Project Pinterest: Pumpkin Cookie

Hope y'all had a wonderful weekend. Mine started normal: homework saturday along with date night and I ran my first half marathon Sunday! (re-cap to come)

I'm linking up with AP for Project Pinterest to show you my yummy pumpkin cookies I made for Thanksgiving last week.

Source: mybakingaddiction.com via Sarah on Pinterest

You will need:
2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter; softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup pure pumpkin puree
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup dried cherries; roughly chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line your baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.

2. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt in medium bowl. Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until light and fluffy.

3. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract; mix well. Add flour mixture; combine until all ingredients are incorporated. Fold in white chocolate chips and dried cherries.

4. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets.

5. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

I want one now! They are the perfect fall cookie, very harvest-y, I must say. All off my family loved them, even Alex's little nephews kept coming back for more!

Show them what Christmas really means.

I think that we all and I'm guilty too get caught up in the material part of Christmas. Michael Kors watch! Marc Jacobs bag! WANT WANT WANT!

Which is not what we have been taught. We know the meaning of Christmas is all about giving. Not just giving to others such as family/children but those who have much, much, much less than us.

A few weeks back, my friend Jennifer, from church who is a senior at Southern University in Louisiana, wrote on her twitter how for $16 we can give some chickens to a family in a developing country.  I got thinking about the chickens, how we aren't just giving them chickens but those chickens will provide food for the family, they can also sell the eggs for income and breed them for more chickens which will in turn produce more eggs! Talk about a cycle.

I've always have wanted to sponser a child but I don't have an extra $365 dollars laying around. But I do have $16.

When Jenn posted this, I made sure to save some of my money and buy some chickens closer to Christmas.  I was thinking at that time maybe one or two.

And I get that Christmas is an expensive time. I get that some can't even afford many gifts for family AND buy for those in need. I get it.

The only reason I was able to buy one mosquito net, books for children and a pig and chicks was because I was very lucky to be able to have picked up a few extra shifts at work, go to a paid focus group and babysit twice this month.

Even if you don't feel comfortable purchasing over the 'net, you can do things in your community to make someone feel loved this Christmas.

As Anne Frank said, No-one has ever become poor by giving.

Let's remember those who are in need this holiday season. Even buying a coffee for that homeless person outside the  starbucks or grocery store can just brighten your day and theirs.

Happy day, friends!


*World Vision did not pay me in any way. Just my thoughts and expressing what we can do this season for others*

Shoe me your: Decorations.

I'm linking up with Becky and Aly today for part deux of quatre. You like my french? I'm fancy huh?!

Christmas is my most favourite holiday to decorate for! The snowman, the angels, the snow globes! 

So many!

We always put lights up around the windows. They can't be multi colour, or blinking. One colour. Red or Green, maybe white. Yup, my momma is very picky. 

Of course we have our Christmas candles going. Who doesn't like Christmas in a jar?!

Can you tell Momma Hannon likes her snow globes?!
Go link up and show us how you decorate for Christmas!
Happy day, friends.

The day we got our tree

Yesterday, my mom and dad and of course me, went to a Christmas Tree Farm to buy our tree. Karen went last weekend and loved it!

Not only was there 10457 trees, but the family that owns it (how cute is that?!) has a petting zoo at the back. My mom and I had a great time talking to the billy goats and bunnies.

It was so cold at the farm, even though we were only 45 minutes north of Toronto. The things we do for our trees.

As I'm typing this, the tree is being put up down in the basement :)

Great picture of my parents and I right?!

Goats

When we were done, we took a little drive to Unionville. The cutest, littlest town ever! We enjoyed sipping on our starbucks drinks and wandering into cute little stores along their "downtown" (I put that in quotes, because I don't feel like I'm downtown. Nothing compares to Toronto's downtown.  

Of course we took these pictures! 

Hi dad!

love this fam picture. 

Barries

Christmas Link up: Wish List

I'm linking up with Becky today for Show me Christmas. 

Each Tuesday there will be a new Christmas topic to write about!

December 6th: Wish List
December 13: Decorations
December 20: Traditions
December 27: What we got, memories, news etc :)
~

Usually, in past years I have no problem coming up with what I would like for Christmas. This year? Hardest time ever! After weeks of thinking what I would love to receive I finally came up with my list.

Already #4 has been given. My brother and SIL are spending Christmas day/eve AND Christmas day with my family.  No leaving on Christmas eve night to go to Danielle's house to see her family on Christmas. This totally warms my heart and makes me love her even more.

Every year my dad says he just wants his family together for Christmas. It's all he wants. My mom and I joke that his "gift" is the easiest to "get". As I got thinking, he's right. There is nothing more important than spending time with family on Christmas.


happy Tuesday friends!

In other news: my psych exam yesterday went well. I studied my butt off this past weekend. Some of the questions came easy to me,  others I had to guess and others I really had to think about. Now? I am done school till January 9th :) 

What I'm loving and Oh, how Pinteresting

Has it really been a week and a half since my last post?! Sorry for the week hiatus. 

Last week at school was my "week of hell." I had two papers due and 3 tests! I didn't have time to blog and even if I did i know you guys don't want to hear me complain about lack of time and such. Thankfully I made it through :) I'm now done classes (last one was yesterday) and I am working on my last assignment due tomorrow by 4pm, an exam monday at noon then I. am. DONE! So excited to sleep in, blog!, watch this season of the biggest loser, enjoy my aunts dog that we are watching this coming week and bake :) 

Today I am linking up with Michelle for Oh! How Pinteresting and Jaime for What I'm loving wednesday.  

Here is what I am LOVING today!

~I am loving my new SIL to be. She did the sweetest thing. Let me explain.

