white chocolate cranberry bars

If you ever get tired of making desserts with chocolate (is that possible?), this is a nice alternative. And yes, it is white chocolate, but I think I read somewhere that it's not even really chocolate. Anyway, it's really easy and supposedly freezes well.

1 c. margarine, softened
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. baking powder
12-oz. pkg. white choc. chips
6 oz. pkg. craisins (dried cranberries)
1 c. coarsely chopped macadamia nuts (or other nut) -optional

1. Combine margarine, sugar, and brown sugar and beat in mixer on medium until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well.
2. Combine flour and baking powder. Gradually add to mixture. Stir in white choc. chips and craisins (and nuts).
3. Spread dough evenly in greased 15x10x1 baking pan.
4. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, or until light golden brown. (*note: I use a 9x13 pan and bake for about 10-12 mins. longer).

thanksgiving recap

We had a great time in Greer, SC, with Mark's parents and my parents and some of Meg's cousins came on Thanksgiving Day. I never knew it was possible to be so calm in the kitchen on Thanksgiving as my MIL Nancy. I marveled at how relaxed and organized she seemed and she said it just happens after you have been doing it for decades! And she even had time to give me lessons on making gravy and stuffing (have never made either one).

Meg learned how to say "Mike" and "Nancy" (we need to work on the "grandpa" and "grandma" part) and loved all the attention she got! Mark and I got to have a lunch & movie date without Meg, which was a long time coming.

anna!

We had a fantastic Thanksgiving in South Carolina with Mark's parents. My pictures are terrible but I will post a few tomorrow anyway. In other extremely exciting news, we got to meet our new niece Anna yesterday! She was adopted from Moldova (need a map? click here) and came to her new home on Thanksgiving day. Awesome timing! We are so thankful for her. This video clip is her looking into the video screen and seeing herself. She is 2 years old, doesn't speak English yet, but can completely communicate like most kids her age through play and other actions (like hugging!).

baby shower

I got to help host a baby shower today for my sweet friend Caroline. The food was amazing (I didn't make it) and my favorite was the acorn-shaped pumpkin bread filled with pumpkin butter and cream cheese! Mmm....my pregnant self loved it!

I had been wanting to figure out how to print stickers on my computer for a long time and finally I realized you could find the right size label paper and make the template on Word, then print them out and use them as stickers. I stuck these on bags with cookies as favors.

camellia

How have I not noticed there are 3 big beautiful camellia bushes in our front yard? They have started blooming this week and I swear I have never noticed them the past two years I've lived here! Could it be that they didn't bloom for 2 years? Or could it be that I am not observant? (Probably the latter.)

grace

Happy 6th Birthday, Amazing Grace! You are a fearless soccer player, a voracious book reader, and an awesome niece! I love you!!

bun in the oven!

I had a doctor's appointment this morning and I can officially share our good news that Webb Baby #2 is on the way! Everything is healthy and going well, thankfully. I don't have a scanner or I would have posted a picture of the ultrasound, so instead I found this funny costume! Too bad Halloween is over...maybe I would have attempted to recreate it.