Cookies, cookies, cookies....and a cute kid.

Today's advent activity was to make a Christmas treat. Check out what we made today...

  We made these cookies a week or so ago but I never did get around to telling you all about them. They are sinful. It's a cookie in a cookie. Sorry I didn't get a picture of the inside, they just didn't last that long. Each cookies is the equivalent of three cookies. Two chocolate chip cookies with an Oreo cookie sandwiched in between. These cookies are HUGE and so very very yummy.

The cookie idea's came from here and here....once again, Thank you Pinterest.

And because I was taking pictures of the cookies, this boy thought he should have his picture taken too. I love this boy, snotty nose and all.

Stocking Stuffers

 I made these fun stocking stuffers for the girls. The top one is for Munchkin, it's a marble maze. the marble is sewn in between two pieces of fleece and then I have sewn a maze on the fabric. The idea is to push the marble from one dot through the maze to the other dot. Another brilliant idea inspired by pinterest.

The other two are obviously a checker game and a tic tac toe game. This is an idea I have had bookmarked for a long time but had forgotten about until I discovered pinterest and started pinning all of my book marks. The pieces have Velcro on them so you can play this on the go. To keep all the pieces together you just pull up the drawstring when you are done and it makes a cute little bag to carry it all in.

Sweetpea's Christmas gift

I stayed up way to late sewing. But I was on a roll and I just couldn't stop until it was all done. Sweetpea loves to bake. She asked Santa for a cook book. But long before that happened I had scoped out some tutorials to make some oven mitts, chef hat and apron(this was even before pinterest, but don't worry I have since pinned them there too). And then while I was sitting at my table selling my creations at the local craft fair last weekend I saw these adorable aprons hanging across the way. I knew then that I had to make one, especially because they were asking WAY to much money for them, and seriously I have the skills and fabric to make it. I used the this pattern for the apron but I rounded it out and added the pleated ruffle around the edge.

 And here's a look at the other side of the apron... reversible...how fun!

I can't wait to see her in it!! It's always so hard for me to keep all this a secret. But time is flying by and it will be Christmas day before I know it. I'm hoping I'll have time to do all that I have planned.

Munchkin's Christmas Gift

I made this puppet theater for Munchkin on Wednesday night. I got the idea from...and I know you'll be surprised...Pinterest. When I saw it I knew it was the perfect thing for her an me. She loves to make any two objects come to life and they can all talk together for hours on end. I have found a few new puppets at a garage sale a while back and if I have time I'll make a few original ones too. The best thing about this puppet theater is that you hang it up in a door way with a tension rod and when you are done you just take it down and fold it up and it basically takes up nothing for space to store. The other best thing about it is that everything, yes EVERYTHING that I used to make it, with the exception of the thread, was given to me over the years from various donors.

Advent activities

Here's some of the fun stuff we've done so far or our Activity advent I posted about previously.

On December 1st we made paper snow flakes. Aren't they pretty?

On Dec 3rd we were supposed to make a Christmas craft, but we were in Lethbridge all day watching dad play at our high school alumni  basketball tournament. But we managed to make up for it the on Sunday. We made pretty borax crystal ornaments(you can find the instructions here).

On Dec 4th we decorated our Christmas tree. So pretty.

(I'll try to get a better picture when the sun isn't shining in my window)

I'll keep you posted on the other fun stuff we'll be doing through out the month.

My favorite discovery on Pinterest so far

OK, this may or may not be an exaggeration...but I believe I just discovered the most amazing thing on Pinterest.

Wait for it....

DIY microwave popcorn! That's right. Popcorn in just minutes with out all the extra crud that is in each microwave popcorn bag. I haven't owned an air popper for....well I haven't ever owned one. We have always made our popcorn in a kettle on the stove, or used microwave popcorn(why, I don't know). But this, this is amazing. All you need is a brown paper bag and 1/4 cup popcorn(Squawkfox.com says to use 1/2 cup, but when I did that my brown paper lunch bag exploded and I had popcorn all over the microwave). You simple put your popcorn kernels in the brown bag, fold it over twice, and put it in your microwave for 3 minute. Just as you would any microwave popcorn, it is done when the popping has slowed to two or three pops per second. There are also suggestions on how to make your own gourmet toppings. Today we added some melted butter and then sprinkled on some cinnamon and sugar, I've never seasoned it this way, and I don't know why. It was delicious.

If you want to make your own microwave popcorn and delicious topping just click right here and you'll be on your way.

Food Friday: Quinoa...if you haven't tried it, you should try it like this

I've heard so much about Quinoa(pronounced 'keen-wa'). But until recently I haven't tried it. I was afraid. I didn't know what to do with it. If you don't know what it is you can read about it here. You cook it just like you would rice. It is high in protein and is said to be the new super food. It can be used as a rice substitute, but that is not all, it can be used in just about any kind of dish.

Last week we made it into a kind of "oatmeal" using this recipe(I hate real oatmeal so this was brave for me). It was quite tasty, and I would absolutely eat it for breakfast like that.




But then I found this picture when I searched "quinoa" on Pinterest.

It looked absolutely yummy! So of course I pinned it and then added the ingredients to my shopping list. Tonight I made them. They. Were. Delicious. 
Everybody loved them and wanted seconds. I didn't change anything about the recipe so you can just go over to Eating Well...Living Thin and get the recipe yourself.

To go along with it we also had these deliciously sinful cheesy ranch potatoes and a very healthy green salad. The meal was delightful all around.

Now seriously, you need to go out and find yourself some quinoa and try these, you won't regret it, I promise!

The Count down begins...soon

I saw this cute idea for a Christmas advent on Pinterest(where else?). It's just a cute glass bowl(I used a pretty crystal vase) filled with matchboxes that have been covered in fun Christmas paper. You can put what ever you want inside. For this year I put a different fun activity for each day.

Here's our list.

1. Cut out paper snow flakes.
2. Watch a Christmas Movie and have popcorn.
3. Make a Christmas Craft.
4. Watch the First Presidency Christmas Devotional.
5. Decorate the Christmas Tree
6. Play a board game together
7. Seek and Find a special Christmas gift and open it.
8. Make Christmas cards to mail.
9. Go to the Ward Christmas Party.
10. Make a Christmas treat.
11. Build a fort and have dinner in it.
12. Make a candy Nativity.
13. Make a Christmas craft.
14. Read Christmas Stories.
15. Attend the School Christmas Concert.
16. Watch a Christmas movie and have some popcorn.
17. Make Christmas Cookies.
18. Go Christmas Caroling.
19. Go Look at Christmas lights around town.
20. Go Sledding (or do a Christmas craft if there is no snow).
21. Have a sleep over under the Christmas tree.
22. Build a snowman(or play a board game if there is no snow).
23. Watch the live Nativity in Lethbridge.
24. Have a Christmas Fiesta with the Forsyth family.