This morning started out like any regular Sunday morning, I got up, started the coffee, and headed outside to get the newspaper.  Exiting the front door in my bathrobe (don’t worry, not a lot of traffic in front of the house on a Sunday morning), I found a scene of devastation.  For 13 days our snowmen had not experienced a human attack, last night was different.  Of our three remaining snowmen (dwindling numbers due to heat, rather than vandals), all had been knocked over.  Humph.  Grumble, grumble.  Still in my bathrobe (a stunning visual that makes this post all the more riveting), I stacked the snowmen back up.  You see, over the last warmer few weeks, I consolidated the snowmen and as a result, they were as easy to stack back up as building blocks.  So easy, you can do it in your bathrobe.  In total about 5 minutes spent repairing the damage.  I had taken that negative doings of those nighttime visitors and rebuilt the ruins.  Sort of my gift to the neighborhood, in addition to of course my extended foray to get the morning newspaper in my bathrobe.

Snowy morning ruins…

followed by a snowman rebirth.

Still a bit grumpy about the morning’s events, I walked with my family down the hallway at church.  As we approached the sanctuary, I was struck by such a pleasant reminder.  A reminder of the blessings that surround me daily.  Here was my beautiful wife and three wonderful boys.  I was blessed beyond measure and here I was focusing on a small band of anti-snowman punk losers, who were bringing me down.  Time to shed that negativity and embrace the moment, because I am indeed surrounded by so many blessings and of this I am ever thankful.

My daily blessings taking a silly pose (Ben, in the center, didn’t get the “act silly” memo).

Snowball Cookies…  jelly beans surrounded by their powdered sugar dusted, cookie coating blessing.

SNOWBALL COOKIES

“This cookie is a reminder of our blessings, as we walk through life.  We are the jelly bean constantly surrounded by a cookie blessing.  Now, let us all be blessings to one another, just as the jelly bean is the blessing of those who enjoy this cookie.  Amen.”

¾ cup Butter

½ cup Sugar

1 Egg

½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1¾ cups Flour

¼ teaspoon Salt

Jelly Beans

Powdered Sugar

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar.

Mix in egg and vanilla extract.

Mix in flour and salt.

Shape dough into 1 inch to 1½ inch balls around single jelly beans.

Bake for 15 minutes or until bottom edges are lightly browned.

While cookies are still warm roll them in powdered sugar.

 

Makes about 28 cookies.

Revised Source:  “Surprise Snowballs” recipe in Better Homes and Gardens “Cookies Cookies Cookies” book.