Almost Friday..it's break time!

Our weeks are full so when Friday comes around I try really hard to just be home. I take Grace to school, then Jilian hang out at home all day. Part of the treat is taking a quick break to find some new blogs! This Friday I'll be hanging out at these great blogs:

The YUMMIEST Peanut Butter Cookies EVER!

Warning! These cookies are SO delicious you will not be able to eat just one! The night I made these I had FOUR, ouch!!

Ingredients
2 cups creamy peanut butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup dried cranberries

Directions
Heat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, mix together the peanut butter, sugars, eggs, baking soda and salt until smooth. Fold in the oats and cranberries.
Shape the dough into balls (about 1 heaping tablespoon each) and place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Using the tines of a fork, flatten each ball, creating a crisscross pattern (you are suppose to do this but I was lazy!).

Bake, until puffed and golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool slightly on the baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Credits: I found this recipe in the December 2011 issue of Real Simple Magazine

Laundry Room Clean Up...

My laundry often becomes the "drop zone" for random items! This morning when starting a load of laundry I finally felt motivated to clean up the poor laundry room, probably because the SUN is shining! :-)

Before

A bag of hand-me-down clothes (thanks Kelly), Christmas items that need to be packed a way, a new bottle of bleach, clothes to be washed, items that need to be donated...dust...

The utility sink...needs a washing...paint brushes that have been drying for...ah...a couple months!

After

Oh..SO much better! This pictures brings me peace! :-) The basket on the dryer does belong there, a catch-all basket for dirty kitchen towels, random dirty socks found throughout the house...

Freshly dusted windowsill

Cleaned utility sink...and I put the paint brushes away!

Clean work space...the vintage bread tin holds my wash rags, tucked inside the large white tin are my supplies for making laundry soap, the small white tin holds the laundry soap, the vintage cracker tin serves as a trash can and the small bowl (I made years ago when I took a pottery class) catches all the random things I find in pockets.

Before

A VERY overloaded "junk" drawer

After

Much better, half the stuff could be tossed or didn't even belong there!

My next step...KEEP IT THIS WAY!!

My beautiful Ballerinas

Grace





Jilian

Cupcake Flags: New Years 2012

To be honest, I struggle with new years. Time goes by so fast that each year seems like a blink of an eye. I find myself reflecting on the year gone by and sad that it is all over...already. This year, I'm hoping to have a little more fun with new years. And what is more fun than cute cupcakes?! Hmm..not much!

My sister and her family are coming for a visit and I'm going to bake red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. Yum! I just adore cute cupcake toppers and flags. I thought I would give it a go creating my own (side note: I'm not a graphics designer, that's my sister) but I think these came out pretty cute. What do you think?

You can download them HERE. I left several flags blank so you can add your own personal touch.

Three basic materials are needed: toothpicks, glue dots and scissors (and the printed flags, of course!)


Roll the tip of each toothpick over one glue dot.


After cutting out the flags, fold closed on the tip of toothpick covered in glue dot. Simple!


I hope you have a wonderful New Year filled with God's glorious Peace and Joy!

Homemade Herb Dip

The dip:

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
Garlic powder and pepper taste

Mix all together and refrigerate until ready to use. The longer it sits, the better it will taste.

The bread bowl:

You can purchase a round loaf of bread at the store. Cut out the center, pour the dip in the wall. Cut the center piece into cubes for dipping. You can also make the bread from scratch using your favorite bread recipe. Instead of placing the bread dough in a loaf pan, form into a round loaf and bake on a cookie sheet.

Enjoy!! ;-)

For fun...

Our Christmas Season...a collage...