He's a Mean One....

So, every year, Leslie, Renee' and I have been decorating the foyer for our office! This year (2012) was no different! I should tell you...we started planning this immediately following the 2011 Christmas! Or shortly thereafter! So anyhow, we chose....The Grinch! I have to say...this was the most fun to create for, but then it's one of my fave Christmas flicks! I watch the Jim Carrey version at least three times each season! So, I put together some Grinch Ornaments: glass and tin...we grabbed some ribbon, ball ornaments, a cute little tree, my son's adorable dog (called Max for the Holidays) and of course, the man himself....The Grinch! Oh, the compliments we received for this tree stealing green man! It was absolutely adorable! These pictures do not do him justice:

Look at that guy....he has buried himself in the tree....we were sure that one morning we would arrive to work and the tree would be gone! Little Bugger! 

Okay, so we are done with Christmas for this year. But hey, we have 2013 already planned for. There is a pile of decorations under my desk, just waiting to bring smiles to faces. A hint for 2013 Christmas.....Yummy! 

Happy two months after Christmas! 

The Grinch! 

You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch

You really are a heel, 

You're as cuddly as a cactus, you're as charming as an eel, Mr. Grinch, 

You're a bad banana with greasy black peel! 

You're a monster, Mr. Grinch, 

Your heart's an empty hole, 

Your brain is full of spiders, you have garlic in your soul, Mr. Grinch, 

I wouldn't touch you with a thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole! 

You're a foul one, Mr. Grinch, 

You have termites in your smile, 

You have all the tender sweetness of a seasick crocodile, Mr. Grinch, 

Given a choice between the two of you, I'd take the seasick crocodile! 

You're a rotter, Mr. Grinch, 

You're the king of sinful sots, 

Your heart's a dead tomato splotched with moldy purple spots, Mr. Grinch, 

You're a three decker sauerkraut and toadstool sandwich with arsenic sauce!

You nauseate me, Mr. Grinch, 

With a nauseous super "naus"!, 

You're a crooked dirty jockey and you drive a crooked hoss, Mr. Grinch, 

Your soul is an appalling dump heap overflowing with the most disgraceful 

Assortment of rubbish imaginable mangled up in tangled up knots!

You're a foul one, Mr. Grinch, 

You're a nasty wasty skunk, 

Your heart is full of unwashed socks, your soul is full of gunk, Mr. Grinch, 

The three words that best describe you are as follows, and I quote, 

"Stink, Stank, Stunk"!

Cleaning as I Go!

So, I have this friend (don't you like how stories start off like that?), who used to make cookies with me. We haven't seen each other in quite awhile...rather, for a VERY long time and yet, we live in the same town. We both have our own lives, I guess! Anyhow, this friend, you know who you are...Tracie, and I were making sugar cookies one day for Christmas. I have THE best sugar cookie recipe (my husband's favorite at least)! I will share later in the post! Sorry, I got side-tracked....anyhow, this friend and I were making cookies in my kitchen. As she was pouring the flour into the mixer, I was wiping up the spilled flour and putting the jar away. After she poured the sugar into the mixer, I wiped down the counter and put the jar away. Same goes for the vanilla, eggs, salt, etc.....Finally, I guess it got to her! She smacked me with a towel and said, "Alright already! Stop cleaning! Clean when we are done, you are driving me nuts"! So, I didn't get it....I didn't realize what I was doing, it's just how I cook and bake, I clean as I go! I hate messes! Anyhow, I was making cupcakes from scratch this weekend and realized, by darn, she was right! It took me longer to make the cupcakes because I was wiping the counter after using each ingredient instead of when I was all done! But hey, if you came knocking on my door whilst I was making cupcakes, I would let you in and not apologize for the mess....well, because there wasn't one! Did I scare her away from playing in the kitchen with me?  I guess I would be what one calls anal! I won't even tell you the story of my Sister's visit and the throw pillows on the couch! Well...I will tell you a little so you won't feel I was holding out on you....imagine pillows with lines sitting horizontally, Sister placing them on the floor and laying down, Me picking them up and laying them horizontally again each time she got up to go say...to the kitchen, to the bathroom! Let's just say....I drove her nuts! Good thing my husband is slight anal as well, he picks the pillows up and places them horizontally as well!

Oh, I need to get back to the Sugar Cookies...I think you might just want the recipe! I don't know where it came from, it's called Ethel's Sugar Cookies but I got the recipe from my Mother in Law, her name is not Ethel and neither was her Mother's name Ethel! Ethel, whoever you are....we love your sugar cookies!

Ethel's Sugar Cookies
Ingredients:
3/4 c Shortening (I use Crisco Butter Flavored)
1 c  Granulated Sugar
2 Eggs (my son asks me to use fake eggs so he can eat the dough, his favorite)
1/2 tsp Vanilla
2-1/2 c Flour
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Powder

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix shortening, sugar, eggs and vanilla in mixer. Stir in baking powder and salt, slowly add flour. Chill as least one hour. Roll out to 1/8 inch thick, cut into desired shapes. Place on ungreased baking sheet, bake until golden for 6 to 8 minutes.

Easy Creamy Sugar Cookie Frosting
Ingredients:
1 c sifted Confectioners Sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Vanilla
Water (add 1 tbsp at a time)
Food Coloring (add until desired color is acquired)

Directions: 
Mix all ingredients until desired thickness using whisk. Add food coloring, frost cookies. Let "dry" for several hours. Frosting will be hard on top and creamy on below.

So, ya'll wanna SEE the cookies? Check these out:

Once again....Thanks Ethel for making me the cleaning Sugar Cookie Queen! LOLOL