Cookie Decorating 12.22.2009

A couple of days before the planned decorating, we baked the cookies

Carson's favorite part...coloring the icing.



The "before the event" photo...pretty, huh?





Michael Hansen and Carson.

The "after the event" photo. I love it!

Special Gift from Granny 12.21.2009

My grandmother sent me an email and told me that she had put a package in the mail to me and when it arrive, I could open it (yahoo!). It arrived today and in it was a beautiful apron along with this note from Granny:

"Brooke,

I know you remember the e-mail on aprons and you haring your memories of aprons. After that I decided I wanted to find you an apron from the past. After looking for a while, I found this one that was made by Nana years ago. I know she used it before it came to me. I remember using it on a number of Christmas days.

It looks used and has some stains, but I wanted you to have it, maybe not to use, but you could hang it in your kitchen for Christmas. Think of the stains as turkey gravy stains, from those many Christmas Dinners our family has shared.

I hope you have a w0nderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

With much love and memories, Granny, Christmas 2009"

10//18/2009 Baking Bug

I got the baking bug on Sunday and decided to try some new things! My friend Kriste had posted a recipe on her blog a while back for "indestructible bread" and I've been wanting to try it for a long time. I finally gave it a try and it was delicious! Carson loves baking and helping in the kitchen so he loved making bread.

Carson's loaf on the left; mine on the right. I think he did a good job of rolling it out, especially since it was his first time.

I then decided to make an apple pie. Our neighbors had given us some fresh apples off of their tree and they looked perfect for an apple pie. Only problem was that I didn't have any pie crusts, so I decided to make my own crust. I was really intimidated, but I figured, if I put the ingredients together and it makes a dough, it should work, right? So, I gave it a try and it actually worked! I was quite proud and it was quite delicious!

I make such a mess when baking!

More mess!

And yet more...

After baking...a little blurry, but oh, so delicious!