Yesterday...

... it snowed for most of the afternoon. Jeff got home from work before sunset and we hunkered down with homemade burgers, oven fries, and the original "Herbie the Love Bug" from 1968 while the snow swirled around us out the window. It was a great night.

The Perfect Brownie

Jeff loves chocolate. REALLY loves chocolate. He eats a little bit every day and attributes this to his perpetually sunny disposition. Brownies are difficult, however, because Jeff is also allergic to milk. It took me a while but I finally tweaked the perfect chewy, moist, chocolatey brownie made entirely of cocoa powder (no milk chocolate chips here). When Jeff is around, these brownies certainly don't stick around long. 

1/2 cup margarine (or butter), melted

1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsweetened, sifted cocoa powder
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Frosting:
3 tablespoons margarine, softened
3 tablespoons unsweetened, sifted cocoa powder

1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
enough icing sugar to make a thick frosting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Melt margarine and mix sugar in very well. Add beaten eggs and vanilla, and mix well. Sift in cocoa,  flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into greased 8 inch pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. The top should look set and fairly dry, although the inside will still be moist. Be careful not overcook.

Combine frosting ingredients and mix very well. Spread frosting over brownies while they are still warm, then cool completely. Slice and enjoy!

Beautiful storage

I do not feel all that creative these days- I'm feeling much more excited about downsizing and decluttering than I am about creating new things. This January, I have the overwhelming desire to straighten, purge, label and organize. When I saw this image I have to admit that my heart skipped a beat- I covet a similar set of glass jars to bring beautiful order to my pantry.

From the Farm Chicks Web Journal

Go Forth Filled With Thy Gifts

Fauré's Cantique de Jean Racine is a piece I've heard a hundred times but one I could hear a thousand times more. I chose it today because it is simply beautiful music, but as I read the text, it seems like a very fitting prayer start a new year. The accompaniment in this recording (with strings and harp added to the original organ score) is by John Rutter.

English translation:

Word of God, one with the Most High,
in Whom alone we have our hope,
Everlasting light of heaven and earth,
We break the silence of the peaceful night;
Saviour Divine, cast thine eyes upon us!

Pour on us the fire of thy mighty grace,
That all hell may flee at the sound of the voice;
Banish the slumber of a weary soul,
That brings forgetfulness of thy laws!

O Christ, look with favour upon thy faithful people
Now gathered here to praise thee;
Receive their hymns offered to thy endless glory;
May they go forth filled with thy gifts.

Resolution #2

Resolution #1

Christmas Recap

I did fairly well, taking photos up until Christmas dinner. That was when we started getting sick.... and the photos stopped. Here's a recap of our holidays, with the few photos I managed to snap.

Cheap & Cheerful- ivy cut from the backyard for this year's front door wreath

FINALLY ripe! 29 pounds of kiwis picked in early December and made into jam.

This year's tree in green, white and gold.

The new addition this year, inspired by a photo I saw on pinterest and created by a very handy husband. 

Staying with the green and white theme

My first attempt at decorating sugar cookies. Not bad, eh?!

The only craft this Christmas, also inspired by something I saw on pinterest

The family room tree in every colour under the rainbow

Christmas dinner table. After being gifted with red flowers, I made the centerpiece, added some beautiful napkins my mom sewed me a few years ago, threw on some candles and called it done. I'm not usually a big fan of red but for this year, I think it was just perfect 

Someone (AKA Jeff) has been in the candy dish... 

Celebrating the New Year with a cross-country game of Ticket To Ride

Happy New Year

As planned, Jeff and I had a lovely Christmas spent with family and friends. While some days were filled with visiting and activity, we also managed to find a few days of quiet for which we've been most thankful. I've been sick the past week and that has resulted in our traditional Christmas letter/slideshow morphing into a New Year greeting this year. We hope you enjoy this little glimpse into our lives in 2012 and we wish you hope, love, peace and joy in 2013.