Family Photo Session Outtakes

The only snow we've had this winter (so far) was right before Thanksgiving... the same day we were scheduled for a family photo session with a local photographer! Unfortunately, we had to cancel our session (and reschedule for after baby #2 arrives in February), but I was determined to get some new photos for our Christmas cards so I rounded up the boys (and the dog) after church the next Sunday and set up my tripod to see what we could capture. Out of about 25 shots taken, we ended up with one that was suitable for the card (with a little editing) and the rest were a hodge-podge. I just kept pressing the remote button and hoping to capture something good... I'd say we got some pretty cute ones. ;)

Best Pumpkin Bread Ever

Fresh out of the oven...

Sometime in October I bought a can of pure pumpkin, thinking I would use it prior to Thanksgiving to create some tasty seasonal treats. Well... that didn't happen. Life just got a little crazy before we traveled to Georgia to visit family for the holiday and, as it turns out, DH doesn't even like most pumpkin-flavored things (what?!?), so it never came to fruition. At least, not until after Thanksgiving. :)

I always love the flavors of  Thanksgiving and pumpkin especially. Pumpkin Spice Lattes, anyone? YUM! So, after returning from nearly a week of home-cooking in Georgia, I needed a little flavor boost. Pumpkin bread sounded perfect. After scouring the internet for recipes and making a few adjustments (I bake like I cook -- nothing is quite exact, I know, I know that's not how it's supposed to work with baking...), here's the recipe that ensued. This makes a deliciously moist and flavorful loaf that almost tastes like cake! It was pretty much gone in less than 48 hours, definitely not enough time to take fancy photos. I think I'll have to go pick up some more canned pumpkin and bake some more!

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 1 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 T pumpkin spice seasoning
• 1 cups sugar
• 3/4 stick butter, softened
• 1 cup 100% pure pumpkin

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a 8 ½” x 4 ½” loaf pan with cooking spray. Combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices in a bowl; use a whisk to mix well and set aside.

In large bowl, beat butter and sugar until just blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until very light and fluffy, a few minutes. Beat in pumpkin. Slowly add in flour mixture, stirring until well combined. Turn batter into prepared pan, dividing evenly, and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.

Delicious when warm, fresh out of the oven, slathered with butter!

Oh, Christmas Tree! December Desktop Calendar

The Christmas Tree is a longstanding tradition of Advent. It is fun to decorate, it smells great and definitely helps most people get in the holiday mood. But every tradition has a story... and this one does, too. Just Google "Christmas tree" and plenty of results will come up. Here's one I dug up today:

The first first person to bring a Christmas Tree into a house, in the way we know it today, may have been the 16th century German preacher Martin Luther. A story is told that, one night before Christmas, he was walking through the forest and looked up to see the stars shining through the tree branches. It was so beautiful, that he went home and told his children that it reminded him of Jesus, who left the stars of heaven to come to earth at Christmas.

Whether it's true or not, I like the imagery and symbolism. Obviously, the evergreen tree is an easy connection to make with the birth of our Lord Jesus who came to give us everlasting life.  Not only that, but the Bible makes several mentions of trees as metaphors: Christ is called the "root of Jesse" (Isaiah 11:10) and the New Testament speaks of Gentiles being adopted into the family of Christ as a branch is grafted to a tree (Romans 11:19). The Christmas Tree -- although it may have begun as a pagan tradition -- is a poignant reminder of these biblical truths and also a great example of how all created things point to the glory of God. Even something as simple and earthy as a fir tree gussied up with silver and gold can remind us of the astounding gift we received in Christ when He came to earth, and foretells the time when we shall have life everlasting and walk on streets of gold with Him.

 With those thoughts in mind, I offer you the final desktop calendars of 2015... double designs for the last month of the year!

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 iPad

iPhone

Illustrations by Freepik