Usually for Christmas, Ryan and Danielle come down and join my mom's side of the family for Christmas eve. Then they either go back to their house that night or come to my house and sleep over, have homemade egg McMuffins and open presents between us four  five and then leave. 

Ryan has missed Christmas dinner at my Grandma's the last 2 years because they have to see Danielle's side of the family. It sucks but we understand. Oh the joys of becoming one. 

This weekend my mom asked Ryan what was going on for Chrismas. Are they sleeping over? Going back Christmas eve? Or what! 

Ryan told my mom that Danielle said that them two would be spending Christmas eve AND Christmas morning/day with us! She said that since she gets to see her family (Ry and her live 4 minutes away from her parents house) that they see her family all the time. It's only fair. 

My mom/dad and me are completely overjoyed at her thoughtfulness. We realize that this won't happen every year but we will enjoy it. 

~I am loving that I am done classes :)

~I am loving running :) I downloaded the Nike Plus app and have logged 16.83k since last wednesday! 

What are you loving today?  

Here are the funny finds I found this week. 

So doing this to someone! Pinned here

BEST SHOW EVER! pinned here

This is the Drake I remember. Not the rapper on stage with Nicki. Oh Degrassi days
pinned here 

So funny. pinned here

Come back tomorrow for some exciting news :) 

I'm sure you're dying to know.

I've seen this cute little post around the blog world lately from Katie and Rachel.

Guilty pleasure?

Starbucks Skinny Peppermint Mocha. Only 100 calories or 2 points on Weight Watchers!

MMM :) 

Recent splurge?

Even though the I have go into Eaton Center go get home, I stay away from it becasuse a) I'll spend all my money and  b) christmas is a'coming. I did spend almost $50 at Trade Secrets when I treated myself to OPI Muffets :) And we all agree how pretty they are. 

from here

In bulk, I buy?

Nutella. Enough said. 

My go-to flower?

I love peonies. I've already decided that those are my flowers for my wedding. You know, to my guy I haven't met..yet :) 

                                                                                                   

Comfort food?
Pizza, pizza and oh ya...pizza.  

For breakfast?

Smoothies.  Banana, some sort of berries, OJ and source yog. Sometimes I'll do a piece of toast. 

For dinner? 

Pasta and salads :)

Love/hate relationship with?
School work. I love school, love knowing that I'm working towards a great degree but sometimes? I want to be lazy. December 5th can't come fast enough!

from here

Can't stop watching?
To be honest. I don't have time to sit around watching mind-less tv right this second. I do watch my favourites though. You know, HIMYM, Teen Mom/16 & Preggy, Glee, The office, Grey's. 



Dreaming about?
December 5th at 3pm when I'll begin my 5 weeks off :) Oh and Christmas Specials

here

My favourite one!

Crushing on?

I love him. 

Every girl should have?

Pretty Nail polish. A great night sleep. 

My style in five words?
Preppy.Girly. Sophisticated.




I love wearing?

Right now? My roots sweats and an old camp shirt. hot eh?!

This is what I want to wear to my Brother's reception dinner in May. To bad the only stores are in Europe and Florida. Guess I'll be making a road trip to sunny Florida :)

Dream job?

A grade 1 teacher. 

I dream about the day that I'll have 20, 7 year olds calling me Ms. Hannon. 

happy birthday Canada!

Today is Canada's birthday. 144 years ago today, Canada broke ties from Britain and became "Canada." 

Every year my dad and I would wake up early on Canada day to walk down the street and watch the big parade that was put on. It was the biggest one in my little area within Toronto and many locals would be in it. We haven't gone in a few years since I used to work at 9am on Canada day. 

Today I am working ::yay for time and a half!:: but will meet up with the rest of my family around 7pm when I get off work. My Grandma made a tradition of having a backyard BBQ. It's a nice time.   Family and food! Can't get better!

*My aunt and cousin (who I went to visit in may) are travelling to Europe (well yesterday) and I ask for prayers while they are there. For those prayer warriors out there, could ya say a quick one? Thanks!*

                                    Happy Canada day to all my fellow Canucks!

Easter

Yesterday was a good great day.

Every year I look forward to Good Friday.

Every year on GF all the Churches of Christ meet in a HUGE high school in Mississauga, to worship, listen and be social!

It's an all day affair. Starting at 9 and ending at 3. This year we had the opportunity to hear from three speakers. There was Earl Lavender who is the Director of Missions at Lipscomb University in Nashville. He brought along Jackie Halstead who is the an Associate Professor there too. The last speaker was Jonathon Starker who is a missionary from Japan and is a CofC member too. The lessons this year were awesome, powerful and most important encouraging. I missed the ladies lesson that Jackie lead because the BFF Karen and I were teaching too. I head that is was really enjoyable.

While the lessons are going on for the adults there are classes for children too (it would be horrible having 100+ kids crying, talking during the adult lessons). From 9m-18 years old. The ages are split up so that all young people have lessons that reflect what is going on in their life. This year Karen and I taught the 3 and 4 year olds. We had three really cute kids for an hour. It went great! It helped that we gave out Jelly Beans at the end and allowed them to snack on them before class started.

As soon as I got home, the parents were waiting so that we could go to the aunts for Easter dinner. We usually have dinner on Sunday but this year she was busy then. Friday was the only day. I was excited because I could have weighed in at ww saturday (today) and have dinner Sunday which left me all week to burn off the calories. I had less than 12 hours to burn off dinner this time. Needless to say I didn't burn them off and gained 2 pounds. Don't worry I'll lose them this week!

Dinner was great as always. The brother and fiance couldn't come (long story) so that got me bummed out but the cousins came which was fun. I didn't get any pictures from yesterday but I can say it was a good day!

I hope everyone had a wonderful time with family and friends!

Now I'm resting up!

happy saturday!