Halloween Black Cat Cookies

It's been a crazy busy week and since I finally have no really big obligations today I think I'll unwind with some holiday baking! Kristin and I started making these yummy cookies a few years before we went off to college and now it's a tradition that I look forward to each year and nothing is fun in my book until you add something sweet! I just wish I could make them with my lovely sisters....I miss baking with them. Perhaps I can try to peel Jared away from his football to help roll the balls in sugar :) I'm not holding my breath though today is supposed to be epic....BYU is playing TCU! For those who know me best it's impressive that I even know that....it's amazing what you get into when your sweetheart lives and breathes sports.

Here is the website where you can find the yummy recipe:

htttp://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Black-Cat-Cookies

Finally Fall

It's finally fall here in Cali and I'm loving it! I thought it would never come but I think Summer has finally released Chico from its tenacious grasp and we're free to enjoy rain and cool weather again! This wonderful season is my most favorite time year. I love the crispness in the air, the beautiful colors, the pumpkins, the desire for homemade bread and hot chocolate, the sudden craving for ginger cookies, the fact that Christmas is just around the corner!!!! Kristin inspired me to revamp our blog and to at least try to post every now and then...I'm terrible in that department. It's been fun to learn how to add extras to the blog. I still have a lot to learn!

Life is very busy....Jared is in the midst of school, work, and coaching basketball (which he loves) while I'm keeping busy teaching piano lessons and playing for Children's Choir of Chico. The highlight of my days are our walks we've been taking through Bidwell park which stretches on for miles and miles here in Chico. The fall colors are so beautiful! What a wonderful world God has created for us to enjoy!

The little pleasures of life

I went to get the mail the other day fully expecting the typical junk mail and a bill or two when I discovered a cute little card that said:

Someone who thinks a lot of you:

Lisa Martin

requested and paid for a subscription to

Taste of Home on your behalf!

Thank you Lisa for the early Birthday gift and for making my day!! Yes...I know it might sound pathetic but I was really excited. I look forward to pouring over the marvelous creations in this magazine every month and was sad that my subscription was expiring. You are the sweetest sis :) Love you tons!!

Pretend that this post is after the last one

These pictures were supposed to be included in my last post but I somehow deleted them and then couldn't figure out how to put them back where I wanted them so you'll have to use your imagination because of my craziness. Above is Leavenworth in all of its Christmas cheer.
Drum roll....presented here is the Arioso Trio (aka Arita, Jayden, and Janaesha) performing one of their many Christmas masterpieces.

It's hard for me to believe that this is the "little" sister that I used to read bedtime stories to. Where did the time go?

We're Still Alive...

I've decided that I'm a terrible blogger who is way too content to look at other people's creative posts but painfully negligent when it comes to my own. It's a new year though so maybe there is some hope that I can improve...I'm not crossing my fingers though :)

I know Christmas was ages ago but I have a bunch of Christmas photos that I wanted to share. We spent a marvelous Christmas/New Years break in Washington where we enjoyed spending time with lots of family and the beautiful weather. I tried to get my snow fix during those few weeks before we had to come back to Sunny Cali but unfortunately I've was hit with the snow blues when we first came back...at least it's been raining the past few weeks so it kind of feels like winter here. Oh well, it just makes me appreciate home even more. This the view from mom and dad's front yard after one of the many snow storms we had:

The temperatures were quite low for about a week (so low that the guys couldn't even go snow machining to their bitter disappointment) which is a wonderful excuse for lots of cozy time by the fire. Here is Jared taking his turn in hauling wood into the house. Isn't he cute???

Jared's dad was able to come up with us from California the week before Christmas to experience Leavenworth's famous Christmas Lighting festival and absolutely loved it. He loved the thousands of people all gathered together for the countdown to turn on the lights and thought that the town was the perfect place to get into the Christmas spirit. I have to admit that despite the fact that we were freezing and that I've seen the show tons of time it was really fun and beautiful. Sometimes I forget what a unique place I grew up in.

Here we found a fire to warm up by and some friendly tourist took our picture. I love the snowflakes caught in midair all around us :)

Of course I had to show Craig some of the fun shops on main street -one of which is the hat shop which has every hat you could imagine. Jared had a great time modeling various ones for the camera.

We even got to pose with Santa outside of the Danish Bakery

The highlight though was watching/listening to Arita perform with her trio at the Gazebo in the town centre. I felt so sorry for them because it was about 10 degrees outside and they were freezing!!! I don't know how they were even moving their fingers. They had already played for two hours earlier in the day and be this time were really ready to pack up and go home. They sounded wonderful though and were happy for the opportunity.