Making Cookies

Family Fun Night

Dec. 23rd

We started the night with making goodies...

Popcorn mix for neighbors and friends

This has become my traditional treat to pass out.  EVERYONE makes cookies--so I wanted something different.  I bought the CUTEST Santa bowls last year after Christmas to put the mix in this year!

 LOVED THEM!!

But, then we did make PB Kiss cookies...

First start with the Peanut Butter dough

Straight from the Refrigerator section at Dillons!!

**I PROMISE you--if you bake them just right--they taste BETTER than some homemade PB dough.

YES, BETTER!!!!

Roll dough into balls and roll in SUGAR!!!

YES--there was some sugar that was eaten from the bowl!

Next-- put on the pan to bake---just a little undercooked so they are nice and SOFT!!!  YUMMY!

I think Jaden ate 3 or 4 of these cookies a day.  Ok, maybe more like 5 or 6 a day.  But, who's counting!

Just a CUTE pic from that day!

After we baked our cookies the kids opened new PJ's, we ate dinner, and watched a Christmas movie!

Dinner-- cheese dip (a favorite at our house!), pizza rolls, salami/cheese/crackers, cookies, and popcorn mix.  This menu would make anyone happy!!!

Tyler told us MORE THAN ONCE that we were "the best parents" and this was "the best night EVER!" Why??  I'm not sure.  We watch movies together ...a lot.  Because they got new PJ's?  I don't think so...whatever it was, he was LOVING our night and I am SO THANKFUL for that!   It just goes to show you that it's the SMALL things that mean the most to the kids!!

Happy Birthday Daddy!!

Daddy sporting his new sport jacket he got for his B-day!  Handsome guy!!!

Dad and his kids!!

Steve and Stephanie (his sister)

They share the same b-day---Dec. 22 and Scot's b-day is Dec. 23

So--when we ask for our Birthday Desserts...

we get 3 of these!!!

We always tell the waiter we can show ID's if needed!!

Because---who else has 3 birthdays in 2 days to celebrate??

But we do!!

Paige LOVES Grandma

(but, Grandma doesn't take very good pictures--Sorry Linda!)

I flipped Paige's hair out today because Steve likes it that way.

 Isn't it funny that Steve has an opinion of how he likes Paige's hair!!!

Jaden LOVES Grandpa!  And Grandpa LOVES Jaden !!

Happy 37th Birthday Steve!!

WE LOVE YOU!!!

Visiting Santa at Drubers

Christmas Eve Day always starts with going to Drubers Donut Shop to see Santa!!

And a free donut for everyone!

Cousins standing in line for the Man in the RED SUIT

Long lost cousins

They meet up once or twice and year and act as if no time has lapsed!

Now isn't that a PRECIOUS picture!

They were really taking

I doesn't look like it--but Jaden was first to RUN to Santa's lap.  He was afraid last year...

but NOT this year!  He was excited to get to his lap, but didn't have much excitement once he was there!

Thanks for my gift----can I get down now???

T

I wonder what Santa was telling him

Off to Grandma Balzer's for brunch, games, naps, acting out the Christmas story, snacks, chilli for dinner, Christmas Eve service, and then home to open PRESENTS!!!

Pre-school program

Westlink  Pre-school Christmas program-

Jaden got on stage and WAVED until the program started...

 a good 3 minutes.

Constant waving....we just cracked up!

Singing her little heart out!

She knew all the words--pretty good for a 3 year old!

Cute little buddies!!

Showing off their presents from their teachers!

Jaden's Happy Birthday Jesus Party

It was my turn to to go to Jaden's class for school parties!

I signed up to take the paper goods---yes---I like the easy way out!!!

So, I thought it would be cute to get HB Jesus plates.  I called Family Christian bookstore (oh, this is the day before the party).  YES, they have HB Jesus plates and lots of them.  Perfect.  I will drop the kids off at Pre-school, run and pick up the plates and head back to school for the party.  The plates only came in a Party Pack--with balloons, banners, etc.  It was going to cost $32 for Happy Birthday Jesus plates for 20 kids.  I just could not spend that!!  And, they were border-line ugly plates!!

So--in a hurry--I ran to Dillons and got cute plates that said Celebrate with a birthday hat and snowmen napkins.  These cost me $15 total.  Still WAY TO MUCH!!  So, next year I won't wait until the morning of the party to get the plates/napkins!!!

Painting when I arrived!!

