BRRRRR!!!!!!

Ok I just need to take a moment to complain about the weather. Normally this time of year I like it cold so you can really get into the holiday swing, but this morning it went to a whole new level! It was the coldest night in over 100 years in denver. Not including the windchill it was hovering around -19 degrees. I take the light rail to work in the mornings and with the traffic I was a few minutes later than normal making me miss my train by a mere minute. This did however make me have to wait in the now balmy -15 degree weather for over 10 minutes. I think my lungs now hate me. That and my face may have frostbite...I'm not too sure how long that takes to set in. Well here is too the winter weather and hoping it reaches the 9 degree high today.

Christmas Time is Here!

So I love this time of year. When the weather starts getting cold I can't help but want to bake. This is dangerous for pretty much everyone around me as then I start to push my treats on to anyone that is in the vicinity. My sister Becky has a cookie swap that I am involved in every year and to tell you how much I love to bake I am making three different recipes that I have been wanting to try. I dont want to post any recipes that aren't tried and true but one recipe that I found last year for the swap turned out to be one of my favorite...plus it is just fun to say APPLE DOODLES...I told you it was fun. My whole family loved these cookies so here is the recipes that is easy and fast to make, perfect for this time of year when we are all short on time.





Apple Doodles



Preheat oven to 375 degrees

* 2/3 cup butter-flavored shortening
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 egg
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 cups all purpose flour
* 2 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* ½ teaspoon salt
* 1 cup finely diced peeled tart apple (about 2 apples)
* ¾ cup chopped walnuts, optional

In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; stir half into the creamed mixture. Stir in the apple, walnuts (if desired) and remaining dry ingredients. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls 3 inches apart onto lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield 3 dozen.

Pumpkins

We had Jenn and Steven and the kids over to the house to carve pumpkins on Saturday night. It was originally supposed to be at Becky's but since the kids got sick we moved venue and lost some of the fun. Becky we missed you and the kids! Here are the pumpkins...

All the hard workers. Some of us are even multitaskers and can talk on the phone and carve at the same time!!!

Can you guess you did which pumpkin??

Busy Weekend

This weekend was a busy one. It started with my nephew Dylan's soccer game. It was so cute to see him play what I like to call "swarm ball".
His favorite parts of the game seemed to be at the end going through the parent tunnel and since it was the last game of the year he also got a medal.

GOOOO Team!

The Team

And the medal goes to...

Picture Tag

My sister Becky tagged me telling me to open my third picture folder and post the third picture in the file no matter what it is. This scared me but I was surprised that it was on okay picture.

This is from opening day Rockies this last summer. I had some pretty good seats...too bad the Rockies SUCK! Well I guess it is my turn to tag people. I tag Jen McDonald and Ann Reed.