Making Christmas Goodies

Monday & Tuesday were baking days at our house.

I baked a lot of breads--some for the Cheer Baskets our church delivers to those in the community; some for my family & some for me (sugar-free & wheat). And I mixed up a double batch of sugar cookies.

So for Family Home Evening, we cut our & baked the  sugar cookies.

 Here is Benjamin helping me mix things up during the day.

 Emmalee & Zane--wrestling over something.  This is a common occurrence.

 Let the fun begin--mom rolls out the dough...

 Except for the small pieces I gave to Benjamin to play with.

 ...and the kids cut out the cookies.  First Emmalee,

 then Callum

 and both of them.

 Brienna was a big help--entertaining Ben & supervising.

 Then Tuesday after school we frosted the cookies.  I put Brienna in charge of that project.  I had mixed up the frosting, but she put the food coloring in & "taught" Benjamin & Emmalee how to frost the cookies.

 Emmalee had a blast being able to "do it all by myself!"

 And we gave Ben a small bowl of the frosting and 4 small cookies.  But he decided it was just easier to eat the frosting & cookies separately.  After a couple of spoonfuls, I had to hide the frosting.

 In the meantime, I made these loaves of banana bread--they all were sugar-free.  Three have s/f chocolate chunks, & the other 2 have walnuts (for Rusty). 

{FYI:  I am allergic to tree nuts, so in order to put the nuts in, I wear gloves (or just slip baggies on my hands) to make sure I don't come in contact w/the nuts.  Even touching the nuts can cause a reaction (cold sores, hives) if anything else is contaminated & touches my mouth/lips.}

 Brienna was creative & made a wreath out of the round cookies.

 The finished product!!  As I have gained more wisdom, I have realized that it doesn't really matter how "pretty" the final product is; the beauty is the memories made & the fun the children have.  Emmalee said, "I waited ALL DAY to decorate!!!"

 I also "helped" Ethan make a triple batch of cinnamon rolls.  He was asked to teach seminary Wednesday morning (our seminary teacher has pneumonia) & decided he wanted treats "...because I am awesome!"

 The bishop had been teaching, but decided to let a couple of the newest "elders" of our ward experience the joys of teaching seminary!  (his friend Austin taught today).

His report:  It all was good, except I ran short.

He actually got up (early), drove Brienna to seminary (a friend usually picks her up), and had a productive day because he had ALL day!  (not just the afternoons/evenings).

Our next project will be making gingerbread cookies--and I think that will happen next Monday (again for FHE).

Sledding Fun

Rusty decided we all needed to have some family fun--so he took Brienna, Zane, Callum & Emmalee to our land for some sledding fun.

(For those who don't know, we own a nice chunk of land--130 acres--3 miles east of our little town)

 Pamela (my sister) & I took Benjamin out about 45 minutes later so he wouldn't have to be out in the cold too long.  Rusty & the others had gone out with his dad (they were hauling a flatbed trailer to store out there for the winter).  They had the 4-wheeler to pull the sled with.  Pamela had to take her Jeep (4 wheel driver)so we wouldn't get stuck. 

So we put a booster seat in the back & buckled him in.  I don't think he could move anyways, because of all of the layers--clothes, snow pants, coat, mittens, hat, hood.

 Here I am putting a helmet on Benjamin. 

I didn't get any pictures of Emmalee on the sled because she crashed & got hit with the rope before we got out there.  But she was happy just riding on the 4-wheeler.

 Benjamin helping Daddy drive.

 What an awesome view we have!!

 I love Callum's expression while watching Benjamin & Brienna on the sled.

 Brienna & Benjamin

 Callum (on the back), Rusty & Emmalee driving ;)

 Zane helping Benjamin on the sled.

 I think Rusty was telling Emmalee to drive faster!

 Hang on, Benjamin!!!

Wipe-out!!

 Benjamin had fun riding on the sled & driving.

 Brienna walking back to the sled after being spilled off.

 Look at that handsome guy!!!  I'm so glad he had us take us break & play!

 Whee!!!  Go Callum & Brienna.  The person on the back sled had the funnest ride--but they had to hang on tight.  The front person had a great ride too, but if they fell off the sled, they had to make sure to roll to the side so they wouldn't get run over by the one on the orange sled.

Zane & Brienna having a blast--I am glad they were wearing helmets, because they all took quite a few spills. 

When we all got home, there was a crock pot full of hot chocolate waiting for them to warm them up.  (Thanks to Aunt Tammie for the idea of putting hot cocoa in a crock pot!!!)

Snow Painting

Last week it snowed on & off a few days.  So on Monday, when all the kids were home from school & I had finished teaching my piano student, we went outside to play in the snow before it got too dark.

The snow was perfect for snowmen & snow balls, but the kids wanted to paint the snow--so I filled squeeze bottles with colored water & they had fun painting.

 Brienna drew a Christmas tree.

 Ben just had fun squeezing the bottles (notice he lost a glove already!)  Ethan helped him.  (Ethan said I should NOT have filled a bottle with YELLOW water--because it's best to avoid yellow snow!)

 Emmalee mainly just emptied the bottles quicker than I could re-fill them.

 Emmalee making a snow ball to throw at me--Where are your gloves?????

 Brienna with her "bloody" foot prints (& her name behind her)

 Ben jumped right in to throw snow at everyone.

 I did put his glove back on right after I took these pictures.

Brienna's Christmas tree--with a YELLOW star on top ;)

Ethan "teaching" Emmalee & Benjamin how to make the perfect snowball. 

 Emmalee was drawing a self-portrait.

 She put pig-tails on her cute little girl.

 Callum had been shoveling grandpa's walks, so he got back a little late.  He found a spot that hadn't been painted & went to work.

 By the time he finished, it was too dark for a picture.  And by morning, we had fresh snow & all the painted snow was covered.

 Callum (by the ladder) & Rusty on the roof shoveling off the snow.

 Benjamin thought it was funny to see them on the house.  Not surprising, he ran over & started up the ladder faster than I could run after him in my snow boots.  He got up the 3rd rung before I was able to get him down!

 Zane had basketball practice, so I made some more colored water for him to do a quick "masterpiece".  He picked the "canvas" in the back yard, so I was able to take a picture of him painting up the town yard.(thanks to the porch light) 

Brienna & her colorful snowman.