A Night Out on the Town

I have had a really sophisticated Christmas this year!  First the Nutcracker Ballet with Anne and now the Jacksonville Symphony with Russ.  I could get used to all this culture!

The Symphony was a last minute decision as we learned that Micheal W. Smith was performing a Christmas program with them.  He has been one of my absolute favorites since High School.  We won't talk about how long ago that was - but let's just have an understanding that I've liked him FOREVER!!!!!  We were laughing last night at how I used to have a poster of him in my room when I was growing up!  Now he's a Grandfather!  We won't go there.....

I will clarify and let you know that the school girl crush has been gone for a long time and has become a great admiration and respect for someone so talented and so steadfast in the Christian Music Industry.  He has never wavered even while keeping up with the constant change of music.  His message has always been the same.  There is something to be said for that.

Anyway, we got all dressed up last night (it WAS the Symphony, after all) and went out on the town.  At first, I will say that I was a bit apprehensive.  It's a girl thing - but let's just say that wardrobe is ALWAYS the first thing on a woman's mind when attending something like this and so my mind instantly went to my closet.  Yikes!  There is only one thing I could think of and I hadn't worn in in quite a while!  So now that whole mind game happens.  I don't want to spend the time or money searching for something to wear for one night if this doesn't work - not to mention that if it does fail - I will probably end up in a heap on the floor of my bedroom cursing the last few Christmas Cookies I just indulged in.  I worked way too hard this year for it not to fit - this could be devastating! 

But - alas!  It worked!!!  And with room to spare! YAY me!!!!!  Add a few pearls, a great hair day and a completely handsome man on my arm and you look like this:

Not too bad, huh?  Nana graciously took the kids for the night and we took off to dinner at Bonefish Grill (our FAV!) and the Symphony!  It was a marvelous night!  A friend on Facebook summed his evening up like this, "Highlight of our date- we sang "O Holy Night" accompanied by Michael W.Smith and the Jacksonville Symphony backed up by a choir of 2,500."  I totally agree!!!   IT. WAS. AWESOME!

We are thoroughly enjoying making special memories this Christmas instead of focusing on "Stuff".  God is so good.

Until next time.......

Christmas Programs

I should totally be working on some Calligraphy projects right now but decided to go ahead and post these photos before my day got away from me.

This is the last week of school before Christmas Break and as always, it is full of parties, open houses, etc.  It's been a busy week!

Tuesday was the Open House at Destiny Dance Center.  This is basically a time where we get to sit in on a typical dance class and see all that they have learned so far this year.  And they had a special Christmas performance for us as well. 

 Getting ready for class

 Love this "Ballet Sit"

Practicing on the bar

 Class Pose - after their dance routine to "Over the River and Through the Woods"

 Time for Tap - Love the smile!!!

That's our Anne Girl!!!!  So pretty.....

Today was her Class Christmas Breakfast.  She got to wear her PJ's to school and take her pillow, blanket and a stuffed animal for story time.

Russ and I went for breakfast and each student has a part of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" Poem.

They did great!

 Waiting her turn

"The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow

Gave the luster of midday to objects below."

 "He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself."

How cute is that?

The kids have a half day tomorrow and then are off for almost 3 weeks!

Christmas Goodies

As promised, I am going to post our two family favorites here so you no longer have reason to be jealous - I'm sharing the love!

It never feels completely like Christmas until the Christmas cookies are made. When Marc and I were very little, mom began the tradition of these special, homemade sugar cookies. We would decorate them for hours and then mom would make goodie boxes up with them and all the other yummy things that she baked. Then we would take them to friends and neighbors. Once Marc and I became teenagers, the tradition evolved into having our friends over for a Cookie Decorating Party and whatever they decorated, they got to take home to their families.

As I have posted our cookie pictures on Facebook this year, I have created a huge stir because many of my friends have sat around the table and helped to decorate these cookies.  They have created great memories.

