little helper elf

Chocolate Peppermint Snowcaps

(adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe)

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

4 Tbsp butter

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 large egg

1/4 tsp peppermint extract

4 oz chocolate (bittersweet or semisweet) melted and cooled

1 Tbsp milk

confectioners sugar

In a medium bowl stir together dry ingredients. In a seperate bowl cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and peppermint. Mix in cooled chocolate. Gradually add in flour mixture, and beat in the milk until just combined. Flatten the dough in to a disk, wrap in plastic and freeze until firm (30-45 min).

Preheat oven to 350*. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and roll in confectioners sugar (until no chocolate is showing). Bake on parchment lined baking sheets 2 inches apart until cookies spread and crack, 11-14 minutes (will be soft to the touch). Cool on wire racks.

Snowy Play

This boy loves the snow. LOVES it.

He just walks around the yard with a grin on his face.

But after a while, a cup of hot chocolate sounds pretty good....

ITS A....!

 

BOY OR GIRL!!!!
Baby wouldn't tell us! He/she was too busy sleeping, toes to forehead, to let us know.
Guess we'll just have to wait and see...
 

the weather outside is frightful

when the weather outside turns to this:

 we know its time for lots of this:

From the mouth of Rogan

Our driveway was full of little birds this morning. 

Rogan said:

"I don't trust those birds."

the handyman can

The handyman can cause he mixes it with love and makes the world look good

Husband continues his building streak and made me a brand new bedroom set!

Its so nice (and handy!) being married the the handyman.

What else should I have him build me? Or you?

Dear Husband

5 years.

5 years ago, you held my hand and led me into our new life together.

Oh the things we've done.

Remember the time we put make-up on each other in the philippines?

Used make-up?

That was gross.

Lets not do that again.

But what I'm really trying to say is- 

I love you!

And Happy Anniversary!

ps- lets remember to take more pictures of each other together.

Trick or Treat!

We were a little slow getting our pumpkins carved this year. But we finally got it done yesterday.

The boy painted his "baby" pumpkin, while the mom "gutted" and the dad carved the big pumpkins.

The boy requested a tractor pumpkin, so the dad did what he could to please him.The boy was pleased.

The boy was a caveman this year.

He hated his hair. But I told him people wouldn't give him any candy if he didn't wear it. 

He decided it was worth it, and kept it on most of the night.

Sorry for the blurry boy. I dont know if he was wiggling, or if my hands were shaking from a Halloween sugar high. Either way, most of my pictures turned out like this one.

But I must say-my son makes an adorable cave-boy.

And after a scary movie (we don't know why-he talks about it nonstop and always wants to watch it...??) we finally crashed in our beds and snored the night away.