A Cookie Cutter Diva's Life

Every year we have a big annual mayors tree lighting with a parade, Christmas bazaar, entertainment, food, and more that I am very very fortunate to have been asked to be a part of and help run a portion of it for the city! I absolutely love getting to be a part and not just attend it but feel like I am part of the community and participate and try to hop on opportunities like that when I can to be more involved and learn more about the city we currently live in and make it our home while we are here!
Last year it was really cold and got down to 11 degrees and effected our turn out but there was still a decent one. This year it got bumped up a few weeks earlier to hopefully help some with the weather and the turn out to be like it was many years before and thankfully it wasn't that cold but it almost got a little ruined from rain! I think it scared a few people off but thankfully not to many and it was only light showers and stayed out of our covered area so we were able to still enjoy our festive night! A few pictures of the kiddos I got that night! One was missing from the santa picture because my husband wasn't feeling to great and had to go home and I couldn't handle running things while watching the youngest so she wasn't there at that point but I got most of my kids haha

our newest member of the family! I am so NOT a cat person but I got talked into getting one finally and I can't help but say I kinda like it lol

Tried this for dinner tonight! It was a big hit and everyone liked it! Which is always great because I have one super picky eater due to sensory issues and my husband is a pretty plain guy that wants basic things only but I like a variety!
For the teriyaki sauce mix all of the ingredients below together and heat on low while the chicken is cooking.
3tbs brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2tsp sesame seed oil
1tsp corn starch
1tsp ground ginger
1tsp garlic powder
2tbs water


Pour over chicken when done and mix. Add vegetables of choice. Serve over white rice.

This is my absolutely FAVORITE cookie recipe!!! I lose control when eating these and have NO will power! And I don't even like anything cherry normally!

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons maraschino cherry juice
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherry
48 Hershey cherry cordial chocolate kisses


Preheat oven to 325. Mix first 5 ingredients together then gradually add the flour. Add chopped cherries last and bake for 8-10 minutes.
Top with a hersheys kiss about a minute after taking out of the oven. Let cool.

Lots of fun this weekend! The girls got to go visit Santa while he was visiting to help Wreaths of America! I was a little afraid of how the pictures would turn out because that morning they had a playdate and didn't know we were going to see Santa and they did make overs with out asking and their faces were a bit stained lol Also the oldest had her dress on backwards and I didn't notice til later on at the store! But they turned out pretty cute! Even if they didn't turn out I was okay with that because they got to see santa and help a good cause! The boys were not present because they were both gone but at this age I take what I can get haha
Their Nana (my mom) made their beautiful Olaf dresses for Christmas! She is so talented! I didn't get that talent unfortunately!



We also got to enjoy our first snow of the season this weekend! The kids were so excited and ran straight outside! My youngest woke up and said "Mom! It's white outside! Your car is all white!!!"



This week the preschooler is learning about the letter J! Practicing her writing and learning about animals! She made a fun animal mobile out of cut outs of her favorite animals in a magazine. She's also practicing figuring out the biggest and smallest and counting out objects.
The 2nd grader got on to me today because she said we didn't have a flag in our room to say the Pledge of Allegiance to every morning! Last time we homeschooled a year ago we had an actual classroom set up and had a flag as well. Well this time since just started out again we have been doing it at the kitchen table and I'm debating a classroom because the table works fine for the two of them and we don't have an extra room like a loft room like we did the last time. But she was right! I didn't have a flag and she put me in my place and made one and hung it up!



She was learning about life cycles today and apparently she was in deep thought about the chickens life cycle when labeling it.



She read Smart by Shel Silverstein. A really good poem about money and did some work sheets on rather he wound up with more money, why he traded, why his dad was mad, etc.

Smart

My dad gave me one dollar bill
‘Cause I’m his smartest son,
And I swapped it for two shiny quarters
‘Cause two is more than one!
And then I took the quarters
And traded them to Lou
For three dimes—I guess he don’t know
That three is more than two!
Just then, along came old blind Bates
And just ‘cause he can’t see
He gave me four nickels for my three dimes,
And four is more than three!
And I took the nickels to Hiram Coombs
Down at the seed-feed store,
And the fool gave me five pennies for them,
And five is more than four!
And then I went and showed my dad,
And he got red in the cheeks
And closed his eyes and shook his head---
Too proud of me to speak!

We finished up learning about the letter I yesterday with some tracing and coloring of the letter I for preschool. Brooklyn finished up week reading some more about Hinduism, learning about harmful and non harmful animals, and read Mercy Watson.

For scripture this week the girls read Matthew Chapters 2-4.



For art yesterday the girls wanted to paint bird houses! And then for Parent's Night Out at my house we started getting ready for Thanksgiving and did finger print turkeys! I love to watch how different each kids is when they are done!

I made potato soup tonight for dinner since my husband was gone for a wrestling tournament and he's not to big on soup.
6 regular potatoes diced
2 cans chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
2 cups milk
1tsp onion salt
Salt
Pepper
Shredded cheese
I cooked the first two ingredients in the crock pot on low for 4-5hrs. The last half hour I added the remaining ingredients except for the cheese. salt to pepper to taste! Topped with cheese before serving!
It turned out pretty good but I think I would like it a bit creamier!