Gigglin' at Giggles :-)

This evening, I had the pleasure of attending a delightful Ladies' Christmas party. We enjoyed tasty finger foods, a spirited gift exchange and lots and lots of laughter. Thank you Giggles - you're a wonderful hostess! :-)

And would you look at the cutie I came home with...

Our Favorite Christmas Candy

Chocolate Billionaires
3 dozen

1 (14 ounce) package caramels
3 tablespoons water
1 ½ cups pecan pieces
1 cup crushed crisp rice cereal
1 package chocolate bark

Melt caramels and water in microwave until you can stir easily; stir until smooth. Mix in pecans and cereal. Cover cookie sheets with wax paper. Drop candy by spoonfuls onto cookie sheets. Put cookie sheets in refrigerator until candy hardens (about 30 minutes). Melt chocolate bark in microwave. Using a fork, dip candy into chocolate bark, turning to coat all sides. Place candy on sheets of wax paper on the counter to harden. Enjoy!

I have been making these for ten years now! It's just not Christmastime at Heritage Schoolhouse without Chocolate Billionaires. :-)

2013 Updated to add that it's now been 15 years of making Chocolate Billionaires for Christmas! Linking up to share with Kelly's Korner Christmas Traditions.

TOO cute!

"festive treat boxes"

from the Martha Stewart Crafts line

with red and white poka dots!

found at Wal-Mart

for same price as little plastic candy tubs

did happy dance in the aisle...

was not ashamed ;-)

December 1st

The first day of December!

It was cold enough this morning
for our first fire in the fireplace!

And, it was the first day of the children's beloved
countdown to Christmas Day calendar!

Happy December First! :-)

Christmas Knitting

a child size poncho for my sweet niece

from The Knit Stitch by Sally Mellville

using my favorite Lion Brand yarn

Wool-Ease Thick & Quick

in "raspberry" :-)

Supper Menus
December 1st-6th

Monday
spaghetti, green salad, garlic toast
Tuesday
sub sandwiches, chips, cookies
Wednesday
chicken and dumplings, green beans, baked apples
Thursday
cheese enchiladas, pinto beans, tortilla chips and guacamole
Friday
out for supper
Saturday
chili dogs, baked beans, fritos

More menu planning ideas can be found at Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura of Organizing Junkie.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

Surprise! A follower won...

...a holiday cookie prize!

Because I am thankful for the followers of Heritage Schoolhouse -

I put the fourteen follower names in a hat and drew...

Still Learning!

Still Learning if you would like to accept your prize, please leave your email address in the comments of this post. Congratulations! :-)

Thank you to each sweet follower of Heritage Schoolhouse!
I am thankful for you. :-) Happy Thanksgiving weekend!
Are you shopping or decorating today? I decorate! :-)

Putting away the autumn things...

...to make room for the "fa la la" and the "ho ho ho"! ;-)

Thanksgiving Fun ~Texas Style~

Over the river

and through the woods...

to uncle and aunt's house we go! :-)

for a homestyle feast,

rides on the lawn,

watchin' the Cowboys

and the Aggies,

some serious backyard football ,

a corn toss tournament,

and the best host and hostess you could ever ask for!

We couldn't be more thankful. :-)

from Heritage Schoolhouse :-)

Super Quick Cinnamon Coffee Cake
9 servings

2 1/4 cups baking mix
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
for topping
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons cold butter

Combine mix and sugar. Whisk the egg and milk; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Spread into a greased 9-in. square baking pan. For topping, combine brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over batter. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy!

This is just perfect when you might be... ahem... maybe... you know just a tad too tired to prepare the overnight cinnamon rolls the night before Thanksgiving! ;-)

~A Thanksgiving Breakfast Menu~

sausage balls

super quick cinnamon coffee cake

pumpkin roll

orange juice

hot cocoa

coffee

Love These!

Put them on your kitchen window sill.

