For Wednesday, December 5th, 2012

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

DECEMBER 5TH,  2012

16 DAYS UNTIL WINTER
20 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS !

It's  WEDNESDAY

SWAP A COOKIE RECIPE DAY

Cookie swaps are taking the holiday season by storm.

I found this recipe on line and thought it looked like something I'd like to try.

HOT CHOCOLATE COOKIES

2 sticks, room temperature, butter
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/4 cups flour
4 packages Hot Chocolate Mix (not sugar free)
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup mini chocolate chips
2 cups mini marshmallows

Cream together both sugars and the butter until light and fluffy.

 In another bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Mix in the eggs and vanilla.

Slowly add in the dry ingredients, scraping the bowl each time. Add the chocolate chips to the cookie dough.

 Chill the dough for an hour. Drop onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. 

Bake them in a preheated 350 degree oven for 9 to 11 minutes. but during the last two minutes of cooking time, add the marshmallows to the tops of the cookies. You will need to press them in a bit and let them bake for another 2 minutes or until they start to puff. 

Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

Advent Week 1, Part 2 - THE GIFT OF AFFECTION 

Be generous with appropriate hugs, kisses, pats on the back and handholds.  Let these small actions demonstrate the love you have for family and friends. 

 Grandchildren are among God’s greatest gifts to me. They’re entertaining sidekicks, built-in excuses for trips to the zoo, the park, the beach, or the movies. They’re dependable companions who inject fresh insights and hair-raising candor into my sometimes stuffy world. The best gift I can give my grandchildren is to love them as God does, with unconditional acceptance, expecting nothing in return.

There's something in a simple hug
That always warms the heart,
It welcomes us back home
And makes it easier to part....

Johnny Ray Ryder, Jr., A Simple Hug

And the Angels Sang!!!

Our little sugar - AB finally came home yesterday!  What a blessing.  It's been over 3 weeks since her birth and finally she is home!  Thank you all for your kind thoughts and prayers.  I'll be going to visit her this morning so I'll be taking lots more pictures to share.

COUNTING MY GIFTS

I am trying to count at least 3 things I'm thankful for each day and then in 1 year's time I'll have counted 1000 gifts.

10. For hugs, especially from my family
11. for emails from a friend letting me know she is thinking of us
12. for someone to share a cookie and a cup of coffee with

Three gifts shinning

13. Mr. Wonderful playing with the Veggie Tales Nativity set

14.  My Nativity set that I've had for many years

15.  Artwork done by DS#5 many years ago.

PRAYER FOR OUR TROOPS

Please pray for God's protection of

our troops and HIS wisdom for their

commanders.

Lord, hold our troops in

your loving hands.

Protect them as they protect us.

Bless them and their families for the

selfless acts they perform for us

in our time of need. I ask this in the

name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

AND bless our Police Officers, Firefighters

and Paramedics and EMT's

GOD BLESS YOU !

 

If you can't see the Bright Side, polish the dull side

 

A little smile, a word of cheer,
A bit of love from someone dear…

Love,

ma