So - here is the recipe, along with another favorite, my sweet friends!  I hope you enjoy them and can begin to make your own memories!

Mom's Famous Christmas Cookies

3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup soft butter
1 egg - slightly beaten
3 T cream (evaporated milk)
1 tsp. almond

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl.  Add soft butter.  Cream together until fine particles.  Add egg, cream and almond.  Blend thoroughly.  Chill dough overnight - I wrap it in wax paper.

I make 3 or more batches - but it will depend on how many you want - how big your cutters are, etc.

Roll out on floured surface 1/3 at a time to 1/8 inch thick.  Cut into shapes

 This is where the fun part begins!  I do this the day before we decorate and Sam comes over to help me bake.  I do the cutting and she mans the oven!  It goes so much easier when I'm up to my elbows in flour!  She takes care of all the baking and running the cookie sheets back and forth.  That way I don't have to stop a million times!  It's awesome!  And we have a great time!


Bake on ungreased cookie sheets at 400 for 5 - 8 minutes or until slightly golden.  Watch carefully!  If the cookie is too soft - it's hard to decorate - they will break in your hand.  If you over bake they will be hard and brown - not as pretty.  Sam has it down great!!!!

 I did 3 batches this year

Decorate as desired!

Mom's Frosting Recipe

(I use this recipe for EVERYTHING - cakes, cookies - you name it!)


1 stick butter (margarine)
Same amount Crisco
1 32 oz bag powdered sugar
1 tsp ALMOND - that's the big secret guys!  Now you know!
Milk


Mix first 4 ingredients and add milk slowly to get the consistency you want.

Add food coloring - we have cake decorating bags/tips that we use. 

 

Have Fun!!!!!

Now on to the next favorite!  Reese's Peanut Butter Cups - LOOK OUT!!!!  As long as no one has a peanut allergy - I guarantee these to be an absolute HIT!!!!

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls 

I double this recipe!  Just sayin'.......

1 1/4 box powdered sugar                                                                          

2 sticks butter (margarine)

1 cup peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla

2 packages (12 oz) German Sweet Chocolate

1/2 block Paraffin (Gulf Wax)

Mix powdered sugar, butter, peanut butter and vanilla and chill. (mixture should be crumbly - if it's not cold enough, the balls will not hold together in the hot chocolate)

Roll into 1 inch balls - using a toothpick dip into the melted chocolate mixture (above) - You can use a double boiler or I like to melt it in my crock pot!  (Great cooking tip from my Aunt Melva!)

Just a note - I've experimented with several different chocolates over the years.  Never should have left the recipe!  The German Sweet Chocolate (Baker's Chocolate - green box) is the absolute best! The Gulf Wax is also a must.  Otherwise the chocolate is too thick to use for dipping.

Place on Wax paper.  I stick them in the freezer for a few minutes to let them set and then keep them in a bowl in the fridge!  Watch out!  They will disappear!!!!!

And then - this is what I do with the left over chocolate - plus a package of Almond bark!

Yummmmmm!

Please enjoy!!!!

Merry Christmas!!!!

Time to Catch Up a Bit

I can't believe we are coming to the end of the year!  Seeing as how I use my blog as a "family album" and have it printed every January, I need to do a little catching up and get some photos in here before I miss my chance.

So let's recap the last few weeks......

Starting with Thanksgiving at Sasha's:

I didn't take many photos this year. We were so busy cooking and chatting and enjoying one another that I didn't even think too much about it.  Hmmmmm.....   I did manage to take pics of the kids in the pool.  They associate Sasha's house with swimming and I don't care what the temperature is - they think they need to be in the pool.  I was near 80 out - 72ish in the pool.  I thought they were crazy.

Anne never went further than her legs

Jarod, on the other hand - well - he's Jarod.  

Russ was assigned the job of blowing up the huge inflatable turkey for them to take in the pool with them. I thought this was funny!

And we did manage some Face Time with Ashlea!  That was fun! 

