5 Favorites and WWRW

1. Recipes for Gingerbread Houses

In case you wondered at all we use this recipe to make our gingerbread houses. This was the second year in a row of making it and it has worked twice perfectly. Clearly we are the foremost experts at gingerbread so take my word for it.

We use the basic royal icing recipe: 4 cups powdered sugar, 3 egg whites, 1/2 tsp cream of tartar. Mix for about 7 minutes on high until it forms peaks. If not going to be used right away cover with damp towel. We use the pasteurized dry egg whites (2 Tbsp powder, 6 Tbsp water) so I have no idea how it works with just cracking an egg in there but I'm guessing it would. This icing is not super tasty but it dries like cement. When first constructing your house be ready to hold it in place for about 15 minutes but after that...it's probably not going anywhere.

2. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein. 

Go get this book. It's a YA book but it's about a WWII young lady spy who's been captured. I don't know if really deserved it's YA title though. It's probably because it's about young ladies, and it's fairly clean. But it is still about war. There is violence and torture. And evil Nazis. If you have sensitive teens I'd pre-read. 

This is  hard book to write about because you don't want to spoil a single thing. But I will say plan on reading it twice. Once just to read it. You'll get so caught up in the adventures of Queenie and Maddie you won't be able to help yourself. And a second time to unravel the plot and see that Wein gave you all the information you'd need the first time around, you just didn't know to look for it. 

It's definitely worth a read. Find it. 

3. Cuties. (Clementines) 

I love winter. I love fresh citrus so much. I love how easy these are to peel. I am thankful we we able to make apple season run right into citrus season. It's totally worth it to have to change C's shirt 3 times a day from sticky orange juice. (And use Oxy Clean on every load.) 

4. Getting Mail

I just love Christmas card season because of the high likelihood that not all of the mail will be junk. Plus then you get cute pictures, updates and cards? That's winning and the reason I hope the art of Christmas cards will never die. 

5. Schwan's Mini Bow Tie Pasta and Vegetables 

Do you have a toddler? Or a picky eater? Buy these. It is an awesome side dish for grown ups and kids alike. C LOVES it and it's a good way to add veggies to a meal. I love that I can make a cup or two at a time and the bag seals up. (Like a Schwan's things.) This is absolutely the best purchase. We love love it. It goes well with just about anything too. (Often it's chicken or left over meatloaf or something for lunch.) AND all of it is in little bite size toddler pieces that do not need to be cut up. Let the angels rejoice! 

I am getting absolutely NO kickback from Schwan's or the Cutie people though if they wanted to send me something I'd gladly take it. The point is, I just really love these  two things. 

Linking up with Jessica AND Hallie today because sometimes I roll that way.