4th of July Decorating

Today I made a little decoration for the 4th with the kids. My daughter was so excited and proud to hang them up. Nothing too special. Just made some lanterns (they are supposed to look like fireworks exploding) and stars from paper I had laying around. Add some ribbon and you're in business. We really love decorating for holidays. The kids love helping with all the different projects!
It's so fun to bond with them and teach them about what traditions we have and what the day is about. I was telling my daughter that the 4th of July is about our country's freedom, but she couldn't get passed the fireworks. So if you ask her what it's about she'll say fireworks. But hey, as a kid, isn't that what it's about?
I know as she grows she'll come to really understand, and be proud to be an American and for our freedom. For now I'm glad that she's proud of her lantern, because I love to see that girl smile!

Easy Office or Neighbor Gift

You know those gingersnaps I gave you the recipe for yesterday? I made them AGAIN along with some chocolate mint cookies for my DH to give to the guys at his office. Of course I had to wrap them.
So here's what I did. I took some old containers that I've had lying around waiting for a project just like this. (Tell me that I'm not the only one who saves stuff like this! You know what works REALLY well that I wish I saved, is baby formula containers.)
Anyhow, grab some glue and scrapbook paper too.

I covered them and then put wax paper inside. You can use tissue paper, but I think with cookie the waxpaper works nicely.


Fill them up with cookies. (Crystal lite containers are the perfect size for these!)

Then I just wrapped them with ribbon and extra ornaments I had.

Hope they enjoy them!

Brownies in a Bag

A gal I visit teach had her first baby this past weekend. We went to go see her and got to hold her infant. Let me tell you, she is such a doll. 5lbs 9oz when she was born, she's a little smaller than that right now.

None of my kids were that small.


Mama is craving chocolate like no other, so I made her a batch of my best homemade brownies and wrapped them up. This recipe was given to me by my husband's Aunt Kathy. They are SO good.

Here's the recipe:

Fudge Brownies

2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Butter
1 1/4 tsp. Vanilla
4 Eggs
2/3 Cup Cocoa
1 tsp. Baking Powder
2 Cups Flour
1/2 tsp. Salt

1. Cream together sugar, eggs, butter and vanilla.
   
2. Add dry ingredients.
   
3. Mix together.
   
4. Bake in a 9 by 13 pan for 20-25 mins at 350.

For fudgier brownies, melt the butter and stir in cocoa with the melted butter.

You Don't Start Celebrating Halloween on Oct. 1st?

Neither do I. We actually started decorating on Sept 29th this year.