Cross Stitching

Some of the things I want my children to learn is not just academics. I want to teach them how to do things that they will use in life. This summer I got two books for Isaac and Sarah just for this reason. The books are called "Keepers of the Home" for girls and "Keepers of the Faith" for boys. The first thing Sarah did was cross stitch and Isaac wanted to learn too. Well to begin with I was having to stay on them about doing it and finishing it. The closer it got to a finished product the more excited they got. Funny thing is...Isaac was more excited than Sarah. He is so proud of his "Frog". I will say that I think they both did a great job. My thinking is that if they can cross stitch they can sew on a button. :) Sarah's "book mark" was actually a little too hard to find the holes so I pitched in and helped some. I have included pictures of the kids with their finished products. Now we are going to try and teach cooking some meals around here. :)

Isaac with his "frog".

Great Job!!!

Sarah did a book mark! I think the holes were a little too small. She is glad to be done!

Awesome!!

The last games

Sarah has done really well and played her heart out!

Sarah (in the middle) playing defense.

Trying for a rebound!

This guy (Isaac) is going to give it all he has!

Look at him in action!!

Can we say SWEAT?

Saturday was our last games for this basketball season. Well, they play a tournament this weekend...but last game for regular season. My parents got to come and watch them play.

I would like to take a moment and give a "shout out" to Paw and Maw. They have come 4 hours to see the kids play ball and be with us, that means the world to all of us. My kids were so excited Friday night because they knew that Paw and Maw were at our house....just as excited as if it was Christmas!! My parents have been very faithful in coming to see the kids, even though it is a long trip! Thank you mom and dad for coming and spending time with us, we LOVE it!! :)

Back to the basketball games. Sarah and Isaac have learned so much and have done a really good job. I am very proud of them! Sarah was one of the two hustlers on her team and she would run full court the whole game some Saturdays. Isaac has done really well. He has been the first to score points on his team at a few of the games. It has been such a joy to watch them play and grow. I will admit that I am not a competitor, so if things ever got heated I was a nervous wreck! I would love for them to just play and have fun, no score keeping. :) They both give their all to whatever they are doing. Isaac and Sarah both have a had a great time and enjoyed playing ball. Now we will enjoy some down time until time for the next sport to start up.

First Snow this year!

We had our first bit of snow yesterday! Every since Thanksgiving Elijah has wanted it to snow. He was so happy yesterday when the snow started coming down! It was coming down hard at lunch but didn't stick. I let the kiddos go out for a little bit and enjoy it. They all wanted to eat the snow! Wish you could have seen Timothy getting it off his boots and eating it....he is so funny! No snow today but it is cold. Isaac said he would love for Paw and Maw to come for a visit and get snowed in with us! :) All the kids were excited to see snow, but I (mommy) am not ready for this cold weather!! :)

Pancakes!

I love this picture! :) She is just so cute!

Joanna LOVES being able to feed herself...can we say independent?

Enjoying every bite!

Breakfast as a family!

Hot, fresh pancakes! They even LOOK YUMMY!!!

We love pancakes for breakfast! Not made from box but made from scratch!! Bryan is the pancake maker here and he does a VERY fine job! :) Bryan's mother (Gigi) has the yummiest pancake recipe and she has passed it over to Bryan. This past Saturday morning he made some and we let Joanna have her very own! She loved it!! When we lived in Alabama we would make pancakes at Christmas for our neighbors and for other church members. Bryan loves to cook and he really enjoys cooking for others.

Bryan's Pancakes

1 egg

1 1/2 Tbsp of sugar

1/3 cup of oil

2 cups of self rising flour

2 cups of milk

Combine all the ingredients and mix well. Pour batter onto preheated griddle. Cook until brown on both sides.

Cookies!

