2007 – A Look Back

This year Falyn turned 1, Jared and Riley turned 5, Aidan turned 7, Kayli turned 10 and Talia turned 12. Aidan graduated from kindergarten and started 1st grade. Kayli started 4th grade and Talia started 7th grade. The twins are in preppy-K and will go to kindergarten next year. Aidan started cub scouts. Talia bridged to Cadette Girl Scout and Kayli to Junior Girl Scout.

Talia was on the school softball team. Kayli’s spring soccer team won first place. Jared and Riley played soccer for the first time this fall. Kayli and Aidan also played soccer in the fall.

This summer we took a two week trip to the big Island of Hawaii. Grandma Nancy and Grandpa Ron came with us. It was an awesome trip!

This was also the year of our major remodeling project. We took what was the bonus room and a balcony and turned it into two bedrooms, an office, a playroom alcove area and a bathroom. Except for the bathroom, it is all completed. Amazingly, the work was done on budget and on schedule. Our contractor is the best.

New Washer and Dryer

Our new washer and dryer arrived today. We decided to get new ones because the old dryer was taking over an hour and a half to dry a load. These new ones are great! You can fit so much into them. It really cuts down the amount of time it takes to wash our clothes a lot.

They are also quite entertaining as you can see by this photo.

Who knew doing laundry was a spectator sport?

Crown Trouble – Take, I’ve lost count

Yesterday while eating an M&M cookie, a piece broke off my crown. It broke off of the side of the tooth. It didn’t effect the chewing surface and isn’t causing me any problems, yet. I called the dentist office, but they are not open until Jan. 2. Hopefully, the crown will not totally fall apart before then.

Talia worked on Rose Parade Floats

Talia went for her second day helping out with the Rose Parade floats today. She spent some time cutting yellow flowers and then glued them onto a float. She said it was an Egyptian themed float. She said it was hard work and boring and she doesn’t plan to do it again next year.

Dough Ornaments

We made dough ornaments today. The kids enjoyed cutting them out and painting them. The boys stuck with the cookie cutters, making trees, stars, stockings, and gingerbread men. Talia and Kayli made ornaments by shaping the dough by hand to create ornaments of their own design. Talia made a Nativity scene and Kayli made a snowman.

Here’s the recipe we used to make them:

4 cups of flour
1 cup of salt
1 1/2 cups warm water

Heat over to 325 degrees. Mix flour and salt. Gradually add water, stir till moist, finish mixing with hands and knead until soft. Roll on floured surface about 1/8 inch think. Cut shapes with cookie cutters and make hole for string. (We used the end of a paint brush to make the holes.) Back for about 1 hour, turn over every 15 minutes or so. Decorate with paint and/or glitter. Spray varnish on them to preserve.

I finally finished Aidan’s scarf!

I finally finished Aidan’s scarf. I started knitting it before Falyn was born. I ran out of yarn and stopped working on it. I got more yarn over a year ago, but haven’t spent much time working on it. Aidan very much wanted it finished before Christmas so I’ve been working hard to get it done. He loves it!

Talia Worked on the Rose Parade Floats

Last Saturday Talia spent eight hours up in Pasadena working on the floats for the Rose Parade. Her job was to cut dried yellow flowers. Except for an hour break for lunch, she spent the entire time cutting flowers. She said she didn’t think she would ever do the “dry dock” day again because it was so hard to just sit there all day and cut flowers. She is excited that she will be able to watch the parade and know that she helped out with the ones that have any yellow flowers on them. Next week after Christmas she is going again to help with gluing on the flowers. I think that will be more fun. She is doing this with her girl scout troop.

Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

I’m adding this recipe to my blog because the page it is on in the cookbook is about to fall out and I don’t want to loose it. The girls make these cookies all the time and we all love them. It is from “Betty Crocker’s New Cookbook”, except that I added vanilla to the recipe.

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup stick butter
1 large egg
2 1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package ( 12 ounces or 2 cups) semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix sugars, margarine and egg in large bowl. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by round tablespoonful about 2 inches apart onto cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes. Let cool 2 minutes on cookie sheet then move to cooling rack.