Our Christmas Tree...

On Saturday we got our

Christmas tree.

We got a big one this year,

because they were all

the same price.

We had to cut

some off the top,

so if would fit.

Gabe running the train.

More Program Pics....

All the kids

The Boys Christmas Program

Yesterday at church the boys

had their Christmas program.

Caleb and the youth group have

been practicing a dance for along time.

the youth group

Seth playing the guitar

Aliah

Caleb, Gabe, Seth, Nathan & Peter singing Away in a Manger

Lydia, Sarah & Hannah

Javier & Esther singing a Spanish song

Patti singing

 

Gabe the wise man



 

Caleb playing Jesus

They all did a GREAT Job!

Logan 's Christmas Program

Monday was Logan's Christmas program

at his preschool.

Gabe was so upset that he couldn't

stay home from school and go.

He wanted to see Miss Wendy.

He misses her sometimes.

Last night we had the youth group

Christmas party.

They had lots of fun practicing for Sunday's

program and then we had lots of snacks

and then played games.

Peppermint Patties

Ingredients:

• 3 cups 10x sugar
• 3 Tablespoons butter, softened
• 2-3 tablespoons peppermint extract, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup evaporated milk
• chocolate to melt for coating

Directions:

1. Mix 10x sugar, butter, vanilla, and peppermint extract.  Add milk and milk well. 
2. Refrigerate til not so sticky.  Roll into logs.  Cut into 1/4 inch pieces.  Return to refrigerator til ready to coat.
3. Melt chocolate and coat peppermint pieces.  You may want to keep some of the peppermint in the refrigerator while coating it get soft quickly.
4. Makes about 5 dozen.

Gingerbread houses

We had a good Thanksgiving,

getting to send time with both of our families.

This is the first year that Caleb went deer hunting.

He had fun but wished he would have seen something.

Gabe gets so upset when he doesn't get

to do something Caleb does.

He doesn't understand that Caleb is four year older

and gets to do somethings that he can't do.

Gabe has had a loose tooth for a little while,

on Wednesday the boys were fighting

and Gabe got hit in the mouth.

He came out to the kitchen and we saw that his tooth

was missing,

apparently he must have swallowed it while

they were fighting.

Later he asked me if I was the tooth fairy.

When they were at AWANA

he was telling everybody he saw,

even people he didn't know,

that he lost a tooth.

He was so excited.

He wanted to know if the tooth fairy

left tractors. :)

Saturday I made Christmas cookies

with Jen & my mom-in-law.

It seemed so relaxed this year.

I guess because the boys are getting older

and you don't have to watch them

as closely.

We made, snickerdoodles, oatmeal raisins,

peanut butter, chocolate chip, peanut butter balls,

and peppermint patties.

The peanut butter balls are very yummy.

All you do is mix 1 pound of 10x sugar, 1-1/2 sticks butter,

1 cup peanut butter & 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Mix together, then melt chocolate. 

Shape pb mixture into balls and coat.

Today I went to school to help Gabe's class,

they made gingerbread houses.

What a mess.

They kids had a blast .

The one kid had icing in his hair.

Gabe had it all over his shirt.

I was surprised nobody tried to eat anything.

messy hands

Oh yeah.  Last night we got this:

A Dodge Journey

Strawberry Salad

Ingredients:

• 12 oz. can of evaporated milk, chilled
• 20 oz can crushed pineapples including juice
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 oz box strawberry jello
• 3 oz. cream cheese

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan put jello, sugar, cream cheese, and pineapples including juice.  Bring to a boil,  whisk together so the cream cheese mixes in.  Remove from heat and let cool till it is lukewarm.
2. Take you chilled milk and whip it for a few minutes with an electric mixer.  Then mix the two together.  Put in a bowl and refrigerate for a few hours til set.  Enjoy!

Turkey a la King

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 6 fresh mushrooms, sliced (canned mushrooms also work)
• 2 Tablespoons flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup of heavy cream (can also use evaporated milk)
• 2 cups chopped cooked turkey or chicken
• 2/3 cup frozen peas
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large skillet over medium low heat cook butter until golden brown.  Saute mushrooms in butter until tender. 
2. Stir in flour until smooth.  Slowly whisk in chicken broth.  Cook until slightly thickened.
3. Stir in cream, turkey, and peas.  Reduce heat to low, and cook until thickened.  If you use evaporated milk you may need to add more thickening.  Season with salt & pepper.
4. Serve over rice, toast or biscuits.  Enjoy! 

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Gabe has been doing well in school,

learn to write his letters.

Here is a card he brought home this week.

I thought it was so good.

The Front

The inside

The back

Not sure why these pics are sideways

oh well.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!

Last Weekend....

For a couple weeks I had secretly planned

a date night for Sam & I.

On Thursday when Gabe can home

from school he started screaming

every time he would swallow.

We thought maybe he had strep throat.

So I took him to the doctor,

he had an ear infection.

I thought maybe our date night would

get canceled with Gabe not feeling well.

Till Friday evening he was feeling good.

The boys were excited they got to spend the

night at Sam's parents.

Gabe has never got to spend the night there.

We went to Fireside Tavern for dinner.

They have really good food & service.

I was surprised how fast we got our food.

Then we went to see Tower Heist,

a very good movie.

The movie was packed.

I don't think there was a seat left.

I hate when it is that full.

Saturday we spent the day

doing wood.

And Caleb learned how to run the skid loader.

Sat night we went to a turkey shot

at the local fire company.

Caleb was so excited.

Him & Sam played two rounds.
He was so excited because
he got to shot in a shoot-off.
  He didn't win, 
but had a blast and 
was so happy he did as well as he did. 

Logan & Bryce's Birthday Party!

On Sunday we went to Logan

& Bryce's combined birthday party.

Logan turned 5 on Friday and

Bryce will be one next week.

Caleb playing with Bryce

Bryce & Cole

Bryce's cake

Logan & his cake

You can kind of see where Gabe decided

to give himself a haircut.

So now he has a buzz.

A sleepy Bryce after eating his cake.

Tropical Storm Lee

On the way to the cabin last weekend

we saw lots of destruction

from tropical storm Lee.

It was amazing.

I could not believe all the damage.

There was a house just falling down.

Looked like the foundation was gone.

I can't imagine something like that happening.

You would see all this damage and

then there would be a house that you

would think would have damage and

it didn't.

It must have just depended on how the water

was running.
These pictures were taken while we
were driving along 87.

This is a corn field completely flattened.

I'd be sick if this happened to us.

lots of guard rails down.

This is where they are rebuilding the road on 87.
On lane of the road was completely gone.
There was a bridge that half of it was gone.
It is going to take 3-5 years to get it fixed.

Lots and lots of trees down.

here is a pretty fall pic of the playground at world's end state park.
a lot of the trees lost their leaves early
because of all the rain.



We always go to World's End State Park,
when we go to the cabin.
We weren't sure what to expect,
because we knew their was damage from the storm.

on 154 on the way to the park.

you can  how high up the water was

 

what used to be the beach.
all the sand is now in a pile where they swam.

 

 

 

all the sand

 

 

 

So very thankful that we didn't have
this kind of damage.
We saw pictures that we taken during the storm,
there was so much water everywhere.