Christmas Cookies

Today I made up a batch of sugar cookies (my fav cookie of all time!). To me, it isn't Christmas until we've made sugar cookies.

Here is the recipe:

Sugar Cookie Recipe:

1 1/2 cups organic powdered sugar

1 cup organic Earth Balance vegan butter

1 teaspoon organic vanilla

1 large organic egg

2 1/2 cups rice flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

In a large bowl beat powdered sugar, Earth Balance, vanilla and egg with electric mixer on medium until well blended. Stir in the remaining dry ingredients. Cover tightly (I used saran wrap) and refrigerate at least two hours. 

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Line your cooking tray with parchment paper. 

Divide dough in half. Roll one half out to 1/4 inch thick on parchment paper. (place a sheet of saran wrap over top of dough before rolling out to prevent it from sticking to the rolling pin) Use cookie cutters to cut into desired shapes. Gather scraps into a ball, roll and cut again. Repeat with remaining scraps and second half of dough.  Place cookies on parchment paper on cooking tray. 

Bake for 7-9 minutes or until edges are just turning golden brown. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire cooling rack. 

Xander was LOVING his! We had to sneak a couple before dinner!

So delicious! 

They are gluten free, dairy free and organic. It is nice to be able to have a treat and not feel like I am poisoning my kids! 

Zoo Lights

Tonight we went to the Zoo for their annual Zoo Lights. They line all the walkways with rope lights, cover tons of the bushes in lights, set up moving light displays and have light sculptures all over. It's like a Christmas light factory exploded! I loved it!!

It was 23 degrees outside so it was quite chilly. We double layered the kids under their coats (Xander thought it was hilarious to wear jammie pants under his jeans) and then added jackets, hats and gloves.

We had a great time! Gabriella thought it was fun to be a dragon (what she calls it when her breath looks like steam). Xander had a meltdown in the middle of it so we warmed up in the gift shop before finishing walking through the rest of the zoo. When we went inside the aquarium my glasses fogged up so badly that I had to take them off and carry them for a few minutes to warm them up before I could wear them again! Then we headed home for some popcorn and hot cider (thank you for the packets you sent the kids, Cousin Jessica! ).

Gabriella's "hat hair" was hilarious so we took a picture. Then Xander wanted to have a picture taken too.

Best Christmas Ever!

This Christmas Eve and Christmas were an "enjoy every moment" time for me. Matt and I were so blessed to be able to spend so much time with both of our families and our precious kiddos!

We spent Christmas Eve at home, with our traditional cheese, cracker and meat slices (Matt's favorite memory from being a kid). Then we headed out to look at Christmas lights and sing Christmas songs in the car. 

We got home to find our pressure tank spewing water out and our garage flooded with water. A few phone calls later, my dad, mom and brother Jonathan showed up. The guys spent about 40 minutes fixing our tank with Matt while mom and I hung out inside the warm house with the kids. I am so thankful for helpful friends, family and neighbors!

Mom reading stories to Gabriella. 

We finished up our advent calendar and then off to bed with the kids!

After our late night (Matt and I were up til 1 am), Christmas morning came way too early!!

We got the kids out of their rooms and headed to the livingroom. Gabriella saw her Polly Pockets and yelled, "Pollys!" then crawled up on the couch without touching them. We told her they were her present to have and play with. She was ecstatic and jumped off the couch!

Changing dresses. 

Her Polly Pockets are her "special" toys that she gets to play with on the island so Xander can't reach them. 

Xander loves cars so he was totally into his Little People ramp set. 

Playing so nice together!

Me and my favorite girlie!!

Xander was so excited to find more cars in his stocking!

Gabriella loved her new Dora blanket I made her and crawled right up on the couch to snuggle with it. 

Matt loves his chocolate!

The kids opening their "together" present. 

Matt wanted to give the kids a present to share every year so that they can learn to share and play together. 

Next was time for a bath to try her new roll-on paint for the tub!

