fun in the snow

we welcomed december with snow this year, and it hasn't stopped yet, more snow is in the forecast for the next 4 days or so. it certainly does a lot for the Christmas spirit around here! and it is so beautiful. we take all that goes with it, too, the slippery drives to town, the puddles of melting snow on the kitchen floor which i always seem to find with my stocking feet, the dripping mittens and scarfs arranged over the heat vents, the pile of boots at the door, and the laughter and shouts from the kids as they build the first snowman of winter...

i caught C shoveling the porch by the garage, but i had to be sly about snapping this photo! he has been rather camera shy lately, pardon the screen. thanks, C!

it was the perfect kind of snow, packy! i captured the following snowball fight from the safety of the deck!

oh, i know. come january and february i will groan when i look out the window and see more snow, but for now, in early december, i welcome the new fallen snow. there is a magic about it.

everyday gift: rosy cheeks and frozen mittens

little italian village

these little wooden houses belonged to my grandmother, my dad's mother. as far as i know, they were brought back from italy in the 1940's by an uncle, presumably fighting in world war II. i wish i knew for sure. i wish i knew who the uncle was and the circumstances surrounding these souvenirs. i wish i knew exactly where they came from. but these details were lost when my grandmother died.

the tops of the houses lift off, they are actually little boxes. i love the hand-painted details.

if your grandparents are still living, please go visit them. ask them questions. listen to their stories...and take notes. their lives are history, your history. and you undoubtedly will find out the most remarkable things about them.

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everyday gift: a treasure from my grandma

break through

B hit a bump in the arithmetic road. it was the letter n. "WHY would they use a LETTER in a math problem???" we were on the verge of a melt down. i had to think fast. and i came up with, what i think, was a great way to show the process of figuring these simple algebraic equations.

i set up the equation using the one cubes from a base ten block set, numbers and function signs on index cards, and a small jewelry box labeled n. i put the answer to n hidden in the box for B to discover.

to find the answer we need to take the 7 away from the left side of the equation. that means to keep it equal we have to also take 7 away from the other side.

7 minus 7 is 0 and 0 plus n is still n. 12 minus 7 leaves 5.

now open the n box to check your answer.

we had a break through!

does an 8 year old really need algebra? i wonder if other third graders are learning this?

everyday gift: a light bulb moment

homemade pizza

sunday night we made homemade pizzas for the first time in a long while. there is just something about the whole family participating in the meal preparation that makes it so much fun... especially with a wannabe italian pizza chef tossing dough in the air!

pizza toppings!

quick pizza sauce

1 8oz can tomato sauce

1 6oz can tomato paste

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

mix all ingredients in a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer. turn off heat and let sit until ready to put pizzas together.

this man is serious about his pizza

the dough

3 to 3 1/2 cups flour
1 pkg. rapid rise yeast
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup very warm water
2 tbl olive oil
*optional: add 2 tsp italian herb seasoning (basil, oregano, rosemary)
and 1 clove finely minced garlic along with the dry ingredients

in a large bowl combine 2 cups of the flour, undissolved yeast, and salt. stir water and olive oil into dry ingredients. stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 4 - 6 minutes. cover and let rest 10 minutes. form dough into a smooth ball. divide and roll to fit desired pan. top as desired. bake each pizza in a preheated 400* oven for 20 minutes or until done. time depends on size and thickness of crust and selected toppings; deep dish pizzas can take up to 50 minutes.

dueling rolling pins

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family memories...yes, these ARE the good ole' days!

everyday gift: pizza dough on the ceiling

warming up

(p.s. will post recipe for this homemade cocoa mix soon...)

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okay, here is the recipe, chris! ;o)

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Hot Cocoa Mix

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1 lb. Nestle Quick

1 8qt. box powdered milk

1 6oz jar powdered coffee creamer

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

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mix all ingredients well. store in an airtight container.

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1/3 cup of mix per 1 cup of piping hot water. enjoy!

40 servings

everyday gift: whipped cream and sprinkles on top of hot cocoa

first snow of the season

Though your sins are like scarlet,

they shall be white as snow;

though they are red as crimson,

they shall be like wool.

Isaiah 1:18b

everyday gift: a blanket of fresh snow

overheard last weekend...

so, C, what is on your Christmas list this year?

well, actually, i can't think of anything i need. i really have so much.

can you imagine how that warms this mother's heart? we have actually been blessed beyond any real need. oh, there can always be a want. there are plenty of things our boys don't have: a wii, or any gaming system for that matter, an ipod, a laptop of their own, or the next newest lego robotic system. i am sure if he perused the catalogs he would find some interesting things to put on a wish list. later C suggested that we look into donating a goat or chickens to a family instead of a heap of gifts under the tree this year. he is so practical, like his dad. his school is participating in a charity that is collecting money to feed the hungry, but C said, "why just give them food that will run out? shouldn't we give them something that will last and continue to provide for them?" yes, he is his father's son! what a blessing!


following C's suggestion, we are shopping with World Vision this Christmas. if you, too, are interested, you can check it out here.

everyday gift: seeing my son's generous heart