Last post of 2008!

• We're working on tying up a few ends before we go up north...still got some packing to do, it's amazing how much STUFF I pack when we go away. I think I tend to overpack on the slight chance we might need something, so we end up with at least 2 suitcases for the 3 kids.
• I got to go bow hunting with Joe this weekend. (yes, the season is STILL open) brought back memories of before the kids were born and I'd go with him once in a while. Usually not in winter though, I guess I'm not a true hunter cause I didn't get the "rush" of seeing a deer and it didn't warm me up =) We were in a tree stand in the woods and we got to see 10!! deer, so it was pretty awesome. They didn't even know we were there and passed right under the stand.
• I don't think I've posted since my SIL Heather started a new blog that I am hoping to contribute to: check out What's for supper Mom looks like some good stuff has been posted already and I'm sure lots more to come, I love trying out new recipes so it should be real fun!
• Hope everyone has a Happy New Year!

Fun in the Snow

The kids are very excited and having lots of rowdy fun with cousin Benji here for awhile...Today we escaped cabin fever for a bit and went outside...pretty cold, but the kids were working up a sweat climing up the hill and sledding back down...

They had quite the time balancing the sled on the top of the hill, they ended up going backwards a few times =)
Crash landing...let's do it again!

Come on, Mom, you think I can do this by myself???
A big helpful push up the hill from Emily
We finally made it to the top, now time for a rest

Welcome Wyatt!

YAAY! Welcome to the family Wyatt! We're so glad it's official =)

everyday stuff

The kids have been into building forts lately. I guess because it's been terribly cold out. Here they were on the cave and the Jake bear was coming out of the cave. Never underestimate the strength of a child(ren) Yup, they moved the couch away from the wall all on their own and were pretty proud of themselves. So, I figured they could play back there for a while, and they did a good job cleaning stuff out from behind there, so bonus for me!

• Today we got outside for a while, it's a nice break from being stuck in the house when it's SO cold. The kids were sliding down the little hill in our yard on their butts, it was so funny, they got going pretty good too.
• The other day, I peeled some oranges for the kids and Meri started making her own orange juice. I was going to get a pic, but ended up doing a video of it. She'd take an orange slice and squeeze the juice onto a spoon which then she'd drink, what little was on it and not on her clothes.
• The countdown is on for our trip up to see my Dad and Mom or Grampa Rowe & Gramma Ruth!! We CAN'T WAIT to see you! 14 days & counting, the kids ask numerous times a day how much longer, I forgot my rule about keeping them in the dark about things like that until about a day before we go! Oh well

Various cute moments...

First, I don't know how to do bullets, so please put up with this huge blurb...
Kids are so funny...Emily lately has been talking about "wormaids" What??? She wants to have wormaid socks and wormaid underware and wormaids are just so beautiful she tells me. Mermaids, in case you're still wondering ;-)

Jake came out dressed the other day with high wader pants and looked like a 3/4 length flannel shirt!! Do they really have growth spurts that fast? Those clothes JUST fit him! I'm pretty sure they didn't shrink in the wash because I wash their stuff in cold water. So much for planning ahead and assuming he'd be wearing size 6 all winter. Thanks Micki & Becky for ALL the hand me down jeans and clothes, they are really coming in handy now so glad we have them to get us through this growth spurt!

Meri--we're starting to potty train her. Her reward for going potty...you'll never believe this, is brushing her teeth =) hey, I'm not complaining!

We got a phone call from Larissa this morning, she just called to talk to the kids. It's so cute to hear them talking on the phone. So then Meri wanted to talk, we handed the phone over to her and she'd say a few words and then just sit there listening for a while. Then after a while longer I heard the loud beep beep meaning no one's there =) Too funny, she was talking and listening the whole time, I wonder what she thought? Hmmm...what's so great about this thing?

Turtle bread recipe

A couple people liked this so I thought I'd share it!
Here it is: I think you could probably use any bread recipe to make this, but I'm not a genius in the kitchen so I followed the recipe that went with it:

2 1/2 to 3 Cups all purpose flour
1 pkg. quick-acting active dry yeast
1 Tbls. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 Cup water
1/3 Cup milk
1 Tbls. margarine or butter
1 egg
2 raisins

1) Mix 1 1/2 cups of the flour, the yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl.

2) Heat water, milk and margarine to 125 degrees to 130 degrees; stir into yeast mixture. Stir in egg. Stir in enough of remaining flour to make the dough easy to handle.

3) Sprinkle a surface lightly with flour. Turn dough onto the surface; knead until smooth & elastic about 5 minutes. Cover and let rest 10 mintues.

4) Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Shape a 2-inch piece of dough into a ball for head. Shape 4 walnut-size pieces of dough into balls for feet. Shape 1 walnut-size piece of dough into tail. Shape remaining dough into a ball for body; place on cookie sheet and flatten slightly. Attach head, feet & tail by placing 1 end of each under edge of body to secure. Press raisins into head for eyes. Cover & let rise 20 mintues. (I found the eyes/raisins liked to fall off...not sure if you could use a bit of honey, or even water to make them stick better?)

5) Heat oven to 400 degrees. Make crisscross cuts in body, 1/4 inch deep to look like a turtle's shell. Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes.

Have fun & enjoy =)

Brrrrr.....

We went sledding!!! Tuesday we woke up to 1-2" of snow. So we had a little better luck sledding than last time when we had just a dusting of snow ;-)

Last week's fun

Yeah, I'm way behind in posting. These turkey's were the project we made TGiving week with Heather & her kids. The kids really liked it.

Meri trying to get her work of art "just right"

Carolyn & Emily finger painting, I guess I didn't get one of them doing the turkey prints.
Benji & Jake making their turkey's.

It's one of those days...

The kids & I had fun making this turtle bread today. It's really yummy too and not too hard to make. . . we have a kid's cookbook and the kids were hoping to make gingerbread man cookies. So we got out our cookie cutters and then I realized I had no molasses....I hate when that happens... oh well, this was their next choice. And it also motivated me to clean out my cupboards and do some organizing of all my canned food and baking stuff!!!!! I love days when you just get on a roll like that.

Well, then Jake & I went and braved the cold day and brought in many wheelbarrows of firewood!!! I think it's supposed to turn colder and now the stash is pretty tall, so we'll hope it carries us through the cold stretch...

Now I need to go find something else productive to do and keep up the momentum =)