A Wee Bit of Holiday Baking Prep Because...

every little bit of effort in the prep department goes a long way! I quadrupled this recipe and froze the dough :) today so it will be a quick fix to pull out to make into cute gingerbread men for our family baking day next month.

Gingerbread Men Cookies Recipe

I found the recipe from "Taste of Home," it had a five star rating and all good reviews so I'm keeping my fingers crossed it's a keeper. I had a different good recipe for our sleds and ginger bread homes we've made in the past years but this one looked better or tastier for the gingerbread men so we will see.

ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup molasses
1 Eggland's Best Egg
2 tablespoons water
2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon each ground cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice

Directions

In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the molasses, egg and water. Combine the flour, ginger, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Divide dough in half. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until easy to handle.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion of dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 4-in. cookie cutter. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Reroll scraps.
Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until edges are firm. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Decorate as desired. Yield:about 2 dozen.

After making four batches of this recipe, I divided them into eight little logs to freeze for Christmas time. All ready to make into Gingerbread men!

11/19/2013

SUPER SEVEN

November 15, 2013

For Josh's birthday this year, we surprised him when he came home from school last Friday to a decorated home/ Veterans Day Patriotic Theme Style (since he was born there abouts) and invited the Jackson side of the fam over to celebrate Josh's b day with us. We had a festive ham, potatoes, rolls and the works family dinner and enjoyed celebrating Josh and him turning SEVEN years old already! The kids always love getting together with grandpa, grandma and their cousin, aunts and uncles so it was an easy fix for a Happy Birthday celebration!

Blowing out all seven candles in one big wish breathe!

For dessert, I had made up pumpkin, apple and french silk pies to go with the ham dinner theme and an easy donut cake for Josh as our "donut man," then the red, white and blue patriotic popsicles for the ones with gluten sensitivities in the extended fam.

Josh scored in the money department this year thanks to family near and far so this turtle bank that we found on clearance to match his ginormous turtle pillow pet was a good fix to keep his money safe and sound.

Thanks everyone for making Josh's day a special one full of fun time memories! Watch out on the rode, Josh is out on the prowl! Josh has wanted this jeep for quite some time. It was his lucky day and his wishes came true, his fav colors these days are orange and blue so he was pretty excited about his new ride. Happy, happy Josh...we love you bud!

The Sumner Ward Primary Bunch

November 10, 2013

ThE SuMnEr WaRd PrImArY BuNcH

"I am a Child of God," Primary Theme 2013

Seriously, the CUTEST kids around! We had our ward's primary program last Sunday, so pleased with all of our children- they all did such a FABULOUS job with all of their speaking parts and music!!! Could not have been happier with every single one of their little selves...the BEST PRIMARY!

Here's the larger format with our own kids that are in primary this year. Ellie, Bailee (who stayed over Veterans Day weekend and got to be in our ward's program to fill in for one of our primary children who had recently moved) and Josh.

Then Spencer and Brooklynne. We took all of the kids photos for the New Year's primary bulletin board, the week of the primary program always seems to be our best bet to get the best turn out for the kiddos with them looking their best for picture time.