Easiest Cookie ever!

As many of you know I am all about easy! So I have been looking online lately for recipes mainly at http://www.foodgawker.com/ and blogs. But tonight I pulled out one of my very first cookbooks. The Home and Garden Limited Edition Pink Plaid Cookbook. And found this recipe I have had bookmarked for over a year now. I have always been afraid of flour. The mess more than anything, I mean that stuff gets everywhere. I have this fear of a bowl spilling, just thinking about it makes me cringe! Well lately I have been getting better and I tried this recipe tonight.

Scotch Shortbread

1 cup butter softened

2 cups flour

3/4 cup powdered sugar



Combine flour and sugar in a bowl.

Mix butter in a mixing bowl with mixer and gradually add flour mixture. Separate dough into 2 halves. Make into a ball on ungreased cookie sheet. I used 1 cookie sheet and 1 Pampered Chef stoneware (my first time for that too). Slice (I used a pizza cutter).

Bake at 325 for 20-25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then move to cooling rack. Mine made 10 pieces each. I think I had 12 the first day. I'm horrible I know but they are so good! I am going to use cookie cutters the next time too! Enjoy

Rachel and Lance, Annabelle, Mathew, Jacob, and Landon

Jacob's Pictures!

Here are Jacob's pictures we got done at Wal-Mart last week. I wish I could get better at taking pictures, but I can't beat 30+ pictures for less than $10.00!! The top one we got the package, and the bottom one is our free 8x10.

Rachel and Lance, Annabelle, Mathew, Jacob, and Landon

Jacob and his movies

Jacob is not really a TV kid. He would much rather watch movies. I think it is because he doesn't want to be interrupted by commercials! So this morning he choose Flicka and played with Annabelle's horses at the same time. Now we are watching his second movie Jurassic Park II The Lost World. Please do not be horrified by the fact I let me 3 yr old watch this movie. In fact he has been watching it for months, Lance got them all hooked on the trilogy. All of my children LOVE dinosaurs. So as we were watching the scene came on where the T-Rex invades the camp for the bloody shirt in the tent. As they are all running away one of the men is getting the tranq. gun ready and Jacob says "Monny, that's the bam bam to shoot the raurs, see monny." Then a few scenes later comes the field they are going to run through to get away. Jacob says "Monny, the raurs are there and their going to eat them men, see monny" He has always called me monny not mommy. It had to do with his speech delay which has gotten better, but I kind of like monny so I don't correct him. I know I'm hindering his speech but its just so darn cute!! I can't wait to see what movie he picks next!

Rachel and Family

Annabelle's Dental Gear

Annabelle has had a growing-up week!!!

She turned 7 in June and has sucked her thumb everyday since about 3 weeks old. That's 361 weeks of thumb sucking. And not just at night either, in the car to in school to during sports practice, her thumb has been practically stuck in her mouth. Last year at one of her dental checkups the dentist said "appliances would not work till she was ready to stop". Well 6 months later he agreed with me and said we need to do something before her teeth grow straight instead of down. So we chatted and agreed on mouth gear. This will remind her when the thumb starts to go in that "oh, I can't do that anymore"! She has been worried about the way it will feel. She was worried about missing the last football game. But after it was in and she realized no pain she was already running and jumping around and having a great time tonight at football practice(for Mathew, her season is over because of the gear).

Here is the timeline and a few pictures.

Sept. 25th 6mo cleaning, agreed on problem and remedy so impressions were made.

Oct. 16th dentist cancelled appt

Oct. 20th spacers put in

Oct. 22nd gear put on

Excited to be at the dentist.

Spacers

Gear

This is Annabelle's bite, see the gap from thumb sucking.

First smile with gear in!

She is doing good with it. I just have to remember it is like braces for all the food limitations!! So this stays on 6 months, which is both for getting the teeth to move around and its a good amount of time to forget the thumb sucking habits!

Rachel and Annabelle

Our Caterpillar

So today I took the trash out (Lance is still gone). And I thought oh what a cool leaf!

