden brown.  Cool completely and then cut into bars.  (I doubled the recipe so we could have some for our trip up north and also V's class party.)

Mmmm, don't these just look sooo good!!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 sugar
1/4 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. shortening
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 c. flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 c. (or more!) semisweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  In large bowl, combine brown sugar, sugar, butter, shortening and beat until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla and egg, blend well.
Add flour, baking soda and salt; mix well.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Spread dough in ungreased 13x9 inch pan.  Bake at 375 for 15-25 minutes or until light golden brown.  Cool completely.  Cut into bars.
Enjoy!!

Thanksgiving 2010

I will never forget Thanksgiving 2010- it was a memorable one for sure!  We had a great week back in Minnesota with family and friends but the visiting was cut waaaay short because of the flu.  Over the course of the week everyone got it except V (who had it before we left) and my dad.  Sadly, many of the friends we were going to visit never saw us.  And I didn't get to visit with my sister and neice as much either but it did make me extremely grateful for the few days we were healthy!
On a different note, I am very thankful that I live in a state where there is no snow!!  I thought it would be hard to decorate for Christmas without snow but so far- I am loving it!  Maybe because I had my "snow fix" while we were up north.  :)  It is much easier to get around down here and it is fun to go outside in December in a sweater and no coat, mittens, hat and boots!  Something rare in Minnesota!

All kidding aside, I wanted to share with you my Thanksgiving day.

My beautiful daughter and sister

Sara and precious Evie

Andy and V waiting for the food to be done!  :)

The most amazing and beautiful sister anyone could ever ask for!!!

My brother Brad hard at work carving the turkey.  Good job Brad!

My mom is the bread baker in the family and normally she makes it for our dinners.  This year she let me and I made my delicious honey glazed rolls.  They were sooo good!  And she made this delicious salad!

Our Thanksgiving dinner.  Mmm- I'm hungry right now just looking at it!  Twice baked potatoes, salad, rolls, turkey and gravy, sweet potatoes and cornbread dressing.

And what Thanksgiving meal isn't complete with mom's homemade apple and pumpkin pies??!!

I hope you enjoyed a peek into my Thanksgiving and that you all had a wonderful and blessed one too!