Cupcakes with LOTS of frosting.  I was glad Jaden got a cupcake with white frosting and not the BRIGHT Red and Green that other kids got!!!

Sitting in Circle Time.  If I'm in the class, he likes to watch me the whole time and kept asking me to come over with him!  But, I had to do my "mommy duties" and clean the tables and the floor!!

Mrs. Wright
Jaden and MaryKate!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!!
Merry Christmas!!
Merry Christmas!!!

I do not like the saying----Happy Holidays.  And,it is probably heard more these days than
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!


My dad and I were talking the other day about a song that goes something about " a Capital C"  It's about CHRISTmas!!

If you got my Christmas card this year----it says Happy Holidays!  It urked me to pick that card, but there were not a lot of options on the Walmart photo site and it was a last minute thing.  I had to choose color and style to match my picture, ya know!!!! :)  But, in my heart it says MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Another thing I OFTEN think about --
growing up, lots of people would abbreviate Christmas as xmas.  I remember my dad getting upset at me for doing this one time.  I told him it was just an abbreviation.... and he said we could not do that because it was x-ing CHRIST out of Christmas.  So, I NEVER EVER abbreciate Christmas to this day!!  If I do, I abbreviate it Christ. .

On a side note-- I have a TERRIBLE memory.  So, the things I do remember from growing up are because they were something we talked about more than once!!

So--- once again....
MERRY CHRISTMAS from our family!!!

If you want SUPER FUN pictures like these----you need to call Meg Durekson in Newton!  Or, call me and I"ll hook you up!!  92 pictures on a CD for $50.  WOW!!!  And, fun backgrounds.  I'll post more of my new pics sometime soon.  All 92 of them---he he, or not!!!  

I don't know how to highlight Meg's name and allow you to click to her blog.  I haven't been taught that fancy stuff yet :) 

MERRY CHRISTMAS and 2010 here we come!!!

2 Snuggle Babies

One day last week....

This is what I found

Jaden and Paige BOTH in Paige's "baby Pajamas"!

What a sight

They stayed in them and played nearly all morning

I am so thankful they are BUDS!!!  There is a positive to having them 11 months apart---they LOVE each OTHER!!!!

Star of the Week

Yes--more old pics

Halloween week, Paige was STAR OF THE WEEK!!!
This is a big deal in Pre-school.
First--you get to take the class Mascot home---for Paige it was Kacy the Kangaroo!
Second--your mom or dad gets to come to class on Thurs. of that week and bring a book to read AND you get to bring special snacks.

Third-- Paige as SO EXCITED to sit in the blue chair next to ME while I read our book to her class.  She kept telling me, "you get to sit in the BIG YELLOW chair and I get to sit in the little blue chair next to you!"

Paige's friend--Emmi Harden

I told Paige she could take anything she wanted to school...
and she choose Brownies and white milk!!

OK, easy enough!!!

Paige and Kacey--- before Trick or Treating!!  Kacey went to soccer games with us, Halloween parties, Trick or treating,  the grocery store and more.  

Paige's Thanksgiving Party

In Pre-school you don't get to go to EVERY party!  At this age I think the teachers know that EVERY parent would come to EVERY party, because the kids are so DARN CUTE!!!!

SO---I went to Paige's Thanksgiving party and Jaden's Christmas (Happy Birthday Jesus) party!!

When I arrived---I was happy to see Paige playing with several other girls!  It appeared she was even playing NICE!!!  (yes, sometimes sweet Paige doesn't always play nice---at least at home!!)

Each kid got there own mini cup of icing and sugar cookie to decorate.

Paige was working so hard to frost her cookie.

Then, lots of sprinkles of course on top!!

Then, she decided it was easier to just lick the knife and forget about frosting the cookie!!

Mrs. McCalla did the Turkey Trot song with them.  (Put your turkey feathers in, Put your Turkey feathers out, etc... super cute!)

Paige and her new buddy---Kendall!

Kendall is Caressa Nusz (Grimm)'s daughter.  Caressa and I were good friends in high school.  It's so funny that our daughters totally PICKED each other to be friends.  All we hear is Kendall this, Kendall that. 

Paige gets to invite Kendall over to play after Christmas and she reminds me almost every day!!!

I am SO THANKFUL that my kids love school, that they are all healthy, and they all have great teachers this year!  (Just to name a few things!!)

Funny photo

This was taken in August when the kids had well child exams before school started.

Isn't this stinking funny!!!!

They were just waiting for the Dr.