My how time flies...

Busy, busy, busy. I can't believe it's already December! We've had a few changes this year including a new fuzzy addition.
Isn't she beautiful! And funny. And sooooooooooooo helpful. Yeah, helpful...like when we baked Christmas cookies last week. So, this is what happens when puppies are TOO helpful...Puppy jail. And you take down all your furry friends too.
Even with all the extra help, Jaina and I managed to bake up some mighty fine cookies this year. We focused on a number of new recipes and found several "keepers". This is the only chocolate cookie we've made so far and it made a HUGE batch, like 6 dozen.
And they have EVERYTHING in them: chocolate chips, cherries, nuts, sugar, brown sugar...We had to call in the manly re-enforcements just to stir it up! But, oh yum! They are evil-ly good.

I think we finished with 6 different kinds of cookies and a decorated peppermint stick.
At the end of Bake-Out 2009, the last sparkles in the bowl looked like this: Happy day...

While Jaina and I were having girl time in the kitchen, Daddy was playing in the blizzard with the snow dogs. This was Paisley Puppy's first snow. She was definitely channeling her inner Husky.

Here at the Brandstetter's we are ready for a joyous and festive Christmas! We wish you Love, Health and Happiness as we make our way through this the Sweetest of Seasons!
~Beth