4 months and Showing! (A little)

See?  You can see a little tummy, right? 

Scarves, scarves, and more scarves

Among the more ambitious plans made this holiday season was the decision to make a scarf for everybody I work with.  12 Scarves is a lot of scarves.  One per week, since I started back in September.  Except morning sickness reared its ugly head, and I fell very behind.

But if I've learned one thing, it's that a firm deadline (like Christmas) makes for very focused crocheting!

The Sweet Sound of a Heartbeat

Last week Daniel and I finally were blessed with hearing the heartbeat!  Since we didn't do the traditional 6-week ultrasound, this was the first chance for us to experience anything concrete from the little one inside.  What a relief it was to hear it!

 (You may want to turn down your volume)

(And try not to think of a wild dog when you listen to it... it sort of ruins it.) 

Beautiful Paper and Rockin' Orchestral Carol of the Bells

Paper Source (in Northpark Mall) sells some of the most beautiful paper I've ever seen.  Here's an example:

Isn't it beautiful? My birthday present from Daniel--tickets to see the Trans Siberian Orchestra tomorrow!  I've never seen them, but their version of Carol of the Bells is a must-hear every Christmas season.

Tree bags

Tree bags are such a good idea. It is simply an enormous plastic bag.  I had never heard of them until last year, but surely they've been around a while.  They sell them right beside the live trees.


You put the bag down first (we cut a tree stand-sized hole in ours so that it will slip over the tree stand at the crucial moment.  Then when the tree is dry and crispy at the end of the season, you just pull the bag over the whole thing, preempting the trail of dry, sticky needles that the tree likes to leave as you drag it to the curb. 

Genius.

Christmas treats!

Here are three yummy, yummy Christmas treats that are a hit at any party.
In order of difficulty (from least to most):

1.  Chocolate Pretzel Bites
2.  Chocolate Fudge
3.  Toffee

The Chocolate Pretzel Bites are easy peasy, and kids of most ages could help make them.
Start with square "waffle shaped" pretzels.
Put a chocolate kiss or hug in the center of each one.
Warm them up in the oven at 350 degrees for 1-2 minutes, just until the chocolate is soft.

Push an M&M (or whatever brand of candy-coated chocolate you have) into the center of each one.
Let them cool, and done!  Simple simple.  So yummy though.
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I prefer the recipe on the Marshmellow cream jar when making chocolate fudge.  A good family friend from my childhood always used to bring it to Thanksgiving or Christmas, and it went quickly. Actually, I'm told that Kraft changed the recipe, but this is the original one:

Combine 3 cups sugar, 3/4 cups butter, and 2/3 cups evaporated milk in a heavy 2-1/2 quart saucepan.
Bring to full rolling boil, stirring constantly.  Continue boiling 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring.
Remove from heat, stir in a 12 oz. package semi-sweet chocolate chips till melted.  Add a 7 oz jar Marshmallow creme, 1 cup of chopped nuts (optional), and 1 tsp of vanilla extract, and beat until blended.
Pour into greased 13x9-inch baking pan.  Let cool and cut into 1-inch squares.

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Daniel and I experimented with Toffee when we were first married.  We must have been wildly lucky the first few times we made it, because it came out awesome.  Since then our luck has been so-so, but when it comes out good, it's great.  So try it some time :).  This recipe comes from All Recipes.  

Combine 2 cups butter, 2 cups white sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt in a heavy bottomed sauce pan and cook over medium heat, stirring until the butter is melted.

Allow to come to a boil, and cook until the mixture becomes a dark amber color and the temperature has reached 285 degrees.  Stir occasionally.

Truth be told, when ours started separating like this, I whisked it.  There are sources that say you shouldn't do that, but we did, and it worked to bring the mixture back together. So... go with your gut, I guess. 

 While the toffee is cooking, cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.  As soon as the toffee reaches the proper temperature, pour it onto the prepared baking sheet.

Sprinkle 2 cups of semisweet chocolate chips over the top, and let it set for a minute or two to soften.  Spread the chocolate into a thin, even layer once it is melted.

Sprinkle 1 cup of finely chopped pecans over the chocolate, and press in slightly.  Place the toffee in the refrigerator to chill until set.  Break into pieces, and store in an airtight container.

Happy Holiday Cooking!    

The Easiest Cake Ever

I forgot to take a picture, but if you ever need a super quick, easy cake for anything, this is the recipe for you.  I can't remember where I got it, but I always get compliments on it.  And it's one of the only baked desserts I'll make from a box.

1 Duncan Hines Super Moist Dark Chocolate Cake Mix
1/4 cup oil
4 eggs
1 cup water
1 can of coconut pecan frosting

Grease a bundt pan with Pam Cooking spray, and then coat the pan with a thin layer of granulated sugar.

Beat the eggs and combine all other ingredients until mixed.  Pour into bundt pan and bake at 340 degrees for 1 hour.  Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan, and then transfer to a cooling rack until time to serve.  Awesome when served warm, with milk.

Enjoy!

A Crib and a Dresser

First baby furniture - purchased! Over the weekend Daniel and I picked up these beauties:

I have Craigslist.org to thank for so much of the furniture we have bought over the years.  It's difficult to find an espresso-stained crib used, these days.  I guess most who have them are keeping them.  But find one we did.

These photos are from a website that sells the pieces we bought--because we haven't set up the crib yet.  I mean--I know we won't need them for several more months, but it just feels nice to have them.