The kids have officially been on Christmas break for almost four days and boy, oh boy have we been busy. I thought they would just want to be lazy and hang out but I was wrong, they have been going at 110% since they got home on Friday. We have made Christmas cookies, Christmas decorations, and DIY Christmas gifts. They always surprise me with all of their ambition and creative ideas.
The first thing Hannah and Liam wanted to do on Saturday when they got up was make Christmas cookies. I have been busy keeping up with them and work I hadn’t had time to make all the cookies I wanted to so it worked out perfectly. We made traditional sugar cookies and Hannah and Liam decorated them, cranberry and almond shortbread, and Christmas wreaths.
Cranberry and almond shortbread-
Ingredients-
• 1 cup softened butter
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• ½ tsp. almond extract
• 2 cups flour
• ½ cup cranberry jam
• ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
• ¾ tsp. almond extract
• 1 tsp. milk
Instructions-
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
• Mix the butter and white sugar together in a medium bowl and then mix in the ½ tsp. almond extract and flour until the dough is formed. Make about 1 ½ in balls and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Use your thumb to form small indentation and fill with cranberry jam. Bake for about 15-18 minutes and let cool.
• In a bowl mix the confectioners’ sugar, ¾ tsp. almond extract, and milk until smooth and drizzle over the warm cookies.
Christmas Wreaths
Ingredients-
• ½ cup butter
• 30 large marshmallows
• 1 ½ tsp. green food coloring
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 4 cups cornflakes cereal
• 2 tbsp. cinnamon red hot candies, or red M&M’s, or other red candies
Instructions
• In a large saucepan over low heat melt the butter. Add the marshmallows, constantly stir until melted. Remove from heat, immediately add the food coloring, vanilla, and cornflakes and mix.
• Drop heaping tablespoons of mixture on wax paper and form into a wreath shape. Immediately decorate with red candies and allows to cool before removing.
On Monday while my husband was at work the kids made homemade gifts for their grandparents and dad. They painted wooden trays with chalkboard paint and glued photos on them for the grandma’s, painted coffee mugs for the grandpa’s, and made Lego cuff links for dad. All their gifts turned out beautiful. I believe that homemade gifts are the best and mean the most; I know everyone is going to love them.
I can tell already this is going to be a great Christmas break for the kids. I hope they start getting worn out and want to take it easy. :)
Go Green and Stay Keen,
Julie
The first thing Hannah and Liam wanted to do on Saturday when they got up was make Christmas cookies. I have been busy keeping up with them and work I hadn’t had time to make all the cookies I wanted to so it worked out perfectly. We made traditional sugar cookies and Hannah and Liam decorated them, cranberry and almond shortbread, and Christmas wreaths.
Cranberry and almond shortbread-
Ingredients-
• 1 cup softened butter
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• ½ tsp. almond extract
• 2 cups flour
• ½ cup cranberry jam
• ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
• ¾ tsp. almond extract
• 1 tsp. milk
Instructions-
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
• Mix the butter and white sugar together in a medium bowl and then mix in the ½ tsp. almond extract and flour until the dough is formed. Make about 1 ½ in balls and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Use your thumb to form small indentation and fill with cranberry jam. Bake for about 15-18 minutes and let cool.
• In a bowl mix the confectioners’ sugar, ¾ tsp. almond extract, and milk until smooth and drizzle over the warm cookies.
Christmas Wreaths
Ingredients-
• ½ cup butter
• 30 large marshmallows
• 1 ½ tsp. green food coloring
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 4 cups cornflakes cereal
• 2 tbsp. cinnamon red hot candies, or red M&M’s, or other red candies
Instructions
• In a large saucepan over low heat melt the butter. Add the marshmallows, constantly stir until melted. Remove from heat, immediately add the food coloring, vanilla, and cornflakes and mix.
• Drop heaping tablespoons of mixture on wax paper and form into a wreath shape. Immediately decorate with red candies and allows to cool before removing.
On Monday while my husband was at work the kids made homemade gifts for their grandparents and dad. They painted wooden trays with chalkboard paint and glued photos on them for the grandma’s, painted coffee mugs for the grandpa’s, and made Lego cuff links for dad. All their gifts turned out beautiful. I believe that homemade gifts are the best and mean the most; I know everyone is going to love them.
I can tell already this is going to be a great Christmas break for the kids. I hope they start getting worn out and want to take it easy. :)
Go Green and Stay Keen,
Julie
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