snickerdoodles

seriously sheepy...

  It's Christmas Pageant time.  At church this Sunday the kids were the feature.  The youth band and choir played and sang and the wee ones did a silent nativity play. 

These kids really know how to rock!  The boys were wowed by the drummer.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that they will want to get involved.

 
Angels were all around.  I LOVED being an angel when I was little although our costumes weren't  nearly so polished.

A very serious flock of sheep sat beside the manger.  Good thing Ry didn't realize there was a baby right there or he would have definitely grabbed the baby Jesus and made a run for it.  He loves dolls.

After his performance he was all business waiting for a big movie offer.  None came so he headed back with the rest of the flock.  In my scramble to get a photo of him leaving I forgot to change my settings and hence he's a little green, oops.

The story of Christmas is such a magical one, hope you get to enjoy a rendition or two this week.

oxo 
  

p.s.  For those who read about my lost photo woes a month or so ago we had someone retrieve 486 photos off our hard drive.  Maybe that wasn't all of them, I haven't had a chance to look but I am thrilled to get some back, 486 is a super number!  I couldn't have asked for a better gift for Christmas.

  Thanks for all your thoughts and kind words when I was mourning my baby pictures and such.

interested in more SHACK?...

    "Shame diminishes your ability to distinguish between a value statement and an observation."

WM. Paul Young, author of the SHACK

-available at Chapters/Indigo online from our left-hand link button 

    I just found my notes from the second talk I attended with the author of the SHACK.  I wanted to let you know that the audio recordings from all three sessions are now available online from The Vernon Alliance Church website or here, Vernon Alliance Church - Media . 

   In terms of my earlier posts I need to ammend a couple points as well.  The book has actually sold 11 million copies now.  In the first three months of the book sales over a million books were shipped with only $300 or so spent on marketing.  That was basically setting up the website that sold the story as they weren't even really available in stores at that point.  Considering the average book published only sells 5,000 copies The SHACK has had amazing success.

   As for my progress with the story, I am still only partially through it.  The story flows well but I am finding some of the concepts presented very tough to absorb lightly.  I have been only tackling a chapter or so at a time to allow myself time to question my own heart/mind.

If you are interested in reading more you can read these past posts:

The SHACK...

http://snickerdoodles.typepad.com/snickerdoodle_life/2009/12/paul-young-author-of-the-shack-gave-a-surprise-talk-at-church-last-nightstill-have-goosebumps-an-amazing-story.html

More SHACK attack...

http://snickerdoodles.typepad.com/snickerdoodle_life/2009/12/more-shack-attack.html

the ultimate must haves for Christmas...

Here are some things that have blown me away this week...

1. Rigamarole Red wine. 

It's from our new home, the Okanagan Valley.  It has an adorable black rhino dancing on the label and is a lovely menagerie of Merlot, Cab, Gamay and Pinot Noir.  I am not a huge  red fan lately but the delicious smell of this vintage wooed me back.

Here is a special Rigamarole Suduko to try:

2.  LASH BLAST  mascara by Cover Girl. 

I haven't tried a new brand in years but a recent late night make-up fest at Shopper's Drug Mart led to my new passion for Lash Blast.  I heard it was good from my teen niece but honestly it's really GOOD.  For under $7 it covered each and every lash, even the two pesky white ones that drive me bonkers!  No clumps at all, the dangerous looking brush separates them perfectly.  It didn't flake or irritate my eyes either.  Yippee...just what I needed to perk up my sleepy peepers.  Here's a very big picture my new orange friend.

 3.  President's Choice Candy Cane Chocolate Fudge Crackle Ice Cream.   If you don't believe me hit the President's Choice page and check out reviews.   This is the perfect end to an evening of festivities and has a nasty habit of singing a sweet, late-night holiday siren song from the freezer. 

Beware...I was just savoring the last plop from our tub when I remembered I ate a big hunk of this earlier today:

 
  and quickly had to shove the ice cream back into the freezer.  A close call.  This sadistic desert is what my Dad pulled out for my Mom's birthday party last night!  There were only about 30 guests and we went home with a hunk big enough to host another 30 folks for a cake feast!  I was very tempted to just fix it up and tuck it away till Noah's birthday on Wednesday but that would be so wrong. 

My parents now live beside the pastry chef for the Predator Ridge Range Restaurant and she is amazing.  Everything is from scratch and pure bliss for a desert lover like me.  At brunch in October I barely made it through a lemon tart, some creme caramel and a deep chocolate cake.  At Pasta night last week there was a big chafing dish of steaming cinnamon bun bread pudding.  Think about it, bread pudding made with cinnamon buns...enough said.   This gal is right up there with Martha as far as I'm concerned.  Now back to the list...

