Happy New Year

crafted by Jozef

The Christmas Story ... Merry Christmas

narrated by children in New Zealand

The night before Christmas and Christmas morning

milk and cookies for Santa

Lego is still a big favourite

there's always something to eat, something to wear, something to read and something for fun!

Christmas Cookies and it's snowing outside today!

The view from my kitchen today!

Baking dozens of cookies at Christmas
continues as a North American tradition!

Gingerbread Cookies

Pulse together in a food processor:

1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1/2 cup brown sugar, pinch salt, 1 teaspoon ginger, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and a dash or two of nutmeg.  Pulse in 1/2 cup butter, 2 Tablespoons of molasses and 1 egg.  Chill the dough for 30 minutes and then roll out and bake 10 minutes (until light golden brown).

Growing up in New Zealand my mother often baked ... Traditional Christmas fruit cakes (3-4 per year) including one each for our Birthdays, Belgian biscuits, Anzac biscuits, Afghans, Louise Cake, Ginger crunch, Chocolate coconut slice, Dates loaves, Sultana loaves, Muffins, Melting moments, Kisses, Albert squares with passionfruit icing, Cornflake delights, Date Joys, Cheese cakes ... these are just a few of the goodies that my Mother and my Grandmother baked.

Boo!

Zombi Vampire Bat Costume for Elementary School Age

creating something from items at home;
a vampire/magician cape,
a cut-out heart decorated and stitched to a black shirt,
old black tights to create ears for the bat,
cut out yellow foam eyes with purple pom-pom pupils,
a yellow foam brain (stitched to the side of the hat)

Amazing Autumn in Quebec

on the way home after walking my son to school ...

down by the river with friends

backyard at home