We always enjoy our time in New Port Richey.  It's relaxing and away from our normal routine.

Thanks Sasha and Jeff for having us!

We came home early on Friday so we could get started on our Christmas Tree.  Anne helped Russ trim it and I managed to get the lights and my new AP garland on it.  Then we crashed.  Decided to finish the rest of it on Saturday.

After we saw Muppets with Marc, Sam and Chloe!

What a GREAT movie!  Growing up watching the Muppets - and having all of The Muppet Shows on DVD - Muppets are quite special to our family!  It was so much fun being able to sit next to Marc in the Theater and enjoy the movie!  The last time Muppets were in the Theater - I was pregnant with Jarod.  12 1/2 years ago.  So this was a MUST SEE and we were very excited.  And we have a new Muppet lover in the family as well - Chloe!  She did great!

After our Muppet fix - we came back home and finished decorating the tree.

These ornaments - plus my garland - really made my tree this year.  But I already wrote about that.

You can read that here.

I just LOVE my ApParent Project Stuff!

So all of that decorating, led to this final product!

 LOVE IT!!!!

Some of us helped more than others.......

And some of us just enjoy taking advantage of a new "spot".

Although she likes the couch arm too.....

I think she enjoys being a Franklin.  She has a pretty easy life around here.

So now we move on to Scouty things.... (is that a word?)

Last Monday was another Court of Honor for Jarod.  He received his First Class Rank.  Wow!  He has really moved up quickly in less than an year.  We are very proud.  He's getting closer and closer to Eagle!!!

 Photo courtesy of Anne (a little blurry - but thankful to have it!)

Mr. Haynes giving him another merit badge.  We love this man!  He is an awesome Scout Master and we are so very thankful to have him in Jarod's life.

This showed up in the mail on Friday!  VERY excited!!!  8 weeks from today and I'll be on my way to Haiti!

Also on Friday, we had our annual Christmas Cookie Decorating party.  We laid low this year and kept it to family - it was a lot of fun!

Sam and I spent the day baking on Thursday and then Friday night we all sit around a table that looks like this:

Don't you just want to dig in?

We had a new helper this year.  She is finally old enough to participate!

"I do it too, Tami!"  

She is just way too cute. 

The creativity in my family is amazing.  They always seem to take basic Christmas shapes and make them into something totally amazing - and yet not related to Christmas.

Jarod's MegaMind, Nemo and Spider Web.  I think there was a slice of pizza and an Minion from Dispicable Me in there as well.

Of course - my brother is the culprit!  Every year he challenges himself with something new.

See this concentration?

 Ya - it led to this:

A Ferrari Symbol.  Hmmmmm.  Maybe that's a hint for what he wants for Christmas!  LOL!

 Well, needless to say - a fun time was had by all!  This big mess led to all these beautiful cookies:

And MOST of them maintain the Christmas theme!  

Last, but not least, on Saturday Anne and I went to the Nutcracker Ballet at the Florida Theater!  It was part of her Christmas gift this year.  A day out with Mommy (cause the guys really don't care about Ballet - unless Anne is in it!)  

We got all dressed up:

She had to give me a Ballet pose, of course.  

And she had to take a pic of me. - The guys totally bailed on us and went to the movies!  So no pictures of us together.....

And off we went!  I was amazed to find out that she already knew so much about the story!  She kept telling me what was going to happen next.  She was totally mesmerized the ENTIRE time!  One of the girls that helps in her dance class played Clara - the lead.  Anne was so impressed by this.  It was a wonderful day and I am so thankful that we were able to make this memory together.

The Principle Dancers this year were professionals from Atlanta.  I was mesmirized by them!  Full of grace and poise!  They made everything look so easy!  I sincerely hope that Anne continues with Ballet as she gets older.  She definitely has the build for it - and she loves it so much!  This Tuesday is her Open House and Destiny Dance Center - more pics of that to come!

Until next time......