4.  Taboo. 

The 80's game that is still perfect for playing with the whole gang.  Even seven year old Liam was reading away and giving some killer hints.  Our friends brought it as a gift last weekend and we love it.  It's available from the Chapters/Indigo link on my sidebar with free shipping and I did see it at Superstore today too.   We are big Sequence fans but Taboo is a fun change for everyone and good reading and comprehension practice for the boys.  Plus there is a buzzer, who doesn't love squeezing a buzzer?!?

5.   My new Voluspa candle.

I bought it at Momentum.  It's a triple wick beauty in a gorgeous pink and silver tin.  I keep it beside my bathtub and it releases a clean, pretty Panjore Lychee aroma into the room

This is a picture of one I took burning at the Momentum open house... a different scent and colour but equally divine.   These candles are worth every penny.

Phew, I am glad to get that all off my chest.  I took my mind off my crazy Christmas shoperarma today that hit $800 at Superstore, and almost made me cry.  Especially when I looked back to see the big lineup behind me and struggled to get it all packed back into my train of two shopping carts! 

Still, I was left without a gift  for my dear Liam who still only asks for a cat who makes kittens.  He made us a very special card at school and inside it says:

Merry Chirtmas mom and Dad I love you.  I don,t want presinsts this yeare.

Love Liam

It broke my heart and when I asked him why he said he knew Santa couldn't bring a kitten on his sleigh and that it was okay we could use his present to make the basement.   I might have to start prowling the SPCA this week to make his little Christmas wish come true.  The thought of cat pee on our new carpet and scratching on the new sofa is scaring the gingerbreads outta me but my boy is worth it.  I considered buying the litterbox, bed and such and sticking a FurReal friend cat in... but that would be cruel.  While decorating the tree yesterday, he pulled out the framed pet ornament we had with a picture of our old cat Libby in it and his eyes welled up with tears, it's been over a year now and still he misses her.  I almost jumped in the car then and there to go on a cat mission.

Does that mean I have to buy Noah the gerbil family he's been admiring at Petland?  I want a burrow/donkey and some chickens. Ryan looses his mind over bunnies.   How on earth are we ever going to find a housesitter with all these critters when we want to go away?  

Night, night friends, I am off to pray to Dr. Doolittle for some guidance,

oxo

holiday smencils...

    If you like heavy sniffing like I do,  you will appreciate these Holiday Smencils.  Do you remember when Mr.Smelly Markers first came out?  I was in grade five an LOVED them all.  Unfortunately the only girl who had them was named Midori and she was a rotten child who was very protective of her smellies.  Bribary was the only way for a feeble girl like me to savor the fantastic scents and I did whatever I could.

It's ECO Friday and a perfect time to shop for smelly Smencils as they are made of recycled newspaper!  I found these on Delight.com but I am sure you can source them out other places as well.   I do have an email in to the Smencil folks about where to buy them...I will share what I learn when I hear back.   Smencils make the perfect stocking stuffer for all the snorty sniffers on your list. 

Here is what Delight  had to say about them...

Yes they're super-fun smelling pencils, but they're super green! These pencils are not made from wood - they're made from 100% recycled newspaper.Sniff up a set of 5 Smencils in yummy holiday scents: Cinnamon, Sugar Plum, Candy Cane, Gingerbread and Sugar Cookie.

 

white chocolate cherry cheesecake fudge, oh dear!...

Sound too good to be true?   It is.

 
I tore this page out of 2006 from House & Home magazine, glad I finally got around to trying it.

Here is what mine currently looks like:

Once it fully chills I can slice it up.  We did have fun licking the bowl after and the beaters.  I am a milk chocolate lover but the boys adore white chocolate.

White Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Fudge

12 oz. white baking chocolate

1 cup dried cherries, I used a dried berry mix

1 block cream cheese softened (250 g)

4 cups icing sugar

2 tsp vanilla and lemon juice

1 cup coarsely chopped vanilla wafers (I used graham crackers as I forgot to buy the wafers)

Instructions:

1.  Line the bottom and sides of an 8" loaf pan with plastic wrap

2.  Melt chocolate in a double boiler over medium heat, set aside

3.  Slice cherries into slivers and set aside  

4.  In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy.  Gradually add the icing sugar, beating until incorporated after each addition.  Beat in vanilla and lemon juice.

5.  Blend in melted chocolate until smooth.  Stir in cherries and chopped wafters.  Spread in pan.  Cover and refridgerate until firm or overnight.

6.  Turn fudge onto cutting board, remove plastic.  Slice with a large knife into 1/2" thick slices. 

Makes about 15 slices.  Can be refrigerated for up to a week.

Yum!   Speaking of yummy, look who was sitting in front of me at the school concert...