We got everyone showered and dressed and then it was off to Gramma and Grampa's house. 

Jonathan had fun bugging everyone with he flash on his camera. 

Me and silly Munch!

Me and my pops!

James got his own tool kit from Gramma and Grampa. He was SO excited about it!

My Gramma and Grampa. 

I feel so blessed that they have always lived so close to us and are such a big part of our lives!!

Xander got a Lego set from cousin Reilly and was LOVING playing with it!

After a nap and a visit from Papa Don (Matt's dad), a bunch of my family came over. I love when we all get together!

Olivia reading books to Gabriella. 

Enjoying some of Aunt Diana's amazing pie!!!!

Gabriella said, "it is BANANA PIE!!!!"

Xander playing with the spinning light toy my mom won in the white elephant game. 

Me and Gramma! I love her!!

James and Gabriella (with some help from Gramma) playing his new Xbox game. 

Ariella was feeling sleepy after all the fun!

Me and my Matt!!

(Matt wanted to take a picture that more accurately showed our size difference)

This was the best, most relaxing Christmas we have had in years! It was such a blessing to be surrounded by so much family and feel so much love. Plus, Gabriella ran around all day yelling, "It's Jesus's birthday!" which made my heart feel so full! 

Cookies and Cousins

Today we celebrated Christmas with Matt's siblings and all their kids. Gabriella was very excited to see all her "friends and cousins"!

On Saturday evening I baked two batches of cookies, shortbread cookies and gingerbread. The shortbread cookies were from a mix (Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Shortbread Cookie Mix). They were TERRIBLE! They held up good but tasted horrible. This is the third time I have made them and I have yet to get them to turn out good. I will never buy them again!

The gingerbread ones however, were amazing!! I used the recipe that my friend Danielle made. You can get it here at Passions Collide. They are gluten free and egg free.

This morning we woke up and it was snowing again! Woo hoo!! Gabriella picked out some snow clothes (one of her gloves was an oven mitt because she couldn't find the other one) and headed out to the back deck. Such a cutie pie!!

I whipped up a batch of sugar cookies and soon it was time to party!

We exchanged family gifts (so much fun!!) and then tried to snag a picture of all the kiddos together. 

Blaizen looks like he is trying to give Joshua a kiss....

And a silly picture!!

Time for cookie decorating!! The kids all went around the island in our kitchen and had a blast with frosting, sprinkles and all kinds of decorations. 

More decorating. 

Gabriella giving her "little dude" a kiss

(she kept calling the gingerbread men "little dudes")

Some of Gabriella's cookies. She had a lot of fun helping me put frosting on and then putting all the candy and sprinkles on by herself. 

Lily decorating her gingerbread man

Jessie getting in on the fun!

It was a fun day. So nice to get all the family together and watch the kids enjoying each other. They get along pretty good for the most part. And it only took me 30 minutes to clean up my kitchen after all the frosting and sprinkles! Below is my Gluten Free and Dairy Free sugar cookie recipe. Feel free to use and re-post, but please reference this blog. 

Sugar Cookie Recipe:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup Earth Balance vegan butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 large egg

2 1/2 cups rice flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

In a large bowl beat powdered sugar, Earth Balance, vanilla and egg with electric mixer on medium until well blended. Stir in the remaining dry ingredients. Cover tightly (I used saran wrap) and refrigerate at least two hours. 

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray (I used Olive Oil). 

Divide dough in half. Roll one half out to 1/4 inch thick on parchment paper. (place a sheet of saran wrap over top of dough before rolling out to prevent it from sticking to the rolling pin) Use cookie cutters to cut into desired shapes. Gather scraps into a ball, roll and cut again. Repeat with remaining scraps and second half of dough.  Place cookies on greased cookie sheet. 

Bake for 7-9 minutes or until edges are just turning golden brown. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire cooling rack. 

*my double batch made two cookie sheets worth of cookies.