Busy Times

Here are a few snapshots from our past two weeks....

I am busy prepping for Abby's 5th birthday party with a candyland theme. There will be lots of candy and fun bright colors!

Gymnastics is going really well. Abby just blends right into her class which is a far cry from earlier in the year when she would cry, throw fits, and refuse to try. Her sweet friends Addison and McKenna are loving gymnastics, too!

Abby brought cookies to a Christmas party last week and took her job of decorating VERY seriously.

We had planned to see Main Street Bethlehem in Burnet Friday night, but it rained all day. So, we had dinner with our friends and then drove through the lights display in nearby Round Rock. It was nice to be warm in the car and see all the lights.

Watching the lights was exhausting!

Wednesday after school I took Abby to get her hair trimmed and we had her ears pierced. We had talked about it numerous times and just did it. She had them pierced at age 1, but an earring fell out, was lost, and the whole closed up quick. So, we waited until she wanted them and did it again. No tears at all. And, among all the sparkly earrings, she chose these simple crosses because "Jesus died on the cross." 

Saturday morning, Abby had breakfast with Santa at the local YMCA. It is our third year and always lots of fun! They do a craft, take a picture, and eat treats with Mrs. Claus.

I just love her Christmas dress this year! It was under $20 on Zulily a few months ago. She'll be wearing it again to church on Sunday and Christmas Eve, plus I am certain it will fit next year!

Our elf Holly has been visiting us each night. One night, she wrote a little note to Abby in candy!

Saturday was Abby Daddy day, so I went to New Braunfels to see my sister and spent the day with Kyleigh. We had fun talking about school, cheerleading, friends, homework and the like. Loved it!

I asked Abby if she wanted to paint her nails red for her Christmas program. She was all excited to have them painted and asked that "they be gold like the bright star when Jesus was born". Girl is rocking the "reason for the season" this year. Thank you church, school, bible study and choir!

One night last week Abby took it upon herself to spray her perfume before bed.... into her right eye. It was awful. She laid down with a wet washcloth on it and eventually let me add some drops. She was super sad and very brave.

We have been baking like crazy. I made over 250 cookies for Marcus' clients and then on Sunday took these pretty cookies to our Sunday school party and cookie contest. They won Prettiest cookies. I think they are quite pretty and tasty, too! 

Hope your busy holiday season is enjoyable, too!

Your Little Birdie

Call me crazy, but I've started a new blog! Journey With The Jenks has really become so much about Abby Lu and our family, that I wanted a girlie place to talk about my favorite things- cooking, crafting, shopping, and entertaining.

I designed it the last few days and did my first post and got a comment before I ever thought it was public! Crazy! I hope my friends and family and friends-to-be enjoy reading it and it gives you ideas. I needed a new creative outlet, maybe you do too!

So, check out my new blog and grab the birdie button and add it to your blog. I need some chickadees to build up my readership! I plan to add recipes, directions for easy craft projects, and ideas to help you decorate your world.

www.yourlittlebirdie.blogspot.com

Relaxing Thanksgiving

Being 36 weeks pregnant at Thanksgiving can make for a very difficult or very relaxing holiday experience. I am very lucky to have had family come over for lunch, bring most of the food, and then leave by naptime!

Dad, Jacque and Midge (Jacque's Mom) joined us about 10:30 Thursday morning and brought turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, cranberries, and broccoli rice casserole. It was cooked, warm and ready to go minus a little carving from the men.

On Wednesday afternoon, I had prepared three easy desserts and prepped the dressing ingredients by pulling everything out and chopping the veggies. Thursday morning, Marcus made the dressing and we popped the rolls in the oven shortly before lunch.

Everyone helped set the table- it was so nice to use our formal dining room in the new house for a holiday meal. It is what you expect to happen in the room. It was enough space for all of us, the side board held the desserts nicely and we could all see the football game on TV!

While lunch preparations were finalized, Midge and I both relaxed talking about the baby, the new house and the latest in her world. Here she is checking out my maternity scrapbook which is almost complete- yea!

Thanks Dad, Jacque, Midge and Marcus for giving me a low stress, super yummy Thanksgiving. I appreciate it!

Candy Corn Treat

Today is a fun day! I love that the weather will be nice and we can see all of the neighborhood kids dressed in their costumes without heavy coats covering them up.

Marcus and I bought lots of candy, so I hope our new neighborhood represents and we give it all away!

In case you are clearance shopping the Halloween aisle this weekend, pick up some cnady corn and salted peanuts. Mix them up and enjoy! The combination tastes like the inside of a Snicker's bar.

Mini Cheesecakes

I have not baked in weeks, likely 22 weeks to be exact! Pregnanct has zapped my desire to do much, including cooking! But last night we had dinner with some friends and I tried out a new recipe for mini cheesecakes. It was easy and yummy!

Ingredients:

24 vanilla wafer cookies
2 packages of cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract
Toppings of your choice

Directions: Preheat oven to 375.
1. Line muffin cups with paper or foil liners.
2. Place a vanilla wafer inside the bottom of each liner.
3. Mix together all other ingredients and fill the 24 liners.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
5. Chill for 2-24 hours.

Top with your favorite cheesecake toppings. I made 12 turtle cheesecakes with chocolate chips, caramel sauce and chopped pecans and 12 with cherry pie filling. Both were yummy!

Favorite Party Dish

I haven't added a recipe to the blog in ages. I must admit, it is because I have not cooked in ages. My dear sweet husband has taken on the task so that I can rest after work.

