Cookies for Christmas

Every year my Dad makes his special Christmas cookies. Last night he made Hershey Kiss peanut butter cookies. I unwrap the kisses, while he makes the cookies. This year he put peppermint kisses and chocolate. Yum!! 

Then this morning I made gingersnaps. I have never made them before, but I think they turned out okay.  They remind me of Little House on the Prairie because they used to drizzle hot molasses onto cold snow and it would harden into candy.

Joyfully in Him,
   Diana<3

Christmas Time is Here!

Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 

Doesn't that verse send shivers down your spine?? Just think, our Lord was born more than 2,000 years ago! Wow!

I finally set up my Christmas tree in my room. I usually have a really small tree ad it looks so crammed with ornaments, you really don't want to see it. But this year, I found a bigger tree under our stairs, and I think it looks so elegant! Much better than last year. =]

Last year in December, I was at my brother-in-law's house playing some games when I saw on their table, they had a really cute nativity. I started looking at it, and decided that we could make it out of sculpey. Well,  it's been a year and I finally finished it. He helped me with Joseph, the sheep and the manger, but I did all the rest. I worked on it during my summer and Thanksgiving break, of this year.

 

 Joyfully in Him,

   Diana <3

Let's Give Thanks!!

What a fun week I had!! And you can probably guess why, I got to bake!! Yay!! I made two whole batches of Cranberry Sauce!! Yum!! I love seeing the skins of the berries pop (that is you don't let them pop while you are standing next to them, that sauce hurts if it's hot!! =]  ) and how it melts down to a sauce!! It makes the whole house smell good!! I has such a pretty color, but I can't get that color on my camera. But it is still a pretty color!

Psalm 100
"Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all!

 There are three stadges to cranberry sauce. First is the cranberries, then it getts a bubbly and starts to melt down, then, it becomes that sauce!

 Joyfully in Him,
      Diana <3

A Lovely Day for Tea

I had a wonderful time yesterday listening to a dear friend tell me all about her trip to Paris!! What an experience! It felt like I was sitting in Paris and experiencing everything she was describing to me!!  What a fun evening!!!And I got to set up a lovely tea party for her!

Joyfully in Him,
    Diana<3

Very Merry Lettuce

What a blessing it is to eat your own food, from your own garden!!! It tastes so fresh!!! And it is a very good time to grow lettuce because it is nice and cold out!!

Joyfully in Him, Diana

Mini Chocolate Chip Turtle Cookies

There is nothing like the feeling of baking on a rainy day in October. =] Dad and Adam requested me to make them some cookies. So I made them some Mini Chocolate Chip Turtle Cookies. ( whew!! what a long name!!) They are really easy

Mini Chocolate Chip Turtle Cookies

Ingrediants

1/2 cup of unsalted butter

1 3/4 cup of all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup of lightly packed brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips

1/2 cup of finely chopped pecans, toasted

Melted caramal, for drizzling

Directions

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook for 3-4 minutes, stiring frequently, until butter browns and starts to foam. Remove from heat to cool. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together melted flour, baking soda, and salt. In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together melted browned butter, brown sugar, and granulated suger until creamy -- about 1-2 minutes. Beat in egg in vanilla until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in flour until just combined; stir in chocolate chips and pecans until combined. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat cookie sheets with a cooking spray. Roll dough into balls (about 2 teaspoons per ball), place on cookie sheets, and flatten using the palms of your hands. Bake 8 minuets ot until set and light golden. Cool on wire racks. Drizzle with melted caramel.

Joyfully in Him,

   Diana<3

Hurray for Owls!!!!

I had just finished my school work for the day, when I felt like I had to check my email, as I logged on, I saw an email that said I got a message on my Etsy shop. So I went to my Etsy and I saw that a lady wanted to buy some owls. Not just one, but 20!!! I couldn't believe it!!! I was so excited I started running around the house yelling and shouting that I sold my owls!! Yipppieeee!! My hooties are going world wide!!!!!!!

Joyfully in Him,
   Diana<3

Happy Birthday!!

Happy Birthday dear Mom!! I love you so much and I am so thankful for EVERYTHING you taught me and will be teaching me in the future!! Love you!! =]

Joyfully in Him
    Diana<3

Thumbprint Cookies

 I am finally doing a post!! It feels like forever since I posted! Well, my latest cooking adventure is thumbprint cookies with raspberry jelly!! I made them for Dad and Adam. Mostly Adam because he said he missed all the desserts I made! I do like to make desserts, but I started school and I haven't been doing all the things I've done in the Summer!

Joyfully in Him,
   Diana<3

My New Blog

I am starting a blog about things that make me happy!! I will still keep my Kind Thoughts blog. I hope you will go a take a look!!!

Joyfully in Him

   Diana<3

My Drawing Journal

This is my drawing journal. I mostly draw plants from my garden, or Dads garden!!  I draw the plant and then I write facts about it.  I just want to say that I so so grateful for my art teacher for teaching me how to draw!!

Joyfully in Him,
    Diana<3

The Lake

Wow. That's about all I can say about the wonderful time I had in Wisconsin!! Our family got to enjoy staying in a friends cabin for a weekend. I tell you, I didn't want to leave!! It was so beautiful, that the pictures I took look good even thought they are terrible pictures!! =]

A cookbook Mom found at a gift shop.

 Playing Scrabble in the Living Room.

 The comfy hammock right behind the Tennis court were we had endless games of Tennis!! =]

 The Deer bedroom were Kelle and I stayed.

 The three kayaks!! I love theses!! It was my fist time doing it, and I LOVED it!!! =]

 View of the dock!!

 The front porch of our cabin.

 Aidan saying "coooool"!!

 And being silly!!

 A docked canoe.

 Me rowing. (actually, Kelle was supposed to be rowing, instead she was taking a picture of me!!) =]

 The ice cream place we ate at! I got Oreo ice cream. =]

 This is the note we found when my brother-in-law and my sister left for home!

 The living room.

 Here is me running down the hill on an island Kelle and I canoed to. The island was beautiful. You could see so far when you walked to the top!!

 Me and Kells!!

Joyfully in Him
   Diana<3