Then I got closer and thank goodness I did not swat it down into the breeze because it was not a leaf it was a caterpillar!! Have a great week everyone!!

Rachel and Lance, Annabelle, Mathew, Jacob, and Landon

Itchy Itchy Scratchy Scratchy

Our poor boy Landon. He has had cradle cap since about 5weeks old. At first I was "letting it pass" then it started to get real bad, and clumpy and flaky-gross. We would wash everyday then lather with baby oil. Then we would try to wash every other day and lather in baby oil. So then came google about 1 1/2 weeks ago! I saw a lot of suggestions to use canola oil then wash then lather in baby oil. So I did and its working, I have done canola once and now just bath every other day and later 2-3 times a day with baby oil.

But poor guy it still itches, see the top of his head. I tried to keep it moisturized then he would wake-up with scratches all over his head, so then I tried the beanie and of course it comes off as he sleeps. I have to trim his nails every other day. Then a friend suggested the newborn mittens, and of course I forgot to grab them at wal-mart today. So I was at the dentist office today with Annabelle(look for that post thursday) and one of her classmates father mentioned socks on his hands. Okay, so I should have already thought of that, seeing as I will try to find something in the house before I will purchase something new!! So as I put Landon to bed tonight I remember grab the socks, of course they were all in the wash except for the one pair that doesn't match!! And I have the fan on in the room since he looks as if hes bundled up for a blizzard!

Lance and Rachel, Annabelle, Mathew, Jacob, and Landon

Gross Farms-Sanford, Nc

It has been on the chilly side here all week just like about everywhere else. But today after football a friend and I decided to get the kiddos out of the house! This afternoon we ventured out to Gross Farms. It was fun. I mean besides my obvious frustration in my children running wildly in the pumpkin patch throwing the small pumpkins around. I had a few AHHHHH WOULD YOU STOP IT moments today. Sorry Sara, I know I must have looked a little red at times. But in all I think the children enjoyed themselves. Oh and I have to tell you, that I paid for 4 hayrides, and then Jake had a fit and started throwing straw at people so I took him off the hayride. Annabelle and Mathew stayed with Sara and her children, Thanks again for that. So I was out that $10. just extra frustration $10 is a pair of jeans for the kiddos. Ahh like I said it was one of those days....... Tomorrow can only be better!!!

This is how I start most of our outings, it may seem strange but I don't know it seems normal to me. I take a picture of the kiddos before. I do this so I know what they have on in case of an emergency I have a picture to show authorities. There are so many times we go places and I mean to take pictures but I forget, so If I take one before we leave the house I'm set. Oh and Mathew didn't want to go, he didn't think pumpkins were exciting!!

At this moment Jacob didn't want to be there!

This was before Jacob's fit.

Spelling is tough, in 2nd grade!

I want to start off by saying I love teachers. From my mother, to the ones that home school , to the fact I still want to teach. But I have had a couple of problems with Annabelle's teacher this year. The first it that she has Annabelle put Anna on all her papers (the 2 you see is the seat in class each child has a number for days when there are substitutes) I told Annabelle to write her full name, but yet her teacher has her put Anna. This will be discussed at parent teacher conferences. My other problem is the teacher says Annabelle talking is disruptive at times (which I can understand and Annabelle and I have talked about). So I think while the teacher was grading her spelling test this week Annabelle must have been disrupting her!!!

Number 5 Is supposed to be SHAKE !!! But the smiley face 100% is cute!!

Have a Happy Friday!

Say HELLO to my friends

My Grays!!!

Hi Grays!!!

I came to terms with these friends. I knew they were coming, I remember the first when I was in high school, and of course I took care of it right away! Than as I got older and met Lance I blamed him. Then I had children and some have come I'm sure because of the them. In fact up until a few months back I thought this is great these friends are the best, now I'll "fit-in" with my husband and his "groups" of friends (love you all). That was until I had Caroline at the salon cut my hair. I was talking about how I liked my Grays and that I thought it made me seem wiser, and even sexy. But no then Caroline had to tell, "that if my husband wanted these friends he wouldn't have went 12 yrs his junior".

