journey of life

1/4 cup molasses
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Mix the molasses, shortening, brown sugar and egg in a bowl, combining well. Mix the flour, salt and baking soda together, add to the first mixture and blend thoroughly. Arrange by teaspoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheets, about one inch apart and bake 6-8 minutes or until crisp and lightly browned.

Spiced Molasses Cookies: Add 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg to the flour mixture.

Recipe courtesy of Fanny Farmer Cookbook.

Notes: I have tried making this with butter, but was unsuccessful.

2 cups self-rising flour
1/3 cup Crisco
3/4 c. buttermilk

Mix Crisco into flour with fork, then hands. Add buttermilk. Stir with fork until almost blended, adding a little more flour or buttermilk if needed. Turn out onto floured surface, knead a couple of times to finish blending. Bake at 425 or 450° F till brown. Makes about 12 biscuits.

Recipe courtesy of Miss Gail.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate. I think egg nog is snotty.
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree? Um, growing up they were both, but I’m pretty big on wrapping gifts.
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White.
4. Do you hang mistletoe? I would if I could find some, but I’ve never really looked. Growing up we always had the fake kind.
5. When do you put your decorations up? This one is being reconsidered. Usually, I don’t like to think about Christmas decorations until December actually begins, but I’m thinking if I’m going to get into decorating, I might decorate sooner. I’m not sure if I’m going to change my mind, though. Let Thanksgiving have the month of November. This year, with the move and all, I’m bah humbugging it.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? I’d have to say my favorite holiday dish is anything my grandmother makes. Macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, broccoli casserole…the list goes on and on. Well, I like most everything but sweet potato casserole.
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Sneaking out of bed in the middle of the night and peeking at my Holly Hobby stove when I was three or four. I also remember spending Christmas with my grandparents when it snowed and my Papa got up on the roof with bells.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I think I found out on the school bus that the Easter bunny was not real and when I confronted my mom about the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy she flat out lied to me. More than anything, I was upset she lied to me, but I now know she was just trying to keep me young for a little bit longer.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? No. But, I like what my my cousins do - you get to open one present Christmas Eve, which is always pajamas.
10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? I’ve only decorated my own tree once. I used popcorn, gingerbread men, cranberries and twine and scrap fabric garland with white lights. I was actually quite pleased with the result.
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love it, as long as I don’t have to drive in it! Fortunately, my husband LOVES to drive in the snow.
12. Can you ice skate? Nope.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? I think the Holly Hobby stove gets the top spot.
14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Not to stress out too much and to enjoy spending time with friends and family.
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Potato candy with peanut butter. My grandmother and I have attempted to perfect this recipe but we never get consistent results. Once I do, I’ll post it. Now, I really am craving some potato candy.
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? I’ve been thinking about this. It’s been somewhat strange over the past few years, since we’ve alternated between families for the holidays. I’m wanting to create some traditions of my own.
17. What tops your tree? Um, what tree? No, really… I don’t have a tree topper.
18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? I enjoy giving more.

    When I find something special AND A SURPRISE for the people I love, giving is truly a joy. I’m big on surprise gifts.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? I’m really digging the Barenaked Ladies version of “We Three Kings/Star of Wonder”.
20. Candy Canes? I don’t go nuts over them.
21. Favorite Christmas Movie? “White Christmas” is a classic. I also consider “The Sound of Music” as a Christmas movie, even though it’s not really a Christmas movie.

I have been packing, organizing and wrapping gifts tonight with the movie Selena playing in the background. I had never watched the movie before tonight, but I knew a little about Selena, so I thought I’d at least keep it on. I thought that since it was on Bravo it couldn’t be terrible. Boy, was I wrong. It was grueling to watch the actors struggle with wording, awkward motions and meaningless dialogue. I’ve seen better made for television movies!

Jib Jab has some of the funniest videos. Here’s their newest one, nuckin’ futs, a year in review.

I am Superman

Superman 80% Wonder Woman 65% Supergirl 55% Robin 50% The Flash 50% Iron Man 40% Spider-Man 35% Green Lantern 35% Hulk 35% Catwoman 25% Batman 20%

I am mild-mannered, good, strong and you love to help others.

…for the holidays!

And what are we doing in preparation for the holidays? Wrapping presents, you say? Nope. We are wrapping up the house so that everything can be neatly moved out of our house and into storage! Doesn’t that sound so much better than baking cookies and drinking eggnog! I know you are tempted! And if you are lucky, you can come help us unwrap everything once we move into a new-to-us home! It will be like Christmas morning all over again! The spirit will last for months to come!

Off to collect the trash and recycling to put out for pickup tomorrow, then next on the list is cleaning out my closet full of clothes and get rid of the ones I haven’t touched since we moved here.

That’s exactly what we are doing. Busting a move. As in, selling the house, packing up and moving.

So, what is prompting this move? Matt is transitioning into a more involved role with his company, requiring him to be in the office on a regular basis. This is an incredibly exciting opportunity for him in his career!

So, the house is in the market and we have received some early activity, which is promising, considering that we are smack dab in the middle of the holiday season. We are marketing the house pretty heavily and have even put together a gallery of house pictures.

We will be keeping you posted as things progress!