Since Friday was a holiday and we had parties to attend, I decided to make a healthy dish and we whipped up my favorite special salsa.

Here is the recipe:

6 salmonella free tomatoes (we use Roma)
4 large avacadoes
1 onion (I but this one already chopped)
1 can drained black beans
1 bunch cilantro
juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper

Chop all ingredients and mix well. Chill and serve same day.

You will rarely come home with leftovers!

One Fruit Hammock Coming Up

I am in San Antonio for a work event and our breakfast this morning had the most clever arrangement- a canteloupe hammock. How Cool! If you enlarge the picture, you can see how simple this really is. Come on girls, let do it!

Look for it at a baby shower near you!

Fun with Fondue

Last night we had a girls night at my house with our church group. Everyone brought something to dip into the super easy fondue recipe that Lauren found for me.

Easy Fondue

1 part preium chocolate chips (I used 10 oz. Ghiradelli Bittersweet chocolate)

1 part whipping cream (not the heavy)

Mix and melt.

Not only did the dip everything under the sun in chocolate, including a potato chip Heather!, but we got to scrapbook and make fun cards with the collection of scraps I have. It was fun to entertain in the new house- as expected, everyone stood around the kitchen most of the night. What is it about a kitchen- we had big comfy couchs and chairs in sight and we stood on hard tile all night?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Today was just made for cupcakes! Here are the sweet treats Marcus and I handmade last night for our offices. Luckily, my new C&B cupcake holder helped me transport them in style.

I hope your day is surrounded by people and things you truly love!

Gingerbread Houses

My Mom mentioned to me earlier this week that Kyleigh wanted to decorate a gingerbread house. Since she was spending the night with us Friday night and all day saturday, we went to the store and bought a house on clearance.

I had no idea they were so much work! Marcus used the icing (read glue) to put the houses together and then we had to wait 4 hours. Very hard things for Kyleigh to do.




After the four hours were up, we had our Christmas company here! So, Marcus and Tiffany helped to ice the roof and decorations on the houses for both Kyleigh and Cohen.



Here are the winning masterpieces- House #1 comes to us from Tiffany and Cohen. It appears in this picture that Cohen ate too much of the home's icing (read glue) and the candy.



House #2 comes from a very proud Kyleigh and Uncle Marcus. Checkout the front door complete with a door knob and a nicely decorated sidewalk.

Little Miss Suzy Homemaker

Kyleigh came over to spend the night tonight and help me get ready for our family Christmas celebration tomorrow night. We are expecting 9 people, so we needed to make three pies.

Kyleigh poses in my new apron and our graham cracker crust for the Strawberry Banana yogurt pie.



Kyleigh inspects the Cranberry Orange Cheesecake spinning in the mixer.







This might be my all time favorite picture of Kyleigh. She is proudly showing off the Chocolate Chip Cookie pie we made.

I could not have posed her any better! What a sassy little chic!

Oreo Truffles- Yummy!

I have been to two different parties recently that served Oreo Truffles. They are yummy and tonight I learned they are super easy especially in part to the smart smart people at Williams and Sonoma.

They learned that lots of holiday recipes call for crushed peppermint. Until you have stood in your kitchen with 200 candy canes, a gallon size baggie and a rubber mallet, you don't appreciate the pre-crushed peppermints.

Thank you Williams and Sonoma!


Here is my platter of Oreo Truffles for our church Christmas party tomorrow night. Don't they look fabulous!

Man, I love Christmas!





Here is the recipe in case you have a party to attend too!

Oreo Truffles

1 bag - Oreo Cookies
1 carton - Philly brand Cream Cheese
10 oz. - Almond Bark
Your Choice of Sprinkles

Crush bag of Oreos in chopper. Pour into mixing bowl with cream cheese and blend until evenly dispersed. Roll into 1 inch balls and place on wax paper on cookie sheet. Place in fridge for 10 minutes. Melt almond bark according to package. Dip or spoon bark on Oreo balls. Sprinkle with goodies. Chill for 10 more minutes and enjoy!

NOTE: I used Mint Oreos and White Chocolate Bark with the crused peppermints. I used all Chocolate Oreos and Chocolate Bark and chocolate sprinkles for the darker truffles.

Pumpkin Crunch Cake

I love to bake. I do not love to cook.

To keep me (and Marcus) from weighing a ton, I like to bake for others. I typically take my treats to my office, Marcus' office or to church gatherings. Nothing like a big potluck to present your latest new dessert recipe. Throw in a stick of butter and some nuts and it is a sure winner!

I baked this on Sunday afternoon for my team meeting this afternoon. I think fall is a great time for desserts because the weather cools off and the fluffy sweaters come out! One of my favorite fall sweets is from Josette Hatley, our Sunday School teachers wife. She brought this for breakfast one day last year. For breakfast!!

Here is the recipe for you to try at home:

Pumpkin Crunch Cake

Beat together the following:

14 oz. can pumpkin

12 oz. can evaporated milk

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. ground ginger

1/4 t. cloves

1 t. salt

4 eggs

Pour into a greased 9x13 pan.

Spinkle the following (in order) over pumpkin mix:

1 DRY yellow cake mix (do not add anything to the boxed mix)

1 cup chopped pecans

2 sticks of butter, sliced in 1 inch slices

Bake at 350 for 50 minutes.

WARNING: Your house will smell divine and sampling will have to occur :)