What are the names of the Reindeer, Mommy?

Middle Sis has been learning lots of new Christmas songs for her Christmas play.  Her favorite is Rudolph, so she sings it quite often.  Well, Lil Sis and Lil Bro are now singing it too!  Lil Sis was just trying to sing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and she stopped and said, "What are the names of the reindeer? Wait a minute.  It's Comer, Deutzer, Dancer, Princess, Neutzer, Comet and the most famous one of all is Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer had a very shiny nose...."  Hmmmmm...I can't believe I had it wrong all these years!

Big Sis and the Gingerbread Man Writing Assignment

Weekend Creative Writing Journal Assignment

Prompt: 

You just finished decorating a tray of gingerbread cookies and one of them leaps off the counter.  

What happens next?

Don't Run Away Gingerbread Man

By: Big Sis

Once upon a time I was baking some cookies. 

 So then I got them out of the oven and put them on the counter. 

I had to wait for them to cool.

So I got a book to read and soon they were done. 

I put my book down and started to decorate the cookies.

 I just finished the first one when the phone rang. 

I answered it and talked to my Grandma, but only for a minute.

(notice the Gingerbread man in the picture below!)

When I was done I turned around and it was gone. I was so surprised!

 It can't be.

(notice the Gingerbread Man in the picture below!)

 I thought my Lil Bro took it, but he was clean.

 What was that?  I rubbed my eyes. 

This couldn't be!

Did I really see a gingerbread man  running across the floor and out the door?

 I chased after him but man can those little legs run!

 I wondered where he would go, but I never forgot that Christmas. 

1 Year Later...

Every year at Christmas I get a postcard from different places all over the world. "Dear Big Sis, Thank you for giving me life so that I can see how the World celebrates Christmas. Love,TGBM (The Gingerbread Man), Gingy." 

The End!

Big Sis said she may want to write some 

blog posts now!  

Please leave her a comment to encourage her!

Recipe ~ Gingerbread Man Cookies

Gingerbread Men Cookies

Original Recipe found HERE

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 10 Minutes

Ready In: 4 Hours 30 Minutes

Servings: 24

"These Gingerbread Men Cookies are as cute as can be. 

If desired, decorate with raisins, currants or cinnamon red hot candies 

for eyes and buttons. Or, pipe untinted or colored icing onto cookies."

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups flour
2 teaspoons McCormick® Ginger, Ground
1 teaspoon McCormick® Cinnamon, Ground
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Nutmeg, Ground

1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
1 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract 

1. Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and 
   salt in large bowl. Set aside. Beat butter and brown 
   sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium 
   speed until light and fluffy. Add molasses, egg and vanilla;
   mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until 
   well mixed. Press dough into a thick flat disk. Wrap in 
   plastic wrap. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
   
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out dough to 1/4-inch 
   thickness on lightly floured work surface. Cut into gingerbread 
   men shapes with 5-inch cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on 
   ungreased baking sheets.
   
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of cookies are set and 
   just begin to brown. Cool on baking sheets 1 to 2 minutes. 
   Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Decorate cooled 
   cookies as desired. Store cookies in airtight container up to5 days. 
   
   
   Icing:
   1 Cup Powdered Sugar
   1/3 cup Milk
   "A Titch" (acc. to Lil Sis!) Almond Extract
   
   
   Blend and then pipe or spread on with a knife.

Beware...They may try to run away!

Family Night and Recipe: Best Ever Hot Cocoa

Christmas is in the Air!

Big Sis had a BIG project to do for school.  

Well, I should say that it started out as a little project and then things got a bit carried away!  

She had to journal about a run-a-way Gingerbread Man and before I knew it I had promised her she could take over the kitchen and make cookies.  Yes, I did forget that Daddy was working late and I had 3 other Little people to take care of too.  I decided to turn it into a Movie Night in the kitchen!  

The 3 Littles laid on the table with their blankets and pillows, watched a really fun Christmas Movie starring Tim Allen and sipped on some Hot Chocolate!

I have heard that this is the best Hot Chocolate in the World and I'd like to claim the recipe as my own, but once again the product packaging stole the show! You can find it on the side of the Hershey's Cocoa Powder Container.

Here it is...now invite some friends over and WOW them with your crazy Hot Cocoa Making Skills!

Hot Cocoa

You can find the Original Recipe HERE

Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
Dash salt
1/3 cup hot water
4 cups (1 qt.) milk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Miniature marshmallows or sweetened whipped cream (optional) 

Directions
1 Stir together sugar, cocoa and salt in medium saucepan; stir in water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil and stir 2 minutes. Add milk; stirring constantly, heat to serving temperature. Do Not Boil.
2 Remove from heat; add vanilla. Beat with rotary beater or whisk until foamy. Serve topped with marshmallows or whipped cream, if desired. Five 8-oz. servings.

VARIATIONS: Add one of the following with the vanilla extract:
SPICED COCOA: 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Serve with cinnamon stick, if desired.
MINT COCOA: 1/2 teaspoon mint extract OR 3 tablespoons crushed hard peppermint candy OR 2 to 3 tablespoons white creme de menthe. Serve with peppermint candy stick, if desired. 

CITRUS COCOA: 1/2 teaspoon orange extract OR 2 to 3 tablespoons orange liqueur. SWISS MOCHA: 2 to 2-1/2 teaspoons powdered instant coffee.
COCOA AU LAIT: Omit marshmallows or whipped cream. Spoon 2 tablespoons softened vanilla ice cream on top of each cup of cocoa at serving time.
SLIM-TRIM COCOA: Omit sugar. Combine cocoa, salt and water; substitute nonfat milk. Proceed as above. With vanilla, stir in sugar substitute with sweetening equivalence of 1/2 cup sugar.
CANADIAN COCOA: 1/2 teaspoon maple extract.
MICROWAVE SINGLE SERVING: Combine 1 heaping teaspoon HERSHEY'S Cocoa, 2 heaping teaspoons sugar and dash salt in microwave-safe cup or mug. Add 2 teaspoons cold milk; stir until smooth. Fill cup with milk. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 1 to 1-1/2 minutes or until hot. Stir to blend; serve. 

Fall Photo Shoot!

Here are a few of my Favorite Fall Shots from this year!

Happy Fall!