Moonlight Sledding and Cherry Chip Cookies

Wee! Sledding backwards is fun!

The little pond is frozen...now who is going to be brave enough to walk on it and see for sure?!

Down they go...

Kyle and his friend Preston after school on Friday...they were so anxious to get up on the hill that they forgot about a snack...ran down the driveway and dropped their backpacks in the snow...and made a bee line to all the fun!

Yesterday the kids had a ball sledding on the new hill, with Ashlyn and her friend Caitlyn sledding well after dark. It was around 20 degrees but they assured me they weren't cold and had fun sledding by only moonlight! :-)

It has been a busy Saturday...this morning I attended a beautiful Christmas Tea at our church, Tom hung the Christmas lights, we ran errands, wrapped Christmas gifts, etc...This evening I enlisted the kids in helping me bake 6 dozen cookies for a "Cookie Exchange" party I am going to tomorrow afternoon. Both the kids loved helping, but the first batch was a dud, so here I find myself at 11 p.m. baking, and doing more baking, hoping for 6 dozen "good ones!" While I wait and keep my fingers crossed, I thought you might like the recipe! Enjoy!

Cherry Chip Cookies

1/2 cup butter or margarine (softened)
1 pkg. 3 oz. cream cheese (soft)
1 egg
1/2 cup finely chopped red candied cherries
1 tsp. almond extract
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup rolled oats (uncooked)

Beat butter and cream cheese together. Stir in egg, cherries, and almond extract. Mix and sift sugar, flour, salt, and baking powder. Add to butter mixture; beat well. Stir in oats; blend thoroughly. Chill; shape mixture into small balls about 3/4 in. diameter. Place on greased cookie sheets; flatten with bottom of glass dipped in flour. If desired, press a slice of candied cherry on top of each cookie. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 min. Enjoy!