Dreaming of a white Christmas...

Christmas is ever-changing at our house, each year is a different theme...

I don't go crazy with decorations. With young children, it's just not practical, but it's always enough to get us excited for Christmas & the traditions we've started with our little family...

This year the theme is more rustic, out-doorsy.

I even managed to persuade husband to drill tiny holes in some of his smaller deer antlers, to use as tree ornaments :)

It's become a tradition to get a few new ornaments each year, for the tree. Sometimes the children choose them, other times I need a few more to go with the theme for that year....

The Wreath was a DIY that I've been wanting to make for a few years now & finally got it done this year. Here is the tutorial I used to make it http://www.momadvice.com/post/how-to-make-a-yarn-pom-pom-wreath

When you're 4 & watching Tom & Jerry & you just don't want to move  for mom to take a photo...

...Rudolf got bedazzled as well :)

I usually trim some pine for decorating as well, but it wasn't important enough to me this morning, to bundle up & gather pine for the blog :)

This year we'll be having Husband's extended family here for Christmas, by then I'll have the pine trimmed & adorned & I'll blog about some of the traditions we've started with our little family...until then...Merry Christmas! from our Family to yours!

In my Kitchen today: Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

My blogging is sporadic at best, but sometimes the mood just isn't there.

I spent the day in my kitchen again today, & when I come across a delicious recipe, I always like to share. Today I tried a Banana Chocolate chip cupcake recipe & it was phenomenal!

I'm pretty sure you can't eat just one .

I tweaked the original recipe to my liking  & doubled it cause our kiddos have healthy appetites & one batch would last about 2 days!

I rarely have over-ripe bananas to use for baking, cause the children gobble them up so quick, but last night we were blessed with about 10 bunches of over-ripe bananas! I used some for baking today & peeled the rest & stored them in freezer bags in the freezer for later.

Banana Chocolate Chip cupcakes

• 4 cup coconut sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cup sour milk
• 4 over-ripe bananas or 2 cup mashed
• 4 cup unbleached all purpose white flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 pkg dark chocolate, mini chocolate chips

Cream coconut sugar, butter & bananas. Add eggs & sour milk(set aside).

In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder & chocolate chips.

Slowly add dry mixture to wet mixture.

Fill cupcake papers 2/3-3/4 full.

Bake at 350' till done.

Yields: 45 cupcakes

* For the sour milk, add 1 TBS vinegar to the milk & give it a stir. In about a minute, you have sour milk.

* The original recipe called for maple icing, but these cupcakes are super sweet & no additional icing is needed.

Enjoy!