The Return of Brett Hart

Bret "Hit Man" Hart makes his historic return, first time in 12 years He and Shawn Michaels "bury the Hatchet" but, I am wondering if it is real. And Vinny Mac is still an A**hole. What are your thoughts?

Thoughts to Ponder

Jokes to brighten your day!

Plans for the day

Today I am making holiday cookies. Here are the ones I am making this year.~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This is a simple cookie recipe that will surely delight young and old. The cookies are coated with cinnamon and sugar for an extra special taste.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe Ingredients • 1/2 cup butter, softened • 1 cup sugar • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar • 1 large egg • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour • 4 Tablespoons granulated sugar • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Snickerdoodle Cookie Directions~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add the 1 cup sugar, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in the egg and vanilla until well blended. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer, and stir in remaining flour. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour. Combine the 4 tablespoons sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Shape the dough into 1 inch balls and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture to coat. Place balls of dough 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 11 minutes or until edges are beautifully golden. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Make old-fashioned Christmas Butter Cookies Cook Time: 0 hours, 10 minutes Ingredients: •2-1/2 cups of flour •1 cup sweet softened butter •1 tsp baking powder •1 Tbsp Vanilla •1 cup of sugar •1 egg •1 Tbsp of orange juice Preparation: Mix all ingredients, beating at low speed until well mixed (1-2 minutes). Divide into thirds. Chill for 1-2 hours or longer. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out on floured surface to 1/4" thick. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 6-10 minutes until golden around the edges. Remove to racks to cool. Decorate as you wish. At Notchland, we use thin, brightly colored icing, and have our guests “paint” designs on them. Also good are colored sugars, various sprinkles or “jimmies.” Sugar Cookies Ingredients 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 cup butter, softened 1 1/2 cups white sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Directions 1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside. 2.In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets. 3.Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks

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Thoughts to Ponder

Christmas Symbols

Christmas Symbols Christmas Day is celebrated on December 25th of each year. It is the day Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. The word "Christmas" means "Christ's Mass" - derived from the English term "Christes masse". There are many different customs and traditions around the world. American customs come from many places. Santa Claus has a Dutch origin. He was developed from St. Nicholas who was a real person. St. Nicholas, was the patron saint of school boys. He brought gifts to the children. The idea that Santa Claus comes down the chimney originated in Norway, where children hang Christmas stockings on the fireplace mantel. Christmas trees have pagan origins. When pagans became Christian, they used evergreens (a sacred tree) for the holiday by decorating them with nuts and candles. They sang Christmas carols as they danced around the Christmas tree. ~~~~~~~~~~ Christmas colors are red and green. Today, traditional Christmas activities include caroling, making and giving gifts, sending cards to family and friends, and enjoying festive dinners and parties. Below are symbols of Christmas and their significance. ~~~~~ Advent Wreath Four candles placed on a wreath. One candle is lit each Sunday before Christmas in anticipation of Christ's birthday. ~~~~ Angel An angel told the shepherds of the birth of Jesus. Angels come in many forms for Christmas decorations including the tree topper.~~~~ Bells Church bells rang to announce the birth of Jesus. They still ring today. ~~~ Camels Camels are the animals the wisemen rode following the star to where Jesus was born.~~~ Candles Candles represent the light that Jesus brought to earth. Pagans who converted to Christianity used candles on the sacred evergreen tree.~~~~ Christmas Cards For many years, private notes of good tidings were sent at Christmas time. In 1843, Sir Henry Cole had 1000 special designed cards printed. The custom of sending Christmas cards began.~~~~ Christmas Caroling Caroling is a medieval custom of singing and dancing around a Christmas tree. Early carols weren't holy enough for singing inside a church, so caroling was done outside. ~~~~ Christmas Cookies Originated with pre-Christian Romans who gave sweet cakes to their senators.~~~~ Christmas Seals A Danish postal clerk sold Christmas stamps (Christmas seals) to show that users had given to a worthy cause.~~~~ Christmas Stocking There is a legend associated with the origin of Christmas stockings. St. Nick, who wanted to remain anonymous and help a poor family, threw gold coins down their chimney. They fell into a stocking that was hanging there to dry. ~~~~~~ Christmas Tree Lights The lights represent Christ as being the "Light of the World." Lights also represent stars. Candles were first used as lights on the Christmas tree.~~~~ Creche A manger scene representing the Jesus' place of birth. Donkeys, Lambs, and Cows Donkeys, lambs, and cows were animals close to Jesus at the time of his birth. They are usually part of the Creche. ~~~~ Evergreen Tree The evergreen tree was decorated by the pagans at the feast of the winter solstice. The evergreen tree was a sign that winter would end.~~~~ Gifts The first Christmas gifts were given by the Wisemen to Baby Jesus. ~~~~ Holly Holly is a shrub with spiny leaves and red berries. The leaves remain green throughout the year. Pagans thought its greenness was a promise that the sun would return. Early French and English families hung holly over their doors to symbolize a home in which Christ's birth is celebrated. ~~~~ Icicles Icicles are sometimes used as a tree decoration. As per an old story, the Christ child took shelter for a night under a pine tree. When the tree realized that it was caring for Jesus, tears of happiness fell from its branches. The tears froze into icicles. ~~~~ Jesus Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Christians believe Jesus is the son of God. ```` Joseph Joseph is the husband of Mary.~~~~ Manger A cow's manger is the place where Baby Jesus slept. It is part of the Creche.~~~~ Mary Mary is the mother of Jesus. ~~~~ Mince Meat Pie Mince meat pie is full of spices and fruits. It represents the exotic treasures of the East that the Wisemen brought to Jesus. ~~~~ Mistletoe A sprig of evergreen plant hung at Christmas time. Custom is that people can kiss each other standing under it. ~~~~ Plum Pudding Plum pudding originated by an English king that was stranded in a blizzard one Christmas Eve. He used what he could find to make a special holiday dish. ~~~~ Poinsettia This flower was brought to the U.S. by Dr, J.R. Poinsett in 1825. He was the first first United States ambassador to Mexico. Because of its flame leaf, the poinsettia is sometimes called the Christmas Star. A Mexican legend explains how this flower got associated with Christmas.~~~~ Reindeer Reindeer were the animals chosen by St. Nicholas to pull his sleigh. His reindeers' names are Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen. Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer is the most famous.~~~~ Saint Nicholas Saint Nicholas was a real person. He was a kind bishop who brought presents to children and needy people. ~~~~ Shepherds Shepherds tend sheep. They came to the manger to honor Baby Jesus.~~~~ Star The Star of Bethlehem guided the Three Wisemen to Baby Jesus. ~~~~ Tinsel There is a legend associated with this thin metalic foil strip decoration. It tells about parents who trimmed a tree while their children were sleeping. Spiders came to see the tree, leaving cobwebs all over it. The Christ Child came to bless the tree and turned the cobwebs to silver.~~~~ Three Wisemen Three Kings travelled far to see Jesus. They brought their best treasures for gifts. Gold - a precious metal associated with the power of kings~~~~ Frankincense - A resin from a rare and sacred tree used as incense ~~~~ Myrrh - A resin from a shrub used in making perfume. ~~~~ Wassail A wassail is a salutation of good health or well wishes by means of a toast. The drink is a mixture of mulled eggs, curdled cream, apples, nuts, and spices. Usually poured from a punch bowl while exchanging Christmas greeings. ~~~~ Yule Log The word "yule" means "wheel," a symbol representing the sun. Before Jesus was born, pagans thought the sun stood still for 12 days at the end of the year. A log was cut large enough to burn for this time period to burn away last year's evil.