why I'm NEVER leaving...NEVER

a surprise....shhhhhh:)

this is going in the mail with this year's Christmas card...I know my aunt wants one, so I thought the best thing to do would be to just surprise her:)  All her grandkiddos, plus I added in her kids' birthstone colors:) 

Genetti (Italian cookie recipe, given to me by an Italian friend!)

Genetti

6eggs

1 cup sugar; 1/2 cup butter ; 1/4 C oil ; 1t anise oil ;4t anise extract;5-6 cups flour;1/8 t salt; 6t baking powder; 350 degrees; 10 minute

Amy Pillizzi

9:51pm

Amy Pillizzi

I mix all dry ingredients and sift. I start with 5 cups of flour. Dough should be dry. In winter I usually only use 5 cups flour summer i use more depends on where you live? The dough comes together nicely in a kitchen aid mixer. The dough is fairy dry like band sturdy. I roll mine into perfect walnut sized balls. the baking powder makes them rise alot. I can usually fit 16 or more on a tray they rise up but don't spread. Make frosting with powdered sugar and a few tablespoons of water. You can add vibrant colors to frosting or just food coloring which is pale.

Don't use olive oil too fruity. Use a plain flavorless oil

I also make them using vanilla extract instead of anise because the kids don't like anise.

Good luck let me know how they turn out? Oh yeah, frosting is like a two day drying project. YOu can also freeze these cookies really well. Just take them out and frost them after they thaw.

just some random shots, on the night of the full moon

A Couple of Shots I "snagged" from my Girls' Littlest Nutcracker Rehearsal

Georgia Gingersnaps Recipe (for my records:)

Gifts and Prayers for Amina

The call went out from a friend I've known since junior high school.  Her six year old cousin recently had a brain tumor removed, in Minnesota, where her family resides.  She is now being transferred to Chicago to undergo chemotherapy.  She also has a younger sister and brother.  This is going to be one tough Christmas for this brave family.  My friend asked for soft "cancer" caps (in pink and purple), gifts, prayers....I created these pieces to help brighten this little girl's day:



Peace, Health, and Joy be with Amina and her family

Letter to Santa!

Littlest Nutcracker 2013 (they performed as Chinese Tea)!

Bravo Beautiful Ballerinas!

never enough decking of the halls for us......here are some of the results of yesterday's Girls' Day Out:

I'm just such a sucker for all these irresistible cute yummy ornies.....adult stuffed animals :D

And last night, I dropped off the girls to their ballet dress rehearsal...and then I got to work...I ran and did a little shopping to punch up our front porch a bit (which I admit still had my little pumpkin and sunflowers sitting there:).  And I raced home and got to work....and then raced back to pick up the girls (I was 1 minute late, but that's ok, they weren't ready to leave :D )....and when we arrived home, they were SO HAPPY!  I heard: 'WOW, THANK YOU MOMMY!!!!!!'  'nuff said:)  See, almost everybody decorates for night time, but what about day time?  I just am so in love with decorations that work for day and night...that's why our lighting (the little we have:) is actually lighted garland.    I always thought that inflatable stuff was kind of oddly vampirish, coming to life at night, but just kind of dead during the day....laying lifeless on the lawn.  So, even if that would make my kiddos happy, I haven't gone that route.  I confess I've always wanted a deer for the front lawn...I saw the one I wanted, years ago, in Wisconsin...and haven't been able to locate one....it was all wood (or wood looking), with a big red bow on...it looked SO rustic and cozy, which is my look and style that I love.  I don't recall if it lit up or not, but during the day it was just so perfect.  Now that was up in the northwoods, in the coastal south, not sure if I still want that:)  Anyway, here are a couple of small tweeks I made that brought big smiles!



see, we're not total Scrooges, or grinches, are we?

Please meet my neighbors, the Grizwolds:

and here is what we (the Grinches), across the street from the Grizwolds, thought we should do:D 

the end :D

it's Friday Fun Day for me and my little ladies!

and boy, did we done good today!

We started out with a brunch at our favorite Friday Fun Day place, and boy did we time it well!  You'll NEVER guess who happened to be dining there!!!!!!

Fairy Girl requested a pony....for real:) 


shhhhhhhh, she's concentrating

goof:)

and then.....there was shopping!  I'm such a sucker for their country store:)  All their yummy rustic Christmas decorations were 40% off.....our tree is looking SO delicious and cozy now!  And the girls are able to decorate the whole tree by themselves now (excluding the lights and the topper:)  I just realized something today though.....for my bridal shower, 13.5 years ago, I had requested a "trim our tree" theme....and we received many beautiful decorations and ornaments....gorgeous glass ornaments......which are safely tucked in a very pretty ornament box, where they've been for 8 years to be precise.....for that is the year baby Fairy girl made her debut, and little Angel was 1.5 .... and well, you see, 1.5 year olds and glass ornaments...not a smart combo.  I have a wonderful memory of carrying baby Fairy Girl in her baby carrier and heading to Steins to come up with a new tree decorating plan, one which has since become a plan I just love love love.....rustic!  We filled in with all sorts of rustic, fabric and wood ornaments, and clip on beautiful red poinsettias....and WOW, next to our fire place and rustically decorated mantel, that is a show-stopper tree!  (a refresher photo, for those who haven't seen enough of my family room yet....like me :D )   I'm sure some day, I'll add the glass ornaments back in as well, though with hardwood flooring, I'm still a bit uneasy with the idea......oh, and the irony here....what is now a kid-proof tree, has suddenly become WAY too tempting for Piper....everyday, he sneaks an ornie off the tree....thankfully there have only been about two casualties in the last three years....I usually catch him in time, and he only does this when we're home;  because that's how golden retrievers are:) the refresher photo, for my viewing pleasure:)

stay tuned.....it's Christmas Performance Weekend!  The girls have their Littlest Nutcracker performance, and I have my holiday concert:)

Christmas Tree Selfies gone bad----variety pack