By popular demand.....

Well, at least one blogger and lots of friends. :-)

This is the recipe for one of my family's favorite Christmas treats.  There are cookie wars ever year over them, like serious threats made and everything.  We've had that at Christmas for as long as I can remember and Great Aunt Thelma passed the baking torch to me.  I made them early this year and surprised the family at Tday since I'm getting ready to blow this joint for the holidays.

I would love to post a picture but we ate them all.  Not a good idea when you want to stay fitting in the formal gown you need to wear in the next couple of weeks! *oopsie*   Envision little frosted toasty light brown balls of sugary buttery frosting goodness.

Without further adieu.....

Brown Sugar Butter Cookies

A single batch of cookies w/ double batch of frosting (that's the rules!) is a lot of cookies.  For a quick batch we do a 1/2 batch cookies and single of the frosting.

2C Butter
2C Brown Sugar
8T Milk
1t vanilla
6C flour
2t salt

Preheat oven 375

Sift flour and salt
In a separate bowl work butter until soft add sugar  and mix until smooth
Add vanilla and dry mixture... mix thoroughly
Add milk & mix

Scoop aprox 1T of dough and roll into a ball, place on cookie sheet aprox 2" apart.  I pat each cookie to slightly flatten (they cook more evenly IMHO).

Bake for 11-13 minutes - cookies should appear dry
Move to a rack to cool

Brown Butter Icing
1/2 C butter
2C powdered sugar
1/2t vanilla
2-3T boiling water

Brown butter in a sauce pan until light brown
pour over brown sugar & mix
Add vanilla and boiling water mix until smooth
If the frosting starts to set, add a little boiling water to soften

Frost and enjoy!

Snow Day & confused feelers

Snow day!   I'll take advantage to organize at home and get some baking done.  Sweet, I needed and extra day or two.

He's all the way out.  No more in transit... boots on the non-sandy ground!

I am thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis close to single digits before departure.

I'm scared.  Excited but that nervous kind of scared.

I don't even know how to describe this, but it felt kind of odd talking to him under normal conditions.  Did he really just say he's going to go meet up with friends for dinner after he runs a few errands?    I'm confused by the selfishy jealousy feelings I'm having.  I couldn't be more incredibly happy he is out of there... but wait.... you aren't just sitting waiting to talk to me some more?  You have options other than me?     Gezus, get over yourself girl.    You will be there soon enough.  I feel bad I couldn't be there to welcome him home into my arms.  I'm stalking facebook for them to post the video.

I don't really understand some of these feelings.

It's not all circus acts and happy traveling rainbows

Three weeks.  That's about all I have left until I jump in feet first.

I've been distracted with planning and trying to get organized for my upcoming trip as well as the holidays and all the other stuff going on between now and D-day.     My head has been in la la land.  I've been doing really well personally; reaching some fitness and health goals which I never imagined myself doing, I've kicked the grief cycles evil ass, and I've been doing pretty well living in the present .... until....

what if....
It has pretty much been sunshine and rainbows and really cool, but I'm starting to "what if" and over think.  Am I being realistic? Do have too many expectations? Shit. Over a year worth of relationship (ups and downs) all over the phone and computer. It's been going so well, the last couple of months have been great. He really has been doing everything he can given the circumstances to make sure he shows that he really wants this and is serious. He listened to me, he's putting talk into action. *blink blink* Wholly hell. I got what I asked for..... *blink blink* What is it going to be like to be together again? I am so excited and my heart is just aching to get there... but. but. but what if..... and that's what sets off my mini anxiety. I don't want to create anxiety over events that haven't or may not even happen. That is deadly and it results in annoying behavior on my part. But I don't want to go too far the other direction either. I want to be realistic.

OK, back to shiny happy things.... distraction techniques....keeping busy until it's time for me to take off and then just go with the flow.  Yes.  That is what I'm going to do. Really... really I am.  I mean, how do I not keep distracted when I have accessories to buy, dinner parties to plan, cookies to bake, a holiday with the fam.... easy peasy. (shit, it's like a 9 hour flight with nothing to do but think) 

Running away to the circus...

Warning to parents, it's easier for you kids to do than you think. (any given day this may be a good thing?)

No seriously. This is me... for real.  I tried to post a video but I think it was too large.

 

Hell yeah it was fun.  A little scary but I've kind of been in to getting over my fears and just jumping into things lately. Too bad relationship don't have all that safety equipment!

 

TICK TOCK.... TICK TOCK.... time flies when you have a lot of shit to get done

OMG  I have less than 30 days from leaving for my one woman homecoming ceremony.  Where did the time go?

evening dress... check
winter clothes...check
suits & summer clothes.....check

 

christmas gifts..... so very close to check

to do.... primping!  cut & color, waxing, buffing, polishing, manicuring....