Candy Cane Snowball Cookies

CANDY CANE SNOWBALL COOKIES
2 cups butter, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans
8 ounces white candy coating
1/3 to ½ cup crushed peppermint candy

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter & confectioners’ sugar. Stir in vanilla. Gradually add flour. Stir in pecans. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours or until easy to handle. Roll into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt candy coating; stir until smooth. Dip the tip of each cookie into the candy coating, then into the peppermint candy. Yield: 5 dozen

Christmas Cookies and Treat Plates

We made cookies tonight and then delivered them to a few of our neighbor's, visiting teaching families and another sister in the ward who had recently hurt her leg. We made Chocolate Cookies with Christmas Kisses and Snowball Cookies. While we were rolling up the cookies I told John that they needed to be as small as he could make them....
Now do you wonder why this man makes me giggle??!

Tangled

Since we did not get to see Tangled on Saturday, we jumped at the chance to see it on Monday night for Family Home Evening. We were to meet up with the Heerdink's at the north theater. We headed out a little early to grab a bite to eat. The fog was soooo thick heading up on the north-side freeway that everyone was going about 20 miles an hour and quite happy about it. You could not see anything! We got up to the Wandermere area and tried out a restaurant that Sam's coworker had recommended (Hula Hut Grill). While we were waiting for our meal - who showed up but the coworker who had recommended the restaurant. Guess Jodee really likes it : ) It was tasty and we'd definitely try it again. We got to the theater and then there was a slight snafu. Angela had printed up a coupon for us to get $'s off our ticket, which worked fine for us. She had printed up a coupon for her family to use but it did not work at that theater. It was odd that her coupon was different than mine since she had printed them both and we certainly felt bad that we had already bought our ticket, used the coupon and had no issues. The Heerdink's regrouped and saw that another north side theater was playing the movie, the coupon would work there and they could make the movie that would start in another 30 minutes. So both families enjoyed the movie, just in different theaters... FUN MOVIE! Especially love the horse, Maximus. He definitely was the best character of all. What was really funny during the movie was the group behind us. The female laughed during the film just like my buddy Jessie. We kept turning around thinking the McLaughlin's had gone to the movie theater too. But alas, it was just Jessie's doppelganger voice, if there is such a thing.

Birthday Movie & Lunch & Holiday Pops

Before we headed downtown we had a few errands to run. Figured we had plenty of time since the movie did not start until 11:20. We got downtown and parked close to the restaurant rather than the movie theatre and planned to walk. When we looked at the time (11:15) we figured we'd better walk quickly but ended up sending John running ahead to buy our tickets and we jogged behind (as I had sandals on). We met up with John at the ticket booth (there had been a line) and he ordered Tangled at 11:20. The booth operator repeated the order and we got our tickets and headed to the theatre. When we got right outside the theatre, we noticed #18 was listing The Tourist and not Tangled. The Tourist started at 11:30 and we decided by the time we went downstairs to sort it all out, we would have missed too much of the movie, so we went and saw The Tourist. I'm glad we did as we really enjoyed it (and had planned to see it anyway). After the movie we walked through Riverfront Park to Clinkerdagger's. It happened to be the day that Santa was visiting, so we got our photos taken with Santa. Then we had a delicious lunch and a free birthday Burnt Cream. Yum. After our late lunch we went home to relax until I needed to get ready for the symphony with mom. Tonight was the Holiday Pops which is always a treat and a tradition for mom and me. The concert included numbers with just the Symphony directed by Morihiko Nakahara and numbers with the Spokane Symphony Chorale and the Spokane Area Children's Chorus as well. My favorite number of all was "A Musicological Journey Through the 12 Days of Christmas" by Craig Courtney. I'm going to have to find that recording! Santa came and directed Leroy Anderson's Sleigh Ride and then the traditional audience sing-along concluded the concert. What a great day!

Sam's Birthday

My bosses took me to lunch at the Downriver Grill today to celebrate my birthday. They also gave me these cute holiday elves, a poinsettia and some gift cards as an early Christmas Gift. When I got home from work I opened the gifts that Audrey and John gave me (Beehive dinnerware, exercise pants, LDS Christmas songbook, Trans-Siberian Orchestra CD and a Straight No Chaser CD). My mom had dropped off my gift as well - a Natalie Cole CD. Earlier this week John's mom had taken us all out to eat at the Timber Creek Buffet to celebrate birthdays (Ralph, John, Steve, Sam), so it was definitely a fun celebratory week!

Decorate for the Holidays

Audrey decorated the house for Christmas. She did a great job!

Christmas Letter 2010

Audrey (17): Wow -a Senior this year at West Valley! Looks forward to her 18th birthday in February. Taking video game programming currently and took welding last year. Plans to attend SCC in the summer & then EWU.

John: Just got a new job at Sterling Savings as a Payment Systems Engineer. Also the Webelos Leader in the local scout troop and loves the excuse to be able to play with knifes, tie knots and light fires.

Sam: Has been with Safeway for 24 years and still in the District Office assisting the 2 District Managers for the Eastern WA / Idaho territory. Enjoys playing the organ at church, accompanying the choir, scrapbooking & reading. John & Sam celebrated 22 years of marriage in November.

Sidney (Kitty): 13 years old and still feisty. Made friends with the neighbor cat this year in addition to neighbor dog, Lily.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
Love, The Carters
December 2010