Aggies WON!!

Texas A&M 80, Texas 63--The did a White out game--all the shirts they sold for this game were white---looked really nice to see all the fans.

Matthew likes reading the box!

This morning for breakfast, I had pour Matthew some cereal and proceeded to put the box up. Matthew got up and came into the kitchen saying "Cereal", to which I told him I already poured it. Well, he would give up and walked with me to the pantry and kept repeating himself. I then understood...he wanted to look at the box while he ate!!! Funny!!

National Puzzle DAY and Oatmeal Mask night!

Mark wasn't up for an oatmeal mask last night, so tonight is our family picture night!!!
Here we are...we did puzzles first, then masks!! Then all the kids took a shower!

National Oatmeal Month!!!

Did you know that January is National Oatmeal Month? Well, we are celebrating today with oatmeal! We will be making John's favorite cookie--oatmeal raisin. We will also be doing oatmeal masks on our faces...hopefully, I will remember to take pictures for all to see!

I ended up making Oatmeal Raisin, Date and Nut Cookies! They are sooooo yummy!

Tomorrow is National Puzzle Day! Don't forget to celebrate!

Fun Wood Floors!

We put in wood flooring in our living and dining room and the kids are loving the new toy room!! See the pictures to really understand. The kids are running the battery operated train under the couch!! They loved it! To them this IS the reason for the wood floors...couldn't do this with carpet!!

2 Desks Up for Grabs!!--Already Claimed!

Wow! They already have been claimed! Thanks for all the interest!!

Try it with us Recipe!

Email me with what you think after you try it. If you have a recipe for us to try, send it on! The ones we try will be dairy free over here, fyi.

White Bean and Chicken ChiliSubmitted By: Sarah Breckenridge
.
Servings:6

3 tablespoons olive oil
6 scallions, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2-1/4 teaspoons chile powder
1-1/2 teaspoons cumin
3 (15 ounce) cans white beans, rinsed (I might use a mixture of beans?)
1-1/2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, drained
2-1/4 cups chicken broth
2-1/4 cups leftover cooked chicken breast meat, shredded
Tabasco sauce to taste (optional):

In a medium saucepan, heat oil on medium high. Add scallions (saving some greens for garnish) and garlic and saute until golden. Add chile powder and cumin. Saute for 1 minute. Add white beans, tomatoes, and broth. Simmer 15 minutes until liquid is slightly reduced. Stir in chicken and simmer 5 minutes more.
Season with Tabasco and garnish with scallion greens. If desired, serve with baked tortilla chips and low-fat sour cream.

New Wood Floors

We have put in new wood floors in our living room and dining room. Here's some of the footage...so you can enjoy!!

It hurt us more than it hurt him!!

You know that saying--"This hurts me more than it hurts you." Parents are supposed to think this when they punish their children for something they did wrong. Well, most of the time it is not true...but last night it was. Mark had told a lie, and he needed some lovely discipline. Well, he knew what he did was wrong--and when we were talking to him about what he did wrong, he started to cry very softly...oh, that broke both John and I, and we felt hurt more by disciplining him, than it hurt him. But, of course, we have to show discipline rather than mercy sometimes.

Mark is a tough boy, but he has a very soft heart. We are having to teach that lovely lesson of truthfulness to all of our children(well, not the youngest yet!) right now, and unforturnately, what the older ones are being instructed on, the younger ones start to experiment with.

Santoku and Utility--My favorite kitchen friends!

What is a Santoku---???? It's my favorite knife along with my utility knife. I feel like Rachel Ray when I smash my garlic and peel it like a champ! If only I could cut as fast as she does!! My mom gave me these two knives and I love them! They will go where I go, live where I live, maybe not sleep where I sleep, but you get the picture! I don't own the paring knife(the smaller one), but with the other two, who needs it? I just thought everyone would also enjoy the detailed description of the Santoku--plus, now you know a new word and can sound very smart saying it!!

Santoku description from Calphalon:

"Combining features of a chef's knife and a cleaver, the Santoku is an all purpose Asian-style knife that's ideal for cutting meat, fish and vegetables. The word santoku means "three good things" - a reference to the three cutting tasks it performs so well: slicing, dicing and mincing. The Santoku is designed with kullens, or indentations along its edges, which reduce friction and prevent food from sticking to the blade. The knife also serves as a spatula as you cut, removing cut foods quickly and easily from the cutting surface."

