Eggnog Cutout Cookies

Ingredients:


1 Cup softened butter
1 Cup sugar
1 egg
2 Tbsp whipping cream or milk
1 tsp rum extract
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/1 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Directions:
Cream the butter and sugar at medium speed.

Add egg, whipping cream (or milk), rum extract, and vanilla. Continue beating until well mixed.

Reduce speed to low. Add remaining ingredients and beat until incorporated.

Divide the dough and shape into two balls. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until the dough is firm (2-3 hours or overnight).

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Roll each dough ball in between two sheets of parchment paper. Cut them into desired shapes and place 1 inch apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. They don’t really rise or spread much, so don’t get too stressed about spacing.

Bake them for 8-10 minutes until the edges are lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack and frost with your favorite frosting.

We make these cookies every year for Christmas! They are so delicious, and we often eat them before we get the chance to frost them! When do frost cookies, we make a homemade frosting. I would share a recipe, but it’s usually a bunch of powdered sugar, a little milk, vanilla extract, and some palm shortening. You can also add a little rum extract for the frosting on these. I just play around until it’s the consistency that I like.

Here are my favorite baking kitchen supplies:
Kitchen Aid (love for cookies)
NutriMill (love for bread)
Baking Sheet
Parchment Paper

Festivity

Our town has started a tree-lighting ceremony before the parade. The kids got gift bags, made crafts, and wrote Christmas cards for people in the local nursing homes. It was so much fun!

This month has flown by at lightening speed because of so many obligations. Now that programs and events are over, I’m hoping things will slow down and we can actually ENJOY the rest of the month. Here’s to hoping for a few weeks of rest.

We had a beautiful snow storm last night that kept us home from church. We baked Christmas cookies and watched The Grinch while the snow fell outside. We were going to bake a lot of cookies to give to friends, but two of the three kids have TERRIBLE colds that sound like they may be turning into something worse. So, we made a batch of no-bakes and some eggnog cutout cookies. I’ll share the eggnog cookie recipe soon because they are good!

This is our last week of school before Christmas break, and I may be more excited than the kids. Scott and I are getting no sleep with Harper being so miserable and awake all night. We’re so tired, and I’ll be glad to turn on Christmas movies every day and relax. Scott even took some time off, and I can’t wait to get time together as a family!!!

We woke up this morning to a beautiful winter wonderland. I hope that wherever you are, you are able to slow down and enjoy the season– even if it includes snow. It sure is beautiful.

Setting Intention and January’s Book Club Announcement

Swedish Anglaspel

Several years ago, I won a big giveaway with Sarah Mae. One of the prizes was Ann Voskamp’s Unwrapping the Greatest Gift book. (Also, the adult version was a prize and is so good.) The girls and I have been reading each day’s devotion in the morning. It has been a great way to set an intention for the day. It has given the kids something to chew on through the day, and also gives them a task to complete. If you have children, I highly recommend getting Unwrapping the Greatest Gift and doing it each year with your children.

I’ve been thinking a lot about intention. I want to be an intentional wife and mother. I want to be intentional in what I bring to the table in all that I do. I believe that deep down, we all do. I want all that I do to glorify Christ, and that starts with being intentional. I want to slow down and enjoy it all. To study your Bible each day, it takes being intentional with your time. It’s easy to say “not today” and skip it.

I asked a couple weeks ago if anyone would be interested in doing a book club with me. I’m going to try it out for the month of January and see how it goes. Along with the theme of intention, I was very intentional with my January book choice. January’s book is going to be The Life Giving Home by Sally and Sarah Clarkson. Request your copy from the library or purchase your own so you can highlight and make notes.

“There is good news waiting for you in the pages of The Lifegiving Home. Every day of your family’s life can be as special and important to you as it already is to God. In this unique book designed to help your family enjoy and celebrate every month of the year together, you’ll discover the secrets of a life-giving home from a mother who created one and her daughter who was raised in it: popular authors Sally and Sarah Clarkson. Together they offer a rich treasure of wise advice, spiritual principles, and practical suggestions. You’ll embark on a new path to creating special memories for your children; establishing home-building and God-centered traditions; and cultivating an environment in which your family will flourish.”

