Little Baker

We need to pull the camera out and capture some of the fun that Grace has every day. We haven't really done much other than the day to day things like checking the mail for packages, getting groceries, and going to the gym.

We did get new neighbors recently and we invited them over for dinner last Saturday. Dustin grilled shish kabobs which were delicious. They brought over a very yummy dip (I should get the recipe because it was seriously THAT good!) and a dessert!

We have also made a few yummy desserts and Grace is becoming such a good helper. We made a chocolate chip coffee cake to take to James and Kelly's last Friday. And then this week we made Ohio River bottom sludge cake. They were both very delicious. They even passed the Grace test! Grace got to help with each step. She poured the flour and helped measure the salt and baking soda. She got to stir everything together. But her favorite part was taste testing the batter throughout the process and licking the bowl (and spoon!). I have to watch her carefully or she would eat everything right out of the pan!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Hope you like your cake!

My Little Cookie Taster!

Today we made Christmas cookies!! I should have put Grace's apron on her - it says "Cookie Taster" and is red with white trim (perfect Christmas apron!!!). She enjoyed helping frost the cookies and I think she stole a bite!

{her red and green Christmas tree}

We made boxes of Christmas candy for all of our neighbors and delivered them this afternoon. I found some cute boxes and sacks at the 100 Yen store and filled sacks with popcorn and pretzels and put them in a box and then put some cookies on a Christmas plate. I was planning on adding fudge and butter crunch but neither of those turned out. I may try to make those again so we can have them for our small group Bible Study potluck on Tuesday.

{the finished product}

{Christmas Cookies}

Before we delivered them we got ready for church (our church starts at 6pm). I decided that since it was cold enough for a sweater I would wear one of my favorites that I have not worn in almost 2 years, which happens to be red. And I decided that Grace should wear her Christmas dress since it is the Sunday before Christmas. So that led to Dustin putting on a nice shirt, which led to taking a family picture in front of our tree.

{I think it turned out good considering we had to use a self timer and hop around until it flashed so Grace would smile}

And then I just had to put this picture on here. I thought her outfit was adorable!

{notice the little sticker on her jeans}

Christmas Candy

Last night I decided to start making Christmas candy. I have learned that with the humidity here (I think that is what the problem is anyways) my butter crunch has never turned out the same as it used to when I made it in my Grandma's kitchen. Last night I actually didn't even finish because I could tell there was something wrong. I think tonight I will try again and cook it a little bit longer and hope we at least have a little to eat and share. If not, I guess we will have to stick with a few other recipes I plan to make: white chocolate covered popcorn, chocolate covered pretzels, Christmas cookies, and maybe even some fudge! I bought some cute little Christmas bags and boxes at the 100 Yen store the other day and we are going to fill them with goodies and take them to all of our neighbors.

I need to go pull out my cook books and find some recipes so I can make sure I have all of the ingredients.

Happy Easter!!

Happy Easter everyone!! Grace had a wonderful first Easter and I think we might have had even more fun that her just watching her with everything. We did her egg hunt and saw the Easter bunny yesterday. I was a little impatient so I mentioned how it is always a family tradition to hunt eggs the day before Easter for my family! On Friday night we went to our friends' house and dyed Easter eggs. We learned how to use crayons to draw on the eggs before dying them to make some pretty cool designs. I made a cute polka dot egg and Dustin made an egg that says "Grace's First Easter 2009" We made some cookie dough last night so it could chill overnight and be ready to roll out this afternoon when we got home from church. Grace was a good little helper! We went to church this morning and then out to eat for lunch and Grace had to wait patiently all morning for her Easter basket. We were all a little tired this morning because Grace decided she didn't want as much sleep last night as usual. Dustin did get a picture of her in her bunny PJ's before I put her Easter dress on so we didn't have to do a reenactment for a picture. And the dress in the pictures is NOT her Easter dress. She did wear her dress but barely made it through lunch before we had to bring it home to the Biz Bucket so I didn't get a single picture of her in it today. I am so glad we have lots of pictures from our photo session while we were in the states.

Enojoy the pictures and videos!

Grace in her bunny PJ's

Waiting to see all the fun things in her basket

My Giggly Girl

Family Photo

First look at her Easter Basket

Hand Puppet for Bathtime!!

Awwwww

Spoons and Bowls for her cereal

Her Chickie

My little helper :-)

Our Peanut Butter Easter Egg Cookies that we "painted" with egg yolk, water, and food coloring

Grandma's Butter Crunch

Today we carried on Grandma Darlene's tradition of making Butter Crunch for Christmas. We will be shipping it all the way from Okinawa to Oklahoma so the whole family can enjoy!

We still need to add the chocolate