Merry Christmas

I will honour Christmas in my heart,

and try to keep it all the year.

A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens

May we all strive to make (and keep) this pledge through the coming year. 

Pecan Pie + Brownies = Sugar High

It all started with me reading some of my fav blogs - and seeing a recipe, for Pecan Pie-Brownies, follow this link to get the recipe ( http://cookiesandcups.com/pecan-pie-brownies/  ).  Brownies with pieces of pecan pie all through the batter - yes please. 

I printed off the recipe and made a batch last night -- the picture below is what my kitchen looked like after the brownies were in the oven.  Please notice that chocolate is everywhere - even on the handle of the saucepan.  And, let me tell you that cutting an entire pecan pie into bite size pieces is not an easy task -- bits of pie crust flew in every direction. But, I'm here to tell you,  it was very well worth the effort  - - -   

- - just feast your eyes on all these yummy looking brownies!  I filled 2 tins and this large container - in fact, the recipe makes so much batter that I baked it in one 9x13-inch pan and an 8-inch pan and I still had nice thick brownies.  These brownies are chewy and chocolatey with bits of rich pecan pie in every bite - a very decadent dessert just perfect for the holidays. 

Tonight - I'm making gingerbread cookies and Kahlua Balls.  I'm on a roll (and a 'sugar high') !!

Now is the time

I was going to title this post 'Not enough words in the world. . . .'  and there are truly not enough words in the world to describe what happened this past Friday.

But then I realized that now is the time for words -- many words.
Words, like  'mental illness'   'broken health care system'   and: yes - even  'gun control'

Now is the time to use those words to begin talking -- and then to make those words into laws that protect us all equally. 



  

More December verbs . . . . .

Smiling  . . .  can't help it, every time I use my snowman scissors I have to smile.  He seems to be so darn happy to help with all the gift wrapping and he is very good at his job, you know.  He was a gift years ago from my daughter - thank you again, Jessika.

Gifting . . . is that a verb - or even a word?!  Whatever the case may be - it fits the picture.  Lap quilts for my KC Girls, all neatly folded in big gift bags - ready for some pretty tissue paper, ribbons and then they will go under the tree.  I've loved working on these over the past 6 months -- from the fabric choices to piecing and finally the hand-stitched binding.  It's been such fun and I can't wait to see the quilts matched up to my beautiful grand-daughters.  BTW - guess which one goes to a 15 year old.

December verbs . . . . . .

Unwrapping the Nativity Scene - with two helpers.  Each figure was carefully placed in the stable as we talked about why we celebrate Christmas.  Of course, the little curly red-head thought Mary's robe should have been pink and that Baby Jesus needed a blankie that was more colorful -- because, don't you know, even a Messiah and His Mother should be fashionable.

Tasting the double chocolate cookie dough - they both helped with the mixing, measuring, and; their favorite - breaking the eggs.  According to these two, the cookie dough taste much better when eaten directly from the beaters. 

Sorting out the Christmas cookie cutters - this took a long time as the merits of sugar stars vs gingerbread men was discussed at length.  The gingerbread men won the vote (along with gingerbread stars, mittens, snowflakes, trees, etc. . . . .)   These two love gingerbread cookies.

Enjoying all the verbs in my December . . . . .

Thankful . . . . .

There is so much to be thankful for . . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoygmylt2iM

Somedays we forget
To look around us
Somedays we can't see
The joy that surrounds us
So caught up inside ourselves
We take when we should give.

So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be.
And on this day we hope for
What we still can't see.
It's up to us to be the change
And even though we all can still do more
There's so much to be thankful for.

Look beyond ourselves
There's so much sorrow
It's way too late to say
I'll cry tomorrow
Each of us must find our truth
It's so long overdue

So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be
And every day we hope for
What we still can't see
It's up to us to be the change
And even though we all can still do more
There's so much to be thankful for.

Even with our differences
There is a place we're all connected
Each of us can find each other's light

So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be
And on this day we hope for
What we still can't see
It's up to us to be the change
And even though this world needs so much more

There's so much to be thankful for

Autumn Color

Autumn is the second spring

when every leaf is a flower.

Albert Camus  1913-1960

Note:  Picture time frame - November 5th to November 12th

Natchez White Crepe Myrtle   (Just outside my front door)