When my Nanny passed away I found some of her recipes. I also got a couple of her iron skillets and a tupperware bowl. I just love having her recipes that are written in her hand writing! One of the recipes are my favorite Chocolate Oatmeal Drop cookies. I remember when I was little her baking those at Christmas time. So this past Wednesday after we got the tree up I pulled out my (Nanny's) recipe and decided I would make some cookies. If you have ever made these cookies you know that they don't turn out just right every time. If you don't boil them long enough they won't harden and if you boil them too long they are dry and hard. So it is a tricky thing. Guess What? They turned out PERFECT!! I was so excited! Because they don't turn out every time I just don't make them often, but I was so glad they turned out this time. Every single one of us loved them! Elijah could eat all of them if I would let him. They were delicious!

Bryan and I had a Christmas party to attend last night and I thought that I would make these cookies again and take some of them with us. I made two batches this time. Guess What? They were not so right this time. ARGH!!! I had not boiled them long enough this time. So I didn't get to take them to the party. They are good they just didn't harden like they are suppose to. So after I put them in the refridgerator and they got a little bit harder I placed them in the bowl that was my Nanny's. I have thought about her alot this week. I use to call her when I would make something of hers and tell her. I so wanted to pick up the phone and tell her about the cookies. We didn't talk every day but I enjoyed the many times we did talk. She is missed so much!!


Nanny's recipe (in her handwriting) for Chocolate Oatmeal Drop Cookies

The cookies I made on Wednesday night that turned out GREAT!! :)

The cookies in Nanny's bowl.

Elijah after he ate one of the ones that did not harden. He did not care how they looked, they tasted the same. He even told me as I was baking them that he wanted to put something in them so no one would eat them and I would have to bring them all home. LOL!! Can you see the chocolate on his face and hands? Isn't he the cutest?

Christmas Tree and Lights

Our Christmas Tree! Decorated by the kids!

Hanging lights on the house.

We were still out of town the day after Thanksgiving so we didn't get Christmas things out and done until Wednesday of this week. My kids LOVE putting up the tree. Bryan puts up the tree and we are soooo thankful for a pre-lit tree!! :) Then I hang the ornaments that will break up at the top. The kids hang the rest! We all have a part in putting up the tree! I remember when there was a time that I really stressed about the ornaments being just right on the tree and spaced out evenly....Praise God that He has changed me! It doesn't bother me any more, I know the kids really want to help and I need to let them! So glad that I don't stress about this any more. It's just a tree and what matters most is that the kids are helping and enjoying it!!

We have never had lights on the house! Just not something we have ever put time or money into doing. Last year Elijah loved looking at Christmas lights and let us know that he wanted lights on our house. Well this year he got what he wanted! Bryan went and bought lights and now we have light on our house. I will try and post a picture of them finished and lit up soon! The kids love the lights on the house and it is starting to "Look alot like Christmas" around here. Now if I could finish up shopping and get presents wrapped..... How are you preparing for Christmas this year?

Thanksgiving 2011

Some of the Camp's walking from Rusty and Candice's house to Pop and Gigi's.

Sarah helping Elijah

Timothy riding the tricycle

Elijah LOVES riding the BIG wheel!

Joanna learned how to climb down the stairs at Pop and Gigi's!

Isaac got to watch ALOT of football!

A little one on one basketball is so much fun!

Bath time at Gigi's is F-U-N!

All the kids like taking a bath at Gigi's house

Sister time! Sarah and Joanna reading a book.

On Thanksgiving Day we ate supper with Bryan's family and it was so nice to see everyone! The food as always was so delicious! Then we got to spend all day Friday with Bryan's parents, Rusty, Candice and their boys, so much fun! Rusty is Bryan's youngest brother and his oldest son is 3, add him to Elijah and Timothy and you have some BOYS! We walked through the woods, rode 4- wheelers, rode the BIG wheel and tricycle, played basketball and enjoyed every minute of it all! Saturday we went to my parents'. We got to go with them to church. It was so nice being with my parents. Dad and Mom took us to look at Christmas lights on Monday night and then Tuesday morning we headed home. It's been nice to be home and get some things done around here. Bryan is taking vacation this week so we are enjoying him being here with us!! So much to be THANKFUL for!!!