Russian Honey Cookies

My kids have enjoyed eating Russian Cookies since we got back from our trip in March, so I looked up a recipe to try! I always love to experiment! So, here's the recipe. I will try to make them and take pictures for all to enjoy. I will keep you posted--no pun intended!

Nut and Spice Cookie Recipes - Russian Honey Cookies

Ingredients
3 cups/450 g all-purpose/plain flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom( When cardamom is not available, use a blend of nutmeg and cinnamon or cloves and cinnamon)
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup/200 g granulated sugar
1 cup/250 ml honey
1/2 tsp vanilla extract/essence
2 tbsp confectioners'/icing sugar, to dust
Method:
Sift the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and salt into a medium bowl.
Beat the eggs and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and thick.
Heat the honey in a small saucepan over low heat until liquid. Stir the honey and vanilla into the beaten egg mixture.
Mix in the dry ingredients to form a stiff dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C/gas 5. Butter two cookie sheets. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 1/2 inch (1 cm).
Use a 2-inch (5-cm) cookie cutter to cut out the cookies. Gather the dough scraps, re-roll, and continue cutting out cookies until all the dough is used.
Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to the prepared cookie sheets, placing them 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until just golden. Cool on the sheets until the cookies firm slightly. Transfer to racks to finish cooling. Dust with the confectioners' sugar.

Goals for our family

I have been inspired by my good friend Beth Fox to make goals through out the past few years and write them down...so I thought I'd share what we came up with as a family. Numbers and some info was removed to protect the innocent!! Ha! I thought you all would enjoy this and maybe you too can implement the Fox tradition!
Goals for 2008
Katie: learn to play soccer, learn piano,

Melissa: Read a big book, improve on piano

Mark: learn to write his letters, play soccer

Matthew: potty train, drop speech therapy, run

John weigh ***
Read Russian children books and understand them
Sell house,
Read a book a month
Ideas:
RC Sproll
Third Culture Kids
Supreme Justice
Pray 10 minutes in the morning

Karen weigh ***
Run 1 mile in one running
Read a book a month
Ideas:
Passionate Housewives Desperate for God
Third Culture Kids
Have a daily quiet time/wake up at 6:30am

Couple/Family Goals
Free Ice Skating Lessons
Have a Date every two weeks.

Goals change over the years, but it's fun to have something to aim for!

Mark's memory verse --location is found finally!

We do a memory verse with school about every 1.5 weeks, but today Mark told me he wanted to tell me his church memory verse. He said, "Let me smile on you, and be gracious to you and let me give you favor"...Mark's version of his church memory verse. So precious!!

Number 6:25-26 is where this is...I finally found it!!

Books, Books and More Books!!!

1. One book that changed your life:
The Bible--for sure is the top of the list, but that's a group of books--right? So, one other book is called Creative Counterpart by Linda Dillow
2. One book that you have read more than once:
Nonfiction: Books of the Bible
Fiction: Honor Bound by Colleen Reece(1983 book)--I've read so many times, I don't think I could count them!
3. One book that you'd want on a desert island:
The Bible, most definitely
4. One book that made you laugh:
Diamond of the Rockies--only b/c John made fun of a cowboy that was killed by a bull that ate wacky weed!!
5. One book that made you cry: Daughters of Lancaster County(series)
6. One book that you wish had been written:
One more series like Anne of Green Gables
7. One book that you wish had never been written:
Dr. Laura book--won't mention the name since some people just love her and her books
8. One book you are currently reading:
A Promise for Ellie
Roses Will Bloom Again
9. One book you've been meaning to read:
Passionate Housewives Desperate for God: Fresh Vision for the Hopeful Homemaker

Charlie Brown Christmas!!

This is our two strand Christmas plus icicles!! We talked about having a Charlie Brown sign outside of our house, but never got around to it...so it was funny only to us!! To our neighbors--well, hopefully, they weren't too embarrassed by our display( or lack of one).

Poses of Children nearing the end of the semester!!

Katie is finishing up her last bit of math!! Matthew, well, he is having a rather private(but not so much-b/c of the camera) moment.

Mark is soooo upset that we are almost done!

The last shot is a cheesy one!!