Christmas Cookies

I spent the better part of the last two days making batter and dough for a barrage of Christmas cookies and confections.

By the time the cookies were made, my kitchen looked like a winter wonderland, covered in white - wintry and powdery. Trees, snowmen, snowflakes and fluffy pillowy mounds as far as the eye could see, covered our domestic landscape. Unfortunately, 'twas not snow nor the things that holiday songs sing of, but alas a messy, sticky mixture of flour, powdered sugar, baking soda and baking powder - and dozens and dozens of sweet snacks.

The two day long process of preparation for this baking blitz dragged on and on. One mundane baking task after another slowed the flow of the weekend down to the speed of molasses. Mixing, folding, stirring, sifting; whisking, washing, wiping, sweeping - one job after another until finally it was baking time.

With the help of my daughters, we carefully chose the best cookie cutters to use that would flatter our cookie platters. Frenzied flouring of cutting boards and rolling pins made way to carefully planned out arrangements of the cookie cutters. Onto the pans, into the oven, and up on the cooling racks went our cookies. In what seemed like a few moments, we had used all of our dough, and the baking was complete.

In all, the baking took my girls and me about 2 1/2 hours to complete. But because I was in the company of my precious daughters, I lost track of the time. What would have seemed like an eternity in the kitchen had I been by myself, passed by in the blink of an eye. I was lost in the enjoyment of seeing their creativity, cooperation and Christmas spirit.

Each year this tradition in the kitchen with my daughters passes by so soon. But the memories will live on forever, of my girls and me, baking Christmas Cookies.

Get Your Pink On!

Pink is the new black....well at least in the month of October. In stores, newspaper advertisements and magazine articles you will see this color permeating our consumer landscape. Will you cave to societal or peer pressure and jump on the new color trend? Will you outfit yourself or your home with this rosy hue? Are you willing to go pink and support breast cancer research?

If so, read on....

Now I don't advocate going out and spending money just for the sake of spending money. But, if you are in the market for something in particular and are going to be spending your dough anyway, you may as well support a good cause. Right now you have the chance to get a little shopping done for yourself or for the upcoming holidays and support breast cancer research at the same time.

Here are some ways you can GET YOUR PINK ON!*

Pink and pretty...
Payless shoe source is offering a silver toned ribbon charm on a pink cord for $2 and is donating a portion to breast cancer research. In addition, the bracelet packaging has a $5 coupon off of a $25 purchase. But you better hurry! because the coupon is only valid from October 21 through November 3, 2008.

New York & Company stores are offering a pretty pink limited edition lip gloss for $3 with $1 from the sale being donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Pink and Practical...
Don't forget the batteries to go along with the holiday gifts you'll be giving this year. Why not purchase Energizer MAX batteries that have a special offer of a Stephanie Johnson Cosmetic Bag. For each bag shipped, Energizer will donate $1 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure ($10,000 minimum donation; up to $15,000 maximum donation)

Pink and Think...
Think environmentally friendly. Many grocery stores are offering reusable shopping bags and donating some or all of the proceeds from the sales of the pink pouches to breast cancer research foundations. The bags cost $1-2 each.

Britta's Grand Pitcher with free Nalgene bottle lets you not only be good to the environment, but also to your body! The pink pitcher filters your drinking water as well as raises awareness of breast health. Britta is offering $50000 donation to the City of Hope with no purchase necessary. But come on...if you need it anyway, may as well get the pink!

Pink and Perfect...
Search online for designers that are carrying or creating lines of clothing with proceeds that benefit breast cancer research. Some great items can be found at www.pinkitude.com. You just might find that perfect accessory that you've been looking for.

Pink and the Kitchen Sink...
Well, not really the sink - but things you might find in the kitchen. The Houdini corkscrew (Metrokane) is donating 2% 0of each purchase to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

The Taylor pink glass digital food scale is a reminder of breast cancer awareness. Taylor will donate $10,000 to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. No Purchase is necessary, but again, why not go pink?

Kitchen Aid products have been available in pink for some time now. Check out the Kitchenaid website to see how a purchase of one of their pink products can benefit breast cancer research.

Pink and Pick-up
Now there is no way around it. We all must do some housework. Why not do it in style with one of many household items that come in pink?

Dyson is offering an upright vacuum and a hand vac in pink with a portion of the proceeds being donated to The Breast Cancer Research Foundations. Check out their website for details and where you can find the product.

Shark is donating $1 from the sale of each Shark Steam Mop to Breastcancer.org.

There are too many pink items out there for one person to list. Check out your local stores, your newspapers and internet searches for more items that help to raise breast cancer awareness and support funding for research.

Now that you have some information - go and GET YOUR PINK ON!

*Information was gathered through local newspapers, internet searches and website information. Check product websites for availability and donation details.