Pumpkin Spiced and Iced Cookies

On Tuesday I made these cookies for our preschool Thanksgiving Feast. Yum. YUMMY.

The other week ago, when my neighbor, Aleisha, made them for us, I ate all of them myself. I didn't share with anyone. That's why my kids call me the COOKIE MONSTER. (And I have the shirt to prove it!)

I found the recipe here. Eat up!

I have to admit that I messed up on the directions. I mixed the butter and sugar in with the flour mixture before I was supposed to. Happily, everything turned out. Also, I melted already made frosting for the drizzle instead of making it.

Pumpkin Spiced and Iced Cookies
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 cup chopped walnuts
VANILLA GLAZE (recipe below)

Directions:PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Grease baking sheets. COMBINE flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in pumpkin, eggs and vanilla extract. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets. BAKE for 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Drizzle or spread with Vanilla Glaze. FOR VANILLA GLAZE: COMBINE 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract in small bowl; mix well.

Great idea Kendra!

Analice can this count as my recipe?

ARYN'S THANKFUL HEART

We LOVE this girl.

1. My friends
2. Spring

3. My school teacher

4. My bedroom

5. That I am smart

6. Dance lessons

7. My paints

8. toys

9. I am happy

10. My family

Great-Grandpa Heaton

This is a story Isaac wrote about his Great-Grandpa Heaton. Enjoy.

I have a grandpa. He owns a farm. He has a cow and he has a chicken and he has a house and he has hay and he has a garden and he has corn and he has peaches and he has a Wife!

ISAAC'S THANKFUL HEART

We LOVE this boy.

Ten Things Isaac is Thankful For:

1. America

2. clothes

3. food

4. toys

5. Our House

6. beds

7. school

8. that we're alive

9. plants to make our world beautiful

10. friends

Wherever My Nose Goes

"Where ever my nose goes, I follow.

Where ever my nose goes, I follow.

Where ever my nose goes, I follow...IT!"

Take one nose. And 2 Tablespoons sea salt.

Mix in Lavendar, Thyme,

Rosemary, Chamomile,

Lemon balm, And rose petals.

What do you get? BATH TEA!!






We had so much fun making these! We followed our noses all around the backyard learning about our Sense of SMELL. Guess which smell the girls all chose as their favorite?

Ready or Not

We decided to take full advantage of the delightful weather we had on Saturday. I asked Gene if I could take his picture for the blog. You know, 'cuz he's part of this FAMILY! He said No! (Really he said something different, but I want to keep this G-rated. hee) Can you see him the background?

Asher decided he wanted to help. What a BIG boy!

Anyway, READY OR NOT, Here comes Christmas!

Lacing Letters

1. Cut foam sheets to the width of the die-cut you will be using. It's probably going to be in half, length-wise.

2. Die-cut the foam into the chosen letter shape.

3. Punch holes at regular intervals, using a small hole-punch.

4. Make a needle by unbending a paperclip. Cut a long piece of yarn, and thread it through the needle.

5. Tie a knot into the end of the yarn. Start sewing. Up through one hole, down through the next.

NOTE: You can find large plastic needles at the craft store. They are inexpensive and work much better than the paperclips. Use paperclips in a pinch.

ZOE'S THANKFUL HEART

We LOVE this girl.

TEN THINGS ZOE is THANKFUL for:

1. Friends

2. Popscicles

3. Eating

4. Playdough (more on this later)

5. My grandma and grandpa

6. My dad

7. Hazel

8. Apples

9. Cousins: Aubrie, Kaleb, Abbigail, Keaton, Elizabeth, Emma, Samantha, Dryden, Emory, Zaylie, Tomas

10. My painted pumpkin

Apple Pie Filling

We got these apples a week ago when we went up north. I've been wanting to make apple pie filling. We finally got started. I was worried we wouldn't have any apples left. EVERYONE in this family loves to eat apples!
This kids and I played Apple Pie Making Factory. We each had our own job:

1. Aryn peeled the apples.
2. Isaac ate the peelings.
3. I cut the apples into slices.
4. Zoe put the apples in the bowl. She helped herself to a few as well.
5. Asher sat on the floor and made a mess. He also ate apple pieces.

We had a lot of fun together.

Later, I cooked and bottled the apples. This is how they turned out. We won't know if it worked until we make our first pie. It sure made the house SMELL delicious!

(Since this was the first time I've made this, I don't know how it will taste. The sugar melts, creating the liquid. Also, I will be more aware of the steam when adding the water. I may try a different order to things.)

Here's the recipe. I got it from my cousin Matthew's wife, Patti.

Apple Pie Filling

4 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup cornstarch

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. salt

10 cups water

3 Tblsp. lemon juice

3 tsp. dehydrated lemon peel

10 lbs. apples

Mix all dry ingredients. Cook at medium temperature until it thickens and bubbles. Add the rest of the ingredients and apples. Heat through. Pack into jars, leaving 1 inch at the top. Process for 20 minutes. Makes 7 quarts.

Legwarmies!

It's been quite a few years since I last CAST ON. Last week I saw some legwarmies, (here) that led me to the pattern (here). It got my mind a-thinking. And my heart a-thumping. I checked out my stash of knitting needles, bought at a yard sale, and sure enough I had the right size. By Friday night, I was knitting away. My HEAD and HANDS felt so, SO good!

I had to adapt the pattern a little for my skill level, but I think they turned out DARNED CYOOT!! It's like Zoe will be taking a little piece of SUNSHINE with her every time she wears the legwarmies this winter!