Sweet Sadie, almost good enough to eat as well.

oxo 

bake snickerdoodles...

    I have yet to find someone who doesn't like munching a cinnamony sweet Snickerdoodle cookie.  Teacher gifts, bus driver gifts, neighbour gifts, you name it...give them all cookies.

I shared this recipe last year but I thought I'd share the link again for new readers:

http://snickerdoodles.typepad.com/snickerdoodle_life/2008/12/snickerdoodle-fest.html

Take the link back and you'll find a recipe and photographs to help make and wrap these little treats.  Yum!  Make lots, you'll need them. 

holiday scramble...

   I am pleased to report that I am offically done the time-sensitive stuff.  The last parcel goes off this morning and yesterday afternoon I hammerred through 32 Christmas cards before the boys got home from school.  Sigh. 

We also finally got the water softener installed and the humidifier, the basement is mostly cleaned and ready to prime the drywall. 

This is the amazing Christmas Tree Farm where we found our prickly new friend.

 
 Boy blur.  I love how this photo turned out.   Boys are always moving.  They ran with glee all over the farm...holiday mayham.
 

 Our poor tree still stands unadorned but now we can give him some full-on love.  Last night was the school Christmas concert and the countdown begins, our sonnies are all getting so excited.   Fresh snow blankets all the trees and hills, it's just lovely.  What a wonderful time of the year.

   Having to go to the post office this time of year is usually pure torture.  Whistler was especially bad. You could count on an hour line-up most any time of day.  That's one of the things I don't miss at all since our move.  Our little country post office here is part of the gas station/wine & beer store, video rental spot and superette.  They know me already and I have yet to ever see anyone else there when I am shipping off orders.  Christmas Bliss.  Speaking of the post office...that last parcel is calling and I better scoot.  Happy Holiday scrambling.

quick chocolate fudge...

  After trying two other recipes promising decadent fudge were horrible;  I turned to this tried & true oldy I had from a Company's Coming cookbook.  It turned out well.   The fudge is smooth, yummy and best served chilled.  These are microwave instructions:

Quick Chocolate Fudge

3 cups icing sugar

1/2 butter

1/2 good cocoa

1/4 cup milk

1tsp vanilla

1/2 cup chopped walnuts optional

Place icing sugar, butter and cocoa in a 2L glass bowl.  Heat uncovered at high for about 1 minute stirring 2-3 times.

Add milk and vanilla.  Stir.  Cook on high another minute.

Stir in nuts.  Beat for two minutes with a spoon until it's thick and glossy.  Spread in a greased 8x8 pan and chill.

I cut circles with a cookie cutter but you can slice it however you like. I then dusted it in a bit of cocoa and put in festive muffin cups before wrapping.   Enjoy!

more SHACK attack...

   I couldn't resist going to hear WM.Paul Young speak again at Vernon Alliance Church today.  It was just as riveting and entertaining as last night and loaded me with even more stuff to ponder.

I still haven't read more than the first quarter of the story The SHACK but I am already moved.  I love the analogy of a shack for the human soul.

Anyways, the author blew the audience away once again with his brilliant train of thought and unique ideas about love, Christianity and religion.  Wow.

There will be a DVD made available of all three interviews and I will give you the links when I get them.  Earlier today I wrote the book has over seven million copies in print...I took that off my book.  The actual number is now closer to eleven million books!  Wow again.

Feeling pretty blessed to have this presented to me at this point of my journey and so fortunate to have heard Mr. Young twice in one weekend.

p.s.  Fudge recipe to come in the morning and a tree update with photos of the cutest Christmas tree farm in the world.

The SHACK...

WM. Paul Young, Author of The SHACK gave a surprise talk at church last night...I still have Goosebumps!   He shared the amazing story of how his book came about.  It was written with humble intentions...for his six children in 2007 and since then it has sold over seven million copies.  The book is a bestseller all over the world.  How I wish I had of taken notes last night as his story was fascinating.  It was video recorded and I will try and source the interview- style talk to share with you.

The Vernon Alliance Church has been doing a lecture series called the Stable and The Shack which I found rather captivating.  I heard the SHACK buzz when it first came out but resisted reading it as Ry was just born and I was a nursing, tired, hormonal fuzz-head.  Last night after the talk my friend Kelly and I headed right to Walmart to stock up.  

I can honestly say I have only read the first three chapters but after listening to W.M. Paul Young I know I will probably be completely absorbed and moved by the story.  I am tempted to make today a lazy reading day ...but it is Christmas Tree day and I'm not willing to give that one up!

Visit theshackbook.com friends, see what you think.  This book might just fill in those Christmas gifts you were missing for certain special folks.   

I'll sneak the fudge recipe your way later tonight.