Gracie's Reflections Entry 2009

The theme for this years reflections contest was Beauty is.  Gracie decided to show nature's beauty buy doing a photo collage.  She titled it "Beauty is Nature's Rainbow".  We set my camera to the close up setting and she headed out with her dad, in hunt of trees.  It was the perfect time of year...FALL!

Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue and Purple.  Through Nature's Trees.  She had a little saying she had typed up and we posted all of this onto a black foam core board.  The photos were pasted on in an arch.  And "Nature's Rainbow" was cut out in a rainbow of colors and pasted along the bottom of the arch, following it's path.  Then in the center underneath she pasted her saying.  She bordered the whole thing in a rainbow of glitter.  We were supposed to shrink wrap it, but this is Roosevelt.  Where am I going to get it shrink wrapped?  I called everyone I could think of.  No go.  So it got turned in without. 

A few weeks later, Gracie was told that she had won.  Her entry was being sent to the next competition.  As of yet, we haven't heard anything.  Maybe we never will, and maybe we will never see her entry again.  They said that was possible.  Sad, but understandable.  I wish I had gotten a picture of her with the finished project.  But we were so worried about getting it turned in on time, I never thought of it, until I left the school that day.  Hindsight!

So, way to go Gracie!  I'm very proud of you!

Christmas 2009

We had a great Christmas this year.  It's favorite holiday for many reasons.  We have our own little traditions I guess, if I really think about it.  Of course no Christmas can go without visiting Santa to tell him if you've been naughty or nice.  How about both?  lol
Gracie told Santa she wanted Jewler's Loupe, a Geode, and new strings for her guitar.

TJ told Santa he wanted Guitar Hero for the Wii, a snowboard, and a dragon game for his DS.

The kids make and decorate Gingerbread Houses every year.  This year I got a wild hair and decided to try my hand at gingerbread rather than buying a kid from the store.  Have you ever smelled Gingerbread before you bake it? 

Not the most flattering picture of me, but you get the point.  TJ in the background there, trying to take a wiff so he can make grossed out sounds again.  It smelled icky.  If you've never made it before, let me tell you about a part I found interesting.  I don't claim to be a baker, so maybe this is widely know.  You have to boil part of the ingredients and mix the dry ingredients in that hot liquid goo.  Then, before it dries, you have to get that bugger rolled out.  It dries fast!  We quickly divided it into equal balls and rolled out 3 pans.  Talk about elbow grease.  By the time I got that third one rolled out, I thought I was rolling out cold tar.  Brings new meaning to the phrase "cold as molasses" for me.  Once it was rolled out, we cut out the required shapes.  And removed the excess.  In a rare moment, I am in the pictures.  Gracie was playing photographer.

 

Then on to baking, and cooling for the rest of the night and the next day.  By the way, I will NEVER attempt this again.  Store bought is way better and easier.  The next day, we tried to get our pieces off the pan.  DUH on me, because some were stuck.  I had kinda over baked one pan.  And 2 pieces broke.  So we had to "weld" them together with cement frosting and wait for them to dry before assembling the house.  Once we had cement frosted the house together, it was time for the kids favorite part!  DECORATING!  (and eating the candy when they don't think I'm looking)

They each got a side, cause there was NO WAY I was making 2 of those. 

 

Soon they were finished.

And NOW.........LET'S EAT IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No we didn't really, but it was a funny shot.  Truth be told, my kids didn't so much as pick a piece of candy off it this year.  It lasted the whole Holiday and got thrown away!  Amazing!
Soon, it was Christmas Eve.  We watched Santa on Nordic Santa Tracker.  As he got close, the kids hurried to bed with intent to catch a peak of Santa.  But they soon fell asleep, and so I went to bed.  We woke the next morning to excited kids and darkness.   Wait...Darkness?  Yes, it was dark.  About 5:30 am.  We all got up and indulged in the kids excitement.  Santa delivered just what the kids wanted. 
TJ got his Snowboard.

 

Gracie got her Guitar Strings, and TJ got his Guitar Hero.

And every thing else they asked for and more.    Gracie is demonstrating her Snugee.  TJ got a blue one.  Such a simple thing that someone is making millions on.  When am I going to have my idea?  lol
I didn't do to well at getting photos the rest of the day, but we had visitors and tons of fun.  Guitar Hero was a hit.  Here is Jenn playing, while Kasi & Julene look on.

Thanks to everyone for a great Christmas.  And thanks mother nature for the snow.  TJ said we couldn't have Christmas without it.
We'll leave you with a video of TJ's Mentos Soda Rocket.