A Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On

We finally got our washing machine installed and stacked yesterday ...... however there is a slight problem.  When the high speed cycle started up the whole house shook along with it!  Cory came down and found this scene .... the dryer not even attached properly and about to fall!  Apparently our washing machine was going for a little stroll this morning.

The photos really don't do it justice ..... just imagine this thing shaking and moving around, about to topple!

In other news, we have started our Christmas baking!  Whipped shortbread is always the first thing I make.  It's best if it's two to four weeks old when Christmas time comes around.  I had lost my recipe in the fire, but luckily Mom has the original copy.  The recipe is a large one, calling for 2 lbs. of butter! I halved the recipe and got to work with the kiddies ... or so I thought.

Everything was going so smoothly with the kids.  They were taking turns, not stealing the cookie dough and jsut really having a great time.  However the dough just wouldn't whip.  I tried and tried, but it just looked doughy.  M "new" machine performed amazingly I do have to say. Most powerful, effortless batch of shortbread ever because of it.

So I sat there puzzled, but decided to go ahead and bake them anyways.  The cookies baked up fine, but when I tasted one ..... my word!  I think I failed to reduce the amount of sugar and cornstarch by half.  They were a tad hard and quite sweet.  Though still good, they are not my traditional, melt in your mouth whipped shortbread.  Guess this just gives me an excuse do make another batch!

a little man being awfully protective of the sugar! 

making the faces one makes while baking ...... hmmmm.

helping out 

I think I'd better stop taking photos now!

The end result!