Oh Christmas Tree...oh Christmas Tree

We actually put our Christmas tree and decorations up the day after Thanksgiving, but I forgot to post the pictures. The girls both helped decorate the tree and Ashlyn was SO excited to put the star on the top. So of course, Leah had to do it too.

The results are in....

The poll is closed and it was a close vote. 60 percent in favor of a boy and 40 percent in favor of a girl. Well, I had my appointment today and the Doctor says it's a boy. So unless it was a funny shot of the umbilical cord, it looks like we'll be getting a little boy after all. I still have a hard time believing it, but we are really excited. Now to think of a name????

Paula Deen does it again

Okay, so she has a least one stick of butter in everything she makes, but boy oh boy is it good. I've been looking for a great homemade Lemon Bar recipe for a long time. So when I saw her show yesterday, I had to try hers out. They are delicious. SO SO SO much better than the nasty box kind (sorry if you like those. It's probably because you've never had a real good one.) Anyway, here is her recipe. It's super easy. I halved it and made it in an 8x8 glass pan and it worked perfectly.

Crust:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup powdered sugar, plus more for dusting
pinch of salt
2 stick of butter, at room temperature

Filling:
4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
6 tablespoons all purpose flour
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (I used the bottled stuff and they were still yummy)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Make the crust by combining the flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the butter with a fork to make a crumbly mixture. Form into a ball. Press the mixture into a 9x13 inch pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make the filling, mix the eggs, granulated sugar, flour and lemon juice. Pour this over the baked crust and bake for 25 minutes longer. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired, when the bars are done baking.

I'm Grateful for....

X: Xerox Machines (A.K.A.-copy machines). They are such a handy thing to have in your house, especially if you are Mormon and work with kids in Primary. I use ours all the time.
Y: Ok, this one is a stretch for the letter, but Youthful looking skin products. You know...anti aging skin care. The older I get, the more grateful I am for them. Now let's hope they really work in the long run.
Z: Zoo. The girls love going and a membership there is the best deal in LA.

I'm Grateful for....

U:Ultrasounds (I should find out what this little baby is NEXT Monday. HOORAY!!!)
V: Violins (I played for one SHORT year when I was in 5th grade. I always admire people that can play an instrument.)
W: Water parks in the summer time, Wintertime, Winnie the Pooh (I loved him as a kid and my kids love him now), Wet wipes (they are life savers when you have little kids), weddings (particularly my own)

I'm Grateful for....

R: Rain (I miss it. We need it.) It makes everything green and clean and fresh feeling.
S: Seasons. Every season is great for a while. I'm glad they change. Right now I am loving Fall (wish it was a tad bit cooler here though, but hopefully it will be soon.) And See's Candies. Yum yum!!!
T: Thanksgiving Day/Time

I'm Grateful for...

O: Oreo cookies (yum yum), Open space (much desired here in Cali), and Osteen (town where I grew up)
P: Paul (for obvious reasons), Pumpkin patches (because they're a fun way to begin Fall time), Primary (it's my favorite place to be in church), and the piano (even though I can't play. I love listening to piano music)
Q: Quiet. If you have kids, you completely understand how wonderful quiet is. HA HA....