Birthday table

Mindy and I worked on Friday putting things together for the party which was on Saturday.  She really had everything organized well and I thought the table looked spectacular and fun.  We made cupcakes and then the lego heads and blew up balloons and the porch decoration.  It was a really fun party for Davis.

Davis and his birthday porch lego

Handsome Cub Scout

Pinewood Derby Gang

The Derby Truck

Most of you have already seen this but I will post it and save it on the blog.
He didn't race it with the tractor on but he thought it should be on the back of the truck anyway.

He really wanted a blue tractor but all he had was a green one.  

WORKING IN PAPA'S SHOP

AVERY SANDING HIS PINEWOOD DERBY CAR

BODEE AND AVERY SANDING HARD ON THEIR  CARS

CARLI DIDN'T LIKE THE LOUD NOISE OF THE SAW.  ERIN THEN TOOK HER OUTSIDE FOR A WAGON RIDE.

W

Dad's 3 day stay in hospital



Dad with his balloons



This is Adon, son of my Vt who came to visit and bring me a jug of soup and some balloons for Dad.
He did a harmonica concert for Dad too.  He played very well.

Playing with Carli

Taking Butch for a ride

 Time to post some more pictures.  These were while she was at my house one afternoon.


I made Carli an apron to wear when we cook.I said smile and she gave me a big cheezy one!




Making cookies from cookie dough




Play Doh cooking



Sao paulo missionaries

Can you find CJ?

It's his birthday today - 20 yrs.

Our accomplishments

This is a list of what we accomplished on Saturday plus the recipes from the lunch.  They had the lunch
done up in white lunch sacks with taco salad and sauce and cookies with a fork and napkin all done
up in individual containers plus bottled water.  Corla and MaryLou headed the lunch committee of course and it's always a treat when they are in charge.

What we accomplished:


Dementia Picture Books- 20
Motor Mouth (Tennis Ball Creatures)- 142
Weighted Stuffed Animals-70
Phonebook footrests-107
Adult sheet protectors-110
Texture lap quilts-11
Bed-in-a-bag-14 quilts-2 large boxes of toiletries-3
Reading glasses/vitamins-1 box
Clothing/accessories-1200 items



Here are the Recipies from the activity



Mrs. Field's Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 lb Butter room temp
2 Cups brown sugar
3 eggs
6 Cups flour
1 1/2 tsp soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chip

preheat oven to 350 degrees. combine flour soda and salt in a bowl. set aside

with an electric mixer in a large bowl cream together butter sugars egss and vanilla. slowly add flour mixture until well mixed. add chocolate chips

drop by teaspoonful onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. cool on a wire rack. you can also make a cookie bar by pouring dough out onto a cookie sheet and spread over whole pan. bake at 350 for 20 minutes.





Molasses Sugar Cookies

3/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses(not dark)
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp salt



Cream together shortening and sugar. add molasses and egg. beat well. Stir together dry ingredients. Add slowly to molasses mixture. Mix well. Chill. Form into 1 in. ball and roll in granulated sugar. Place on greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Push thumb in center of ball to form an indent. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes.


Chicken Taco Salad

4-6 servings



1/2 medium head lettuce, shredded

2 cups cooked chicken, cubed

1 tomato, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup sliced black olives

1/4 cup sliced green onions

8 slices bacon, fried and crumbled

3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

1 cup crushed corn chips (3 oz)

Layer salad ingredients beginning with lettuce and ending with cheese in a 2 quart glass dish, spread chilled dressing over top and sprinkle with crushed corn chips


Dressing

1 medium avocado
1 Tbls fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp salt

mix together until smooth in a blender or food processor, chill.

Relief Society Day of Service

These are the motor mouth balls made from
tennis balls.   Their mouth opens so children
can put beans in or out for hand  coordination.
The schools love them.  This was our ward's project.
It was a very successful day of service for our
community.

Here She Is

We finallly decided last Saturday to buy a new car.  It's a 2012 Premium Subaru.   It has many nice, up-to-date qualities that we like and I think it's going to be good for a long while.
Probably the last one we will have to buy.  Who knows!  Come on over and take a ride with me.   I guess we will call her Subi  for short.  It had 39 miles one it when we bought it so it's really brand new. We traded the red truck in and also sold the Malibu so we are down to one car and one truck now.
Kind of miss the little Spit Fire though.
I am taking Subi  over to the dealer so he can show me how to operate the Bluetooth on it.   Not sure what that is all about yet.   Anyway, she goes down the road good and best of all
it has heated seats.   Yea!  Feels good on the toushy.

Sourdough Potato Bread

Just tried this new recipe for Sourdough Potato Bread.  It actually has mashed potatoes in it.  I think it
rose a little bit too much but we can still cut and eat it and it will taste good I am sure.

Stuck in the snow but Dad's snowblower was a life saver.

No s'mores tonite

We Love our Family

First of all, thank you for a wonderful Christmas.  With Kristi and Ben and boys here, our Christmas was very busy and exciting.  We love to have you all come and stay awhile so we can love our grandbabies to death.  Each day we are coming to realize that life is too short and we need to cherish the moments we have with each of you.   We want you to know you are in our daily prayers and hope that you will teach the gospel to your  little children with love and patience and kind words.   Teach them to pray and especially morning prayer to have their Heavenly Father's protection with them through the day.
  They are so sweet and innocent and need so much love from family.  We hope  they can be a shining light and example to those around them.
Keep working on your preparedness program at home,
and keep your testimonies strong.  
I'm wondering what 2012 will bring for all of us and hope it
will be a good year for all.
Let's keep working to be a Forever Family for eternity.
Come and visit often!!

To put the world in order, we must first put the nation in order. To put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order. To put family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life. And to cultivate our personal life, we must set our hearts right. - CONFUCIUS

Nativity Actors

This was the first year we had done the
nativity play and I think it could be called
successful.  Beka was the narrator and
you can see all of the actors in the picture.
We had dinner first and then the nativity and
sang a few songs, then they opened their
pajama presents under the tree and then
of course, desserts.
It was a very fun evening - and very busy.

Sledding

I found our sled we keep for when kids are here and the boys took it out for awhile.   Ben and Kris each took turns pulling them.  Then we went around the
block to Marie's house and said hi to her.
There really was a little more snow on the road than this picture shows.   Kris might have a better shot than this one.  

Christmas morning

Matching bow ties for Christmas
(Kris made them the night before)

Neuschwanstein

Cory gave this 3D puzzle to us last Christmas and we have been working on it this last week.  It was a difficult one but really fun.
Neuschwanstein is one of the most popular of all the palaces and castles in Europe.  It is also nominated as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Every year 1.3 million people visit "the castle of the fairy-tale king". It is a 19th century Bavarian palace on a rugged hill in Germany.  The palace was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat and as a homage to Richard Wagner, the king's inspiring  muse.  It was his intention to rebuild the old castle ruin in Hohenschwangau in the authentic style of the old German knights' castles.