I could go on and on about these sippy cups.  But the bottom line is this…

They leak. 

…when you're talkin' in your sleep.

Dear Emma,

You talk in your sleep pretty much every night.  Loudly.  Usually between 4 and 5am.  This is soooo going to come in handy when you are a teenager.

Love,

Mommy

I got this recipe from my most excellent friend Sarah, who called it "cheese ball".  Another recipe with a non-exciting name… but at least it tastes exciting.

I get more compliments on this cheese ball than pretty much any food I take to a party.  (It is also on the list of recipes my family makes twice a year… once for Thanksgiving and once for Christmas.)

Cheese Ball

16 oz. (2 packages) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 oz. (1/3 cup grated) Parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp carrots, minced

2 Tbsp celery, minced

2 Tbsp Onion, minced (I've used red and yellow, but not green onions)

1 tsp Horseradish sauce

1/2 cup pecans, chopped (optional… I never use them)

Mix the cream cheese, horseradish sauce and mayo together.  I use a Kitchen-aid stand mixer because this stuff is hard to mix.  Add in Parmesan cheese, carrots, onion and celery and mix some more.  Form into a ball while it is still soft, and let it set in the fridge for a few hours.  I like to serve it with Wheat Thins, but really any crackers would do.  This recipe is big enough to serve as an appetizer to a party of 20 or more. 

Enjoy!

Here is another recipe my family makes twice a year.  Once for Thanksgiving, and once for Christmas.  Before she died, my grandmother was always the one who brought this dish to our family gatherings, and I believe she claimed it as her own recipe… but I found the exact recipe here…

Pistachio Salad

and here…

Watergate Salad

(My grandmother was NOT a fan of the name "green stuff" but that is just what my family calls it… no matter how many times we've tried to change the name.)

Wow, that doesn't look good, does it?  Well, it really does TASTE good… I promise.

Green Stuff

1 can Crushed Pineapple, with juice

2 small boxes Instant Pistachio Pudding (most recipes call for one box of pudding but we like it better with two)

1 large container Cool Whip Light

1/2 bag of Miniature Marshmallows

Mix the crushed pineapple and it's juice with the instant pistachio pudding until it is well blended.  Add in the Cool Whip and mix well.  Then add the miniature marshmallows last and stir gently.

Enjoy!

These are my three favorite children's Christmas books.  I can read them over and over and so far have not gotten tired of them. The words are beautiful and the illustrations are amazing.

This is the Stable by Cynthia Cotten, Illustrated by Delana Bettoli

This book is my all time favorite children's Christmas book!  The illustrations are so beautiful and have so many details I almost stop reading just to look at them… and the words are almost like a poem. 

Bear Stays Up for Christmas by Karma Wilson, Illustrated by Jane Chapman

My friend Shanell sent this book to my daughters and it is delightful.  The descriptions of the animals having a party in Bear's lair are so fun you wish you were at the party too.

Room for a Little One by Martin Waddell, Illustrated by Jason Cockcroft

We just bought this book this year, but I can tell it will be a favorite every year.  The Ox invites all the animals (and eventually Baby Jesus) into the stable one by one because "There's always room for a little one here."  So, so touching.

What are you good at doing?     Round offs and Cartwheels
If you had ten dollars, how would you spend it?      A Barbie doll
What are you afraid of?     Scary books
Who are your friends?      Brenda, Felicity, Genesis and Trinity
What is important to you?     My friends
What is your favorite book?     Tell Me Something Happy Before I Go to Sleep
What is your favorite food?     Chicken
What is your favorite thing about school?     Playing with my friends
What is your favorite thing to do?     Dancing
How do you show your family you love them?       By being obedient.
What do you want to be when you grow up?     Veterinarian
Why?    Because I like animals.
What are you thankful for?     My family
Tell me something about God.     He made us. He loves us.

*All answers by Tessa*

Bakerella posted a recipe for Perfectly Peanutty Peanut Butter Cookies back in August.   (You should go check out her pictures… they are so much nicer than mine.)

I made them on Labor Day weekend and I can verify, these cookies are amazing!  They are so easy to make, too!

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
4 oz. Baker's semi-sweet chocolate, melted  (I used chocolate chips, but I'd go with what Bakerella recommends since she is the baking guru)
1/2 cup finely chopped peanuts

Preheat oven to 325. Mix peanut butter, sugar and egg until well blended.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Remove and roll mixture into 18 balls.

Place on ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart.

Flatten each ball by using a fork to make a criss-cross pattern.  (Tessa had so much fun doing this!)

Bake 18-20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheet and then cool completely on a wire rack.  (Really make sure they are cool or you'll be sorry.)

Melt chocolate.  I melted it in the microwave… but I'm not saying that is the best way.

Dip one end of cookie into melted chocolate and then dip into chopped peanuts. Repeat with other side.

Let the cookies cool on wax paper.

P.S.  You know that peanut butter at the very bottom of the peanut butter jar that is kind of dry and chalky?  Yeah, don't use that.  Not that I used it the second time I made these cookies to see if it would work, because I would not do that.  *ahem* 

*****If I were going to break my diet, which I certainly am not going to do, I would make this recipe for chocolate chip cookie brownies I found at Bakerella*****

Dear Peanut Gallery,

If you are not going to eat the salad, Daddy and I do not need your opinion on the salad.

Mmmmmkay?

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

Rianna and Tessa… cousins and best friends.

(Picture taken by my sister-in-law Marj)