Best Posts of 2010

Brooks' Stitches
The first REAL snow we've had in VA since we've lived here!
Kenna turns 4
Lleyton Gregory David is born
A little shower for Grey
Brooks turns 3
Triplets
Going to Ontario to visit Grandma Shantz
Grandma Shantz passed away on Oct 1
Halloween's Fall Ball
Growing kids, Dr's statistics
Our Christmas Pictures - Video
Thanksgiving
Grey's Dedication
Christmas Letter & Picture 2010
Kenna's performance in the Christmas Play - Video
Quiet Christmas 2010

Merry Christmas to All!

We spent this year's Christmas quietly at home. I was blessed to be invited to go with a friend to the Lion King (Amazing!) on the 23rd. And then the holidays begin! Quiet, with just us, but fun! Brian had to work on the 24th, so we spent the day cleaning and getting ready for Christmas! We've had a really fun and relaxing day together.

Nothing says I'm ready for Christmas like a Mickey Mouse tattoo:-)

Lots of cards!

Lauren (Brian's sister), came over after her night shift to open gifts with the us. Here are a few pic with some of the spoils of the day.

Brooks' newsboy/poor boy hat was from Auntie Noni (Lauren). The kitchen set was given to them by a little girl from church who outgrew it and thought they would take good care of it for her. They love it!

First Christmas!

Hat, again:-), Calgary Flames jersey from Grandma K, and a beach ball globe (aka treasure map)

Playing with his toys:-)

A new outfit and boots!

First Comes Love

A big congrats to my little brother Logan, who is now engaged to his best friend, Kari. Aren't they a cute couple?

 Logan will be the 5th one of us 11 kids to get married, and the youngest (he'll be 20 when they wed...and I will be THIRTY TWO). crazy. CRAZY! I am in complete denial that my "little kids" are growing up. I still choose to think of him like this:

Logan Braden Trevor, 14 months old. Cute as button!

The little kids will always be little to me. No matter how old they are! Huge congrats to Logan & Kari. We love you!

Cookie Dough Truffles - Recipe

 I found this recipe online, and HAD to try it. Cookie Dough is one of Brian's faves, so I thought it might make a nice holiday snack. Super easy! Let me help you out a little - 8 T equals 1/2C. I didn't have unsalted butter, only salted, and it tastes fine. I'm sure the super mini chocolate chips would be best, but I only had regular ones, and it works. No eggs, so the kids had a blast licking everything out when I was done mixing! I added a little milk to my melted chocolate to make it runnier and better for dipping for a "smooth" look finish. These have to be kept in the fridge or freezer. My PICTURES under the recipe! (forgive my horrible camera, I still don't have a new one. Some posts I have 'scheduled to post' in blogger, from long ago - when my camera worked! - that's why it jumps from good to bad pic quality everyday)

From Annie's Eats

8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2lb. semisweet (or bittersweet) chocolate, coarsely chopped
Mini chocolate chips (for garnish)

Cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture is firm enough to form balls.

Shape the chilled cookie dough mixture into 1 inch balls. Place on a wax paper-lined baking sheet and freeze for 1-2 hours.

When ready to dip the truffles, melt the chopped chocolate in a double boiler (or in the microwave at 50% power, stirring frequently). Using a toothpick, dip each chilled truffle, one at a time, coating in chocolate and letting the excess drip off. (If the cookie dough balls become too soft, return them to the freezer to chill for 30 minutes.) Transfer the dipped truffles to a wax-paper lined surface. If using mini chocolate chips for garnish, sprinkle on top quickly after dipping each truffle before the chocolate sets.

Store in the refrigerator and serve cold. These can also be frozen for longer storage. Makes about 5 dozen.

This is what I do with my free time (aka: Nap time)

Yum!

It says, A little Yummy for your tummy! A cute little gift for Sonny's mom. Tomorrow is the first day of Christmas break. YES!!

My Favourite Things

My favourite things make me happy. And this definitely makes me happy. It's a butter dish that my younger sister Jillaine made me while she was with us for the summer (Janessa make salt & pepper shakers for someone else, as I recall). Anyway, my butter dish (plain and clear glass) had just broken. And she went to Potts & Paints and thought to make this for me - it matches my dishes. Every time I get butter, I hope it never breaks, I love it. It's so cute, and I love the little saying she wrote on it. If you can find a Potts & Paints (or similar pottery store) in your area, you can make a personalized treasure you'll love forever! You could make a mug, a special plate for celebrations...anything! The pottery is all there, and they show you how to paint it, then they fire it up (or whatever they do to 'set' it), and it's ready for pickup the next day. It's fun, it's personal...it's a favourite thing you'll love!

This is how butter comes in the USA. A strange thing for Canadians, I know. They sell butter in "sticks" here, which are 1/2C each. It took me awhile to get used to it, but now I like it (better? maybe...)

For those that are curious - Canadian butter. It comes in a solid block (=2 cups). Canadian dairy products in general are much different than in the US, but that's another post for another time. Gotta love Fruit Bottom yogurt, that's all I'm sayin'! (and, no, I don't really miss that one!)

Baby Quote

You know me and my quotes! I have been 'collecting' them since I was a teenager...I have a word document that is about 70 pages long...all of quotes!

I came across a new one today...it's so perfectly encapsulates that indescribable feeling of love we all have toward our children, doesn't it? The moment they are born, you can't even imagine life without them in it, as if they were always there. True Love.

Before you were conceived, I wanted you.
Before you were born, I loved you.
Before you were here an hour, I would die for you.
This is the miracle of life.
Maureen Hawkins

Debut Performance - Video

Kenna had a little line in the children's portion of the Christmas play at church last night. She has been practicing constantly. We've been working specifically on enunciation and inflection. She sure does inflect-it-up! She took the very minor role in a very serious way. So cute. End result was a very clearly stated line:-) There weren't very many 4 year olds with lines, and I think she's likely the smallest of the 4 year olds anyway, she looked so small up there!

She delivered her line perfectly, and everyone laughed/cheered for her when she was done, just because it was so cute! Here's her 15 seconds of fame. "E is for the eastern star that shined so clear and bright"

 

The first thing she when she saw the video this morning was "That is not my voice! I don't sound like that!" I had to explain that our voices sound different to us than they do to others:-)

Here is some more of the skit...

And Happy New Year!