Christmas Cards and Cookies

Thanks so much for all the sweet comments on my last post! I definitely feel encouraged and things are definitely starting to look up...I'm still on the job hunt though, so please keep that in your prayers. 

 So I can't believe Christmas is this Saturday!! Where has the time gone??  All  Most of my Christmas cards are in the mail and so I thought I'd share a little sneak peek with you. Our cards were created by Your Memories Captured...

(Had to add "Happy New Year" because I'm not sure if they will be out on time...oops!)

I have been in the mood lately for sweets, it's bad, I know! But luckily I have been able to share them with friends and I keep getting asked for the recipe, so I thought I would put them up on the blog. 

My first go to treat is Red Velvet Cake Balls. I wish I could take credit for this amazing recipe but of course these amazing balls of yummy goodness were introduced to us by the incredibly talented Bakerella. If you haven't visited her site, you must go now!! She is amaze-balls!!

 (pun intended)

Red Velvet Cake Balls 

Recipe Courtesy of Bakerella.com

Red Velvet Cake Balls
1 box red velvet cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
1 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.)
1 package chocolate bark (regular or white chocolate)
wax paper

1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.)
3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50. You can get even more if you use a mini ice cream scooper, but I like to hand roll them.)
4. Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)
5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.
6. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.)

(Side Note- I like using Chocolate Chips instead of bark. It seemed to melt better)

The other sweet treat I have been making is Hot Chocolate Cookies. OMG!! These are delish!! I mean 3 different chocolate chips in one cookie...yes, please!! I found these on one of my favorite recipe blogs, The Girl Who Ate Everything. This blog was doing a special on the 12 Days of Christmas Cookies and was featuring a new type of Christmas Cookie each day. I seriously want to try each one, they all looked so yummy!! Here is the Link to the Cookie recipe on the blog, I've also listed it below...Enjoy!!

Hot Chocolate Cookies

Recipe Courtesy of The Girl Who Ate Everything and Kristan from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

INGREDIENTS:

2 sticks Salted Butter- At Room Temperature 
1 cup White Granulated Sugar  
⅔ cups Packed Light Brown Sugar 
2 whole Large Eggs 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ¼ cups All-purpose Flour 
4 packages (1 Oz. Packets, NOT Sugar-free) or 1/2 cup Hot Chocolate Mix
1 teaspoon salt
1 ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda 
1 cup Each White, Milk, And Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips 
Mini marshmallows, for garnish

Heat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugars until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, hot chocolate mix, salt and baking soda. Add to wet ingredients in 3 to 4 parts, making sure all is incorporated. Fold in chips.  Chill the dough for an hour or so.

Use a 1/4 cup as a scoop to scoop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until edges are golden brown. If you are adding mini marshmallows, I pressed them into the cookies about a minute before I was ready to take them out of the oven. Wait until they puff slightly, and remove the tray to a cooling rack. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan. 

Now, I leave you with our visit to Santa.

 I think it was an epic win...no tears and Bubs actually sat on his lap!! How far we've come in a year!!

He is my Provider

I haven't been around much lately, as you can tell. Things haven't been very good around here and I tend shut down when times get hard. I know that's not the best way to handle a situation but it's how I cope. See Hubs business has been really slow, like no jobs type of slow. It kind of started right after I quit my job (perfect timing, right?) and then just kept trickling off until now, it just stopped. Hubs has been trying like crazy, going out every day looking for jobs but apparently nobody wants to rip their roof off around Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Because of our current financial situation it looks like I may be heading back to work. I struggled with this at first. I was angry and cried a lot! It's just not fair that I only got 6 months with my kids. But after some time I started warm up to the idea, I mean I do miss wearing heels and talking to adults everyday and having someone alone time. So I updated the resume, sent it out to several companies and hoping something turns up.

When the work stopped and I saw our saving acct getting smaller and smaller I started to worry. I'm a worrier by nature, always have been. I let stress overcome me to the point where I get sick. I decided I wasn't going to let that happen this time. I spent a lot of time in prayer and reading God's word and knew my God would provide. Now letting go wasn't the easiest thing for me to do, because I like to be in control but in times like this you have to have Faith! So that's what I'm doing I'm trusting in My God...

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11


It hasn't been easy and there are several times when I have taken 2 steps back but then something like this happens...


Last Sunday after church we decided to get our Christmas Tree. We had brought some cash with us, enough to tithe and purchase our tree. After we picked up the tree Bubs started complaining about being hungry. We only had $20 in our pockets and the hubs suggested we go to the a local mexican restaurant. It's good and cheap but I still wasn't sure we would be able to get out of there for $20. We were pretty wise on what we ordered and I just praying we would have enough to leave the poor waiter a tip. While we were eating a few people at the table next to us kept commenting on how cute Bugs was and played peek-a-boo with her. She of course was as charming as could be and had quickly won over a few more admirers. After we ate it was nearing nap time so Hubs suggested he take the kids to the car while I waited for the bill. I sat and sat and our waiter never came over and then the cashier walked up to me and said our bill has been taken care of and then pointed to the group who had played with Bugs earlier. With tears in my eyes, I went over and thanked them and explained how we weren't sure we would be able to afford this lunch and how much we appreciate it. The man simply said Merry Christmas. 


As I walked to the car the tear flowed, not because I was sad but because this was God showing me...He would Provide!