They smell delicious! :-)

Pumpkin Roll

Pumpkin Roll

12 servings

¾ cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon all spice, and ½ teaspoon ground cloves)
1 cup pumpkin puree
3 eggs
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 375°. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch jelly roll pan or cookie sheet with sides. Mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir in pumpkin puree, eggs, and lemon juice. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Spread the mixture evenly. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes. Lay a damp linen towel on the counter, sprinkle it with confectioner's sugar, and turn the cake onto the towel. Carefully roll the towel up (lengthwise) with the cake in it. Place the cake-in-towel on a cooling rack and let it cool for 20 minutes. To make the icing, blend cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and sugar. When the cake has cooled , unroll it and spread icing onto it. Immediately re-roll (not in the towel this time), and wrap it with plastic wrap. Keep the roll refrigerated or freeze it for up to 2 weeks in aluminum foil. Cut the cake in slices just before serving.

This is my daughter's favorite holiday treat!

"Thou has given me so much...

Give me one thing more,

a grateful heart."

~George Herbert

illustration courtesy of www.allposters.com

Beef Pot Pie

Beef Pot Pie
8 servings

2 pie crusts
1 pound ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped

1 can cream of potato soup
1/2 cup milk
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1 teaspoon parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon thyme

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Line a greased pie plate with your favorite pie crust. Cook the ground beef and onion together until done; add seasonings. Combine soup, milk and vegetables; add to meat mixture. Pour into pie crust. Top with second crust; crimp edges and vent. Beat an egg white and brush top. Bake at 350° degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Enjoy!

We enjoyed this beef pie last week at our home school co-op's medieval feast. I requested the recipe after the first bite! :-) Thank you Dina!

Picture to be added later...

My camera goes hunting a lot this time of year. ;-)

Pumpkin Harvest Cookies

Pumpkin Harvest Cookies

2 dozen

1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup chopped pecans
½ cup craisins

Beat shortening, sugar and pumpkin. Add egg. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; add to pumpkin mixture. Stir in nuts and cranberries. Drop by spoonfuls onto a cookies sheet. Bake 12 minutes at 375°. Wonderful with Constant Comment tea!

Mmmm...you could eat these for breakfast! ;-)

Fill Your Heart With Thanksgiving

"Take nothing for granted,

for whenever you do

The "joy of enjoying"

is lessened for you.

For we rob our own lives

much more than we know

When we fail to respond

or in any way show

Our thanks for the blessings

that daily are ours...

The warmth of the sun,

the fragrance of flowers,

The beauty of twilight,

the freshness of dawn,

The coolness of dew

on a green velvet lawn,

The kind little deeds

so thoughtfully done,

The favors of friends

and the love that someone

Unselfishly gives us

in a myriad of ways,

Expecting no payment

and no words of praise.

Oh, great is our loss

when we no longer find

A thankful response

to things of this kind,

For the joy of enjoying

and the fullness of living

Are found in the heart

that is filled with thanksgiving."

~Helen Steiner Rice

illustration courtesy of www.allposters.com

Thanksgiving Activities for Children

keeping 'em busy...

Websites to explore -

Theme Units Thanksgiving

Enchanted Learning Crafts Thanksgiving

Kaboose Thanksgiving

Billy Bear 4 Kids Thanksgiving

Homeschooled Kids Thanksgiving Games

Primary Games Thanksgiving Games

The Kidz Page Thanksgiving Games

Books we've enjoyed -

"Let's Celebrate Thanksgiving - A Book of Drawing Fun" by Janice Kinnealy

"Crafts for Thanksgiving" by Kathy Ross

"Cranberry Thanksgiving" by Wende Devlin

"A Turkey for Thanksgiving" by Eve Bunting

"Why We Have Thanksgiving" by Margaret Hillert

"Silly Tilly's Thanksgiving Dinner" by Lillian Hoban

"Thanksgiving Day Crafts" by Arlene and Herbert Erlbach

"Thanksgiving" by Cass R. Sandak

"Over the River and Through the Woods" by Lydia Maria Child

"Pilgrims - a Magic Treehouse Research book" by Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce

"Thanksgiving Unit Study Adventures" by Amanda Bennett

Fun things to do -

thankfulness chain

pumpkin pie playdough

Tammy invited me to join her home school open house. Please visit Tammy to discover what other home schools are doing to celebrate Thanksgiving! :-)