Beautiful...

Happy children in Afghanistan who received warm clothes from our soldiers over there!
If you would like to help with this project please do as they need warm clothes, shoes, handmade hats, mittens, scarves, blankets etc for several more months!!

http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/baby-project.html

I had to share that beautiful message this morning from young Logan. He says so much with that phone call, and it is what is in my heart this morning, as I think more about the Savior coming to this earth so long ago. Our Heavenly Father really did send His only begotten Son to this earth. It REALLY happened, and Christ truly is the Son of God.

I hope we will remember that this Christmas morning as we open gifts and share good food and love with our family and friends.

BAKING today!
I am making both of these today after I tidy my living room! I am sorting yarn today and putting a lot of it back in my bins! I keep getting yarn out to start mittens or something and then it sits next to my recliner on the floor! Time to clean up! We have company coming on Saturday and lots of school stuff before then so this will be a quick update.



QUICK Ritz COOKIES
These are a family fave at Christmas.... quick and easy and taste--hmmmmmm, I'll let you judge!

• 1 box Ritz crackers
• peanut butter
• chocolate chips, milk chocolate and a small amount parafin wax
• Colored sprinkles

Spread one side of a ritz cracker with peanut butter, place a 2nd cracker on top to make a 'sandwich'.
Do this with as many crackers as you wish to make cookies. Melt about 2 lbs chocolate, with a handful of chocolate chips, and 1 TBsp of parafin wax (approximate--this hold the chocolate together and is used in most confectionary preparations). I melt my chocolate mixture in the microwave on high for 2 mins--stir after one minute.
Now carefully dip each Ritz 'cookie' in the chocolate and cover completely. Use a fork to lift the cookie out and let it drip off the excess chocolate for a few seconds. Now, place on a cookie sheet covered in waxed paper, and place some sprinkles on top of each cookie. Place the cookie sheet and cookies in the fridge for 15 minutes to set. These are so easy and SO delicious!

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Bev's Kiss Cookies
(NO flour-but this works!)
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 c brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
Hershey kisses candy
Directions:
Roll into 1" balls and indent with thumb. Bake at 300 F for 15 mins or till lightly browned. As soon as you remove them from the oven, add a Hershey's chocolate kiss to the top... it will melt slightly to join. Chill cookies.


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BEV'S 15 minute SNOWFLAKE
Copyright 1999-2003 Beverly A. Qualheim

Make one to include in every Christmas card you mail next Christmas? Plus, after the holidays, you can hang several in your kitchen window, using suction cups and hooks.

Size 8 steel crochet hook
J & P Coats Knit-Cro-Sheen, Number 10 bedspread cotton --1 ball will make several
Or for a larger snowflake - approx 6" diameter use white crochet kitchen cotton

Ch 6, join with a sl st to form ring.
Rnd 1: Ch 3, dc in ring, (ch 2, 2 dc in ring) 5 times; ch 2, join with sl st to top of beg ch-3.
Rnd 2: Sl st in next dc and ch-2 sp, ch 3, dc in same sp, ch 2, 2 dc in same sp- first shell made; ch 1, (in next ch-2 sp make shell of 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc; ch 1) 5 times; join with sl st to top of beg ch-3.
Rnd 3: Sl st in next dc and ch-2 sp, ch 3, work a first shell in same sp; (ch 5, sl st in third ch from hook-picot made; ch 2 shell in ch-2 sp of next shell)5 times; ch 5, sl st in third ch from hook, ch 2; join as before.
Rnd 4: Sl st in next dc and ch-2 sp, ch 3, work a first shell in same sp, *(ch 5, sl st in third ch from hook) 3 times; ch 2, shell in ch-2 sp of next shell. Repeat from *4 times more, ch 2, join. Fasten off.

Stiffen with Fabric stiffener that you can buy at Walmart or any crafts store, or mix equal parts white glue and water. You can dip the snowflake in this mixture, gently squeeze, and then pin to a piece of foam and let dry.

For more patterns! Bev's Christmas at the Cottage

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Lastly, I had to share this photo of a little girl in Afghanistan who is wearing a warm loomed hat our soldiers gave her, likely from one of you! Thanks for all you do! If you would like to help our soldiers help the refugees over in Afghanistan, please read the page linked at the beginning of this blog entry.



Remember to HUG THE ONES YOU LOVE! Families really can be together FOREVER! Love them today.