Not every month will be a non-fiction book, but I think this is a great choice to start the year. Even if you have already read it, I would love for you to discuss along with us! Please do so in the blog comments so that others can join in– versus on the facebook post where they get lost. If you have a book suggestion, please share!

**Sally also has a book called Unwrapping Wonder coming out in August of 2020. You can pre-order it now.

Relax – Regroup – Recharge

I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com) to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.

This package was one of the most exciting ones that I’ve received this year!

Raise your hand if you have been curious about CBD oil. Great! If you want more information about what CBD is, you can go here.

I had been so intrigued by it after hearing so many success stories. I suffer from HORRIBLE insomnia. I was prescribed a medication for it. The medication had not-so-great side effects. I was sleep-shopping and having so many random things show up at my doorstep. I didn’t remember buying them and some could not be returned. Needless to say- I quit taking that medicine. But, that left me feeling miserable and lacking in sleep. I also get restless legs at night. If you suffer from it, you know how miserable it is.

After quitting the prescription, I started taking a common allergy medicine to help me fall asleep at night. I felt so sluggish the next day. Without anything to help me sleep, I spend hours trying to fall asleep. I wake up so many times through the night and am unable to fall back asleep. I was exhausted and so frustrated.

The CBD PM tincture has been so great for me. I have been using it for a month, and feel like I can give an honest review. To use, I fill the dropper with the tincture and place it under my tongue for 30-60 seconds before swallowing. Be sure to use it 30 minutes before for the best effect. I have been able to settle into sleep without my legs crawling– and without taking any additional medicine to help me fall asleep. I still wake up throughout the night, but I am able to fall back asleep relatively easily. The mint taste is honestly a little strong for me, so I prefer the unflavored.

I take cbdMD premium CBD oil during the day to maintain my general well-being. The bath bombs have also been so good. When I was sick, I soaked in the tub with a relax bath bomb and it was so wonderful.

I HIGHLY recommend giving these products a try. I am a sceptic by nature, and didn’t know if it was really going to work for me. I am so thankful that I was proved wrong.

The cbdMD is THC free* and third party tested for quality. It will NOT get you high, as I know many are concerned about this. You can go here and see the process that cbdMD uses.

I was shocked at how many products that cbdMD has! They even have a pet line!! You can use the promo code MOMSMEET to save 15% on your cbdMD order at cbdmd.com. Offer ends March 31, 2020. Free shipping on all orders.

^*THC-free means not detectable below the lowest level that can be consistently detected in dietary supplements using valid scientific analytical tools.

I am not a medical professional, and you should seek out your doctors advice if you have any concerns. This is my experience with using cbdMD products.

Cyber Monday Favorites

Most of these links are affiliate links. That means that I will earn a small commission if you purchase anything through them. Your price doesn’t change at all, but it does help me support my family. Thanks for your love and support all of these years.

My Little Bend has a great deal going on through Saturday! I love hear leather earrings.

Fabletics is having a HUGE sale. Up to 70% off!

Amazon has tons of great LEGO/K’nex/ Tegu/Playmobil building toys on sale today. I really want to get some of these for the kids.

J.Crew has 50% off everything today using the code MONDAY. My entire wardrobe would be J.Crew if I had my way. Everything is so classic with a hint of fun. This city coat is beautiful and on major sale!

Board Games are up to 50% off! We always add a new board game to our collection at Christmas.

25% off beauty and personal care products at Target. Nail polish is a fun stocking stuffer.

Play-Doh up to 50% off! This is also a fun stocking stuffer!

Mary Ruth’s Organics has tons of great deals on her vitamins and probiotics. She has the best supplements!

There are tons of great deals on Coleman gear. Perfect for the outdoorsman/woman in your life!

FitBit Lite Versa for less than $99.

Up to 80% all of Wayfair’s website!

We have and love these pillows. They are $9 today.

I have similar shoes and get so many compliments! They are $10 off today.

Midwest is best mug– $2.99!