Fun Stuff

Although this has been a rough month in some ways (mostly dealing with issues and behaviors plus increased school work and problems for Jessica at work), there has also been a lot of fun holiday stuff going on.


The third graders are having a paper bag mask parade tomorrow at school. I suggested several things to Jasmine such as decorating it to look like a box of Cheerios or Froot Loop or making it look like a Dr Pepper or Mountain Dew can. (You can tell what we have lots of around the house). She chose to make it a Mountain Dew Voltage Can.










I think it came out pretty well. She did the painting herself. We ran the Mountain Dew logo on computer. She colored it in darker and then we cut the letters out and glued them on.




We bought a pumpkin decorating kit that had pieces like Mr. Potato head pieces but with sharp points in order to stick them into the pumpkin. We got little pumpkins this year.

Here is Jessica's Mr. Pumpkin head.

Jasmine added a tiarra to hers.

Jasmine got all ready for soccer pictures and then it poured! I put purple and yellow beads in her hair. I left them in even though her school uniforms are red, white and blue. Since she had the beads in, she wore her soccer uniform as a costume to Tyler's church festival last night.

Someone saw her and asked where she played soccer. The lady said her son was purple terminators also but was U15. When Jessica said her brother Adam was on that team the lady said, "Oh, the suspended one." Guess that news traveled fast. I only told the coach was he was going to be out for a couple of weeks due to the trouble at home and school, no parents.

Tyler decorates his pumpkin.

Jessica made rolled sugar cookies for treat bags for teachers and bus drivers and other overlooked people. She started to melt almond bark for pretzels but the coating on the pan was all scratched up and bits of the coating got all through the almond bark so we have to buy more and start over. Threw the pan away!

Tonight we do more cookies, almond bark covered pretzels and cupcakes. Adam and I will do a lot of it because Tyler has a party at the college and the others are going to a big concert at the civic center.

We have two recipes we use for rolled sugar cookies.

Rolled Sugar Cookies (using granulated sugar)
1 c sugar 2 1/2 c all purpose flour
3/4 c butter softened 1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs 1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla colored sugar

Cream sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients.
Cover and refrigerate at least one hour. Roll dough 1/8” on floured
clth-covered board. Use rolling pin cover floured to prevent sticking.
Cut into desired shapes and place on ungreased cookie sheet.
Sprinkle with colored sugar. Bake at 400 6-8 minutes or until
light brown around the edges.

Rolled Sugar Cookies (using powdered sugar)
1 1/2 c powdered sugar 2 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 c butter softened 1 tsp baking soda
1 egg 1 tsp cream of tarter
1 tsp vanilla colored sugar
1/2 tsp almond extract

Mix flour, baking soda and cream of tarter. Set aside.
Cream sugar, butter, egg, vanilla and almond extracts.
Gradually stir in dry ingredients. Cover and refrigerate
at least three hours. Roll dough 1/8-1/4” on floured cloth
or board. Cut into desired shapes. Sprinkle with colored sugar.
Place on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 7-8 minutes or
until edges are lightly browned.