Dad and Grace practicing and learning to play their guitars~

The Elves are Busy Baking..... Ho HO Ho... Time to Make the Cookies ! ! !

Cinnamon Applesauce Dough (for ornaments)

What you'll need:

1 1/2 cups ground cinnamon

1 cup applesauce

1/4 cup white school glue (like Elmer's)

Bowl

Plastic food wrap

Rolling pin

Wax paper

Cookie cutters or a knife

Ribbon or yarn for hanging

Straw

How to make it: Mix cinnamon, applesauce, and glue together in a bowl. The dough should be as thick as cookie dough. Add a bit of water if the dough is too stiff. Remove from bowl and knead. Put it back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit for at least a half hour. Remove the dough, knead again to make sure it's smooth. Flatten/roll the dough between waxed paper until it's between 1/4" thick and 1/8" thick. Cut out desired shapes, use a straw to punch a hole for the ribbon to hang. The circle of dough will pull out with the straw. Gently place the shapes on a piece of clean wax paper. They will take 3-5 days to dry, and you will need to turn them over a couple of times a day for them to dry evenly and flat.

Don't be surprised to see that the ornaments get smaller during the drying process. Keep this in mind when you pick out the cookie cutters for your designs. You will also notice that if you do not turn the ornaments over often enough while they are drying, the edges of the ornaments will curl.

Three Video Clips from our 2009 Family Christmas Party at Brad & Jen's house... we had fun, didn't we? Brad's Bekae impersonation... maybe too much fun.. haha

We had a wonderful time with my husbands family last night.. Tom and Bre thanks so much for helping with such a special gift for Brad, and for the living room live music.. FANTASTIC... great memories and we are so glad everyone was able to be here.

Love,

Brad & Jen

Sound asleep at the moment.... however we now have a walking baby boy.. What started out as 2 steps on Thanksgiving has evolved in the past 10 days to full walk across the living room...which is a great thing!! ... only now more to search for, open, pull down etc. etc. This being my only boy I have already learned that boys love to explore and figure out the way everything around them works. I love watching his mind work, and now his feet too! Next, Dad and Mitch need to head off to get that first hair cut, the natural mohawk is starting to really get crazy.. haha

Very glad that Faith's Christmas Program was last night, considering the weather we are supposed to get today. ( ice and snow) I am also in awe of the fact that I read in the Farmers Almanac back in September that we were supposed to get our first winter storm around the 12th of December...and here it comes.

The stockings are hung, the tree is up, my menu is finally pinned down.. now just to host.. we are excited and ready for Christmas Dinner with my husbands family next weekend...

I was going to do Rouladin however, the more I have thought about it I am not sure that everyone would like it..so we are still doing a meal with a European taste..

Christmas Menu~

Pomegranate and Pear Salad

Tomato and Basil Soup

Rosemary Pork Roast (and Christmas Chicken for those that do not like Rosemary)

Roasted Winter Vegetables

Mashed Potato and Gravy

Crusty Dinner Rolls w/ butter

Dessert~

My friend Brigette is making a layered white cake for us, to serve w/ peppermint ice cream.

I will also have other sweet goodies.

Sparkling Cider

The guests are bringing the appetizers and wine...

Merry Christmas!

wish me luck, hopefully all the food turns out well :)

English Countryside Lovely~

On this Cold...very cold... Friday night I am sitting here wrapped in a long fur throw AND a quilt... (yes, the heat is on:)...thinking about going to sleep so I thought I'd post some comfy looking bedrooms to say " Good Night...and stay warm"

~Jen

Italian Farmhouse Style Inspiration~

Our Home is Eclectic~

Rock Glam / Urban Chic...

Let it Snow... Let it Snow... Let it Snow~ we might get our first snow today.. I'm ready.