So on that note help me figure out what to do. I'm thinking all dark brown because of the fall, then I think frost because its a change, I don't think I want highlights, I'm just not ready for chunky hair. Or leave it the way it is????? Remember that no matter how I part my hair, they are there, or even in the ponytails!!! Hmmmmm what to do what to do.

Rachel

Landon's Rice Story!

Landon has been growing like crazy. Eating a bottle (6oz) almost every 3 hrs while he is awake. I needed something to help him curb/curve his appetite. I know, I know if a babies hungry feed him. But my goodness. And we have tried to hold out on the feedings by 15-20 mins at a time, and my goodness you can tell. He gets so hysterical poor guy. I mean look at him, he is already throwing punches!!

So I had asked his Dr. the last visit at 2 months when can we start rice(at that time is was just a question) now I'm glad I asked. She said rice could be started anywhere from 4-8 months depending on how the child does. I also looked at the box of cereal and it says "supported sitters". So yeah "Landon you are ready"!!!!

Yesterday he took the first feeding (the video) like a champ! That is also the picture in the orange/picture plaid walker (which he now loves to sit in, plus it helps him hold his head up). But by dinner he had already forgotten what a great experience rice was(the picture in the high chair, which we had forgotten was in the garage)!! This afternoon was better. Unfortunately though I believe it made him a bit constipated, so I think I may hold off and try it once a week to see if he gets more "regular" with it!!

Great Job Landon!!!!

Mom, Dad, Annabelle, Mathew, and Jacob

The scary things in my fridge

OK so I won't post pictures of the scary things in my fridge. Because they were really gross and they might have been bad enough for cps to be called (all clean now). Oh but the thing that cracked me up the most was that the food was scared to be in there too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rachel and Lance, Annabelle, Mathew, Jacob and Landon

Flag Football

So as time goes by, I get more excited that our life will be filled with sports. From wrestling, soccer, flag football, baseball, to dance and more. Annabelle wrestled in Manhattan, Ks 2yrs ago till we moved. Annabelle played soccer in Leavenworth, Ks one spring. Annabelle and Mathew both placed soccer last spring, here at Ft. Bragg. And now we have Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays full of Flag Football. We practice on Tue. and Thur. sometimes there is a weeknight game thrown in there. This mornings football game was exciting! I am not really sure the final score. They don't get as many points for TD and such as the pros do. But my goodness they all play their little hearts out. The hard thing for most of them to get it the flag part. You can not tackle or you get a flag(penalty) and you can not protect your flag either. I really should goggle Flag Football rules, but then I might pay more attention to the rules then the children.


So here are a few pictures from today's game. I know everyone has been waiting!! Annabelle #28 Mathew #38


They are next to each other, on the end.

They are next to each other on the left side of the field.

Mathew is on the left side of picture, and Annabelle is blocking in the middle.

Lance and Rachel, Annabelle, Mathew, Jacob, and Landon

My "southwest" Chicken

I say "southwest" because I have NO idea what cuisines go where. I just know there are some cowboys in the west. And there is salsa!!! So here it is plain and simple (or not so simple.....).

2 cups salsa

3 ears of corn

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts



Pour salsa into pot and heat at mid-high. While the salsa is heating place corn in boiling salted water (I'm sure you could used can corn, but I had bought some at the farmers market I wanted to use) boil 5-6 mins. Start grill and grill chicken till "juice runs clear" (I always here that, but I'm never sure, I could use a thermometer, but no I cut the chicken to check it and mine has never dried out), I then "cut the corn off the cob using a steak knife in a downward motion" (I'm sure there is a name for that), add corn to salsa, let heat 3-5 mins. I heated mine in the time it took me to cut the children's chicken.




Oh and I made bread for the first time today, and had a little helper!! I'll post that later!!

Lance and Rachel, Annabelle, Mathew, Jacob, and Landon