Thursday, January 29, 2009

December 2008`

Here is a collage of pictures from our December.

Sasha is making orange juice from oranges. Hilary's first time making homemade noodles. Braden has really curly hair. Braden and Sasha had their first rides on Grandpa's ATV. Braden decided that riding the little wagon was more fun than pulling anything along in it. Sasha fell asleep on the black leather chair in her room (when she was in her room for being bad). Braden is riding a little car toy while in the hospital on Christmas day. These are just some of the pictures of the kids that we enjoyed from these past few months.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

SAVE HANDMADE

Today is CPSIA Blogging Day. Another big push to get the laws changed and prevent thousands of small business owners — artists and crafters making beautiful handmade items for children — from going under.
If you haven't heard about the controversy about this new bill read about it here and here.
This law was created with good intentions. Remember all of the toys from China that were recalled because of the lead in the paint? Well this is the knee-jerk reaction that congress came up with. To protect our kids, great, right? Unfortunately there are a multitude of problems associated with it. There are thousands of small, home-run, second-hand... businesses that will be going out of business, or unable to start-up due to the costs that will be required. To see a humorous, but likely true example of what prices might look like after Feb. 10th check out some of these items on ETSY
Please check out this blog, Sarah has put together a really through post about the situation with the CPSIA, along with the effects that it will have on the economy. As well as what you can do to help here.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Yes I realize that I'm a little slow getting this up,
here is what Spokane looked like when we got back on January 6th 2009
To read about it in a little more detail click here.
Out the window at the airportBrit hiking to the front door
(the snow doesn't look that deep,
because our landlord had plowed part
of our driveway a few days earlier
to have somewhere to put the snow)Sasha and DaleThe Suburban next to a mound in the drive
What you can see of the neighbors front windows over the snowThe ice hanging over the entrySnow sliding off the roofStarting to shovelShoveling the roof, from the snow
(not a shoveled mound, it is what had fallen). After 3 hours only a third of the driveway

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

German Apple Cake

German Apple Cake
3 eggs
2 C. sugar
1 C. oil
1 tsp. vanilla
2 C. flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
4 C. chopped and peeled tart apples (Granny Smith)(medium chunks work best)
3/4 C. pecans (optional)

Combine wet ingredients. Combine dry ingredients. Mix dry into wet ingredients. (The batter will be thick, and a carmelish color) Place in 9 x 13 pan coated with cooking spray. Bake for 55-60 min at 350 degrees. Drizzle with caramel topping (Smucker's or other variety of your choice - the type for ice cream), or a cream cheese frosting (see frosting recipe below). Both are great!!

Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese
2 T butter
2 C powdered sugar

This is a recipe that was made for our last relief society visiting teaching conference. (if there is anyone else that has a hard time getting a good attendance try taking a Sunday during Relief Society, it worked out really well for our ward.) It is fabulous! Give it a try.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Budgeting Help

If you're looking for a resource on budgeting, until Thursday you can download Suze Orman's 2009 Action Plan book from Oprah's website for free. It looks like it would be a great resource to understanding and surviving this recession financially.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

After Snow "Skating"

When we got home there was a wet, slippery 1/2" of snow on our driveway. Sasha was a little worried about the snow, so we spent few minuets "skating" around to help her realize how much fun it could be. She loved it, and didn't want to go inside.
Here was what I found by the front door after we got the kids down. She wanted to make sure that her shoes got good and dry.

Nativities From Around The World

I had the chance to participate a little with the orchestration, preparation, photography, and evenings of "Nativities From Around The World," this was the 6th annual "Celebration of Christ's Birth" that our Stake has done. I loved having the opportunity to be part of it.
Each night there was a concert for attendees to sit and enjoy from various groups from around Spokane (the Pilgrim Slavic Baptist Church Orchestra, The Spokane Community Gospel Mass Choir, Canterbury Belles of Ferris High School (they had to hold a second concert that night because of the number of people that attended)). The display of the nativities was beautiful, and touching. There were many non-members (individuals not of the LDS faith) that have attended each year, this year it was estimated that over 1/2 possibly 3/4 were of other faiths, some expressed confusion that we appeared to believe in the same God as they did, contrary to what they had been taught by their pastor, and expressed gratitude for a greater understanding of our beliefs after a discussion with some of the volunteers, or missionaries who were there.
Click to play Nativities '08
Last year we had our picture taken as a family, Braden was our baby Jesus. We were told that the pictures would get e-mailed to us, unfortunately that didn't happen. It was determined that logistically that wasn't a possibility, so this year each family was able to dress up, have a couple of pictures taken, and then we printed the best one out right there for them. I took my camera, and had someone take them for us. So here is our little family this year. Braden isn't quite the same "baby Jesus" this year.