Candles are for Rolling

We are a little off our Advent game this year with Thanksgiving and the first day of Advent being so close together (although I probably shouldn't be complaining knowing what those of you celebrating Thanksgivukkah had to accomplish).

We did manage to get our Advent wreath up and running in time for the second day of Advent though and I pulled out the nativities and Christmas books, so even if we don't accomplish anything else this season I can still feel pretty good :)

I ended up buying this Advent candle making kit and the boys loved it.  Well, David loved it.  Henry said he wanted to make the pink candle and when it was time for him to do it he said he wanted to play with the nativity angels instead.

I asked him if he was sure.

He assured me that he was.

I asked him if David could make his candle instead.

He said that yes, David should make his candle.

After David finished rolling the candle and we assembled the wreath Henry burst into an hysterical crying fit sobbing, that he thought he might have "told a lie" and that he really did want to make a candle.  It didn't end well, but I assured him that if we needed to make another candle before Advent was over he could roll that one.  It looks like the kit has enough to get through two and a half Advents or so, factoring in the occasional need to replace that first purple candle that burns the longest so I'm sure he'll get his chance--whether he takes it or not is another story......

In other really exciting and interesting news, I went to a cookie exchange this weekend and I won the prize for "most tasty" cookies--well I suppose great grandma Haigh's easy and delicious raspberry thumbprint recipe had more to do with it than my baking skills, but the prize was a new apron and I am in love with it! I pretty much snatched it out of our lovely hostess's hands before the other winner could choose it as her prize because I am gracious like that.

These were all that was left of the cookies the next morning.  You'll notice I did not win any prizes for prettiest cookie........

And in case you are interested, but mostly because I already typed it up for the party anyway........

Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients    

                                           

Cookies:                                                                      Glaze:

2/3 cup sugar                                                               1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup softened butter                                                  1 tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. vanilla                                                                2-3 tsp. water

2 cups flour

½ cup raspberry jam

Directions

Combine sugar, butter, vanilla and beat at medium speed until creamy.  Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour until mixed well. 

Cover and chill in refrigerator for one hour.

Shape into 1 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.  Make an indentation with your thumb in the center of each cookie and fill with ½ tsp. of raspberry jam. 

Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350˚ (don’t over bake!).  Cool for one minute on the pan and remove to cooling rack. 

Once cool, make the glaze by mixing powdered sugar, vanilla and water and drizzle it over the cookies.