I can't believe it's snowing. Finally. Although I am personally ready for spring....

Jakoby is teething. Anyone have any ideas of good things to try with a teething baby??? I know I should know something already. But with the older 3 being so much older... I just don't remember. It bothers him mostly at night. (why did I think it wouldn't be??) He was up so much the night before last that I let Hannah stay home from school yesterday because he had us up all night. (her room is beside his) But one good thing.. we had some mother/daughter time while it was nap time. We excercised to my new toy... my very own playstation game. Dance Factory. Which is very neat! and we baked a batch of cookies out of my new recipe book. I got a Beverly Lewis Amish Heritage Cookbook for Christmas.
I just have to share the recipe...

Dropped Amish Church Sugar Cookies

3 1/2 c. flour 2 c. white sugar
1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. almond extract (we did 2 tsp. vanilla instead)
1 tsp. ground nutmeg 2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp. salt (we omitted) 1 c. sour cream
1 1/2 c. margarine (no substitutes) sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt. In large bowl, beat margarine, sugar and extracts until creamy. Add eggs and sour cream: beat well. Gradually add dry ingredients, mixing well.
Grease cookie sheets or line them with parchment paper. Using medium sized cookie scoop, drop cookies 2 inches apart. Sprinkly with sugar. (dough isn't really dough like, more like a thick cake batter)
Bake cookies for 10- 15 minutes or until set. (DON'T OVER BAKE!) Don't allow cookies to get too golden. Remove from cookie sheet and place on cooling rack. When completely cool, store between sheets of wax paper. ENJOY!

I thought for sure the boys wouldn't care as much for them unless I iced them... I was wrong. They were almost gone in hours! They are very soft and cake like. Everyone just loved them.

Well that's it for now... I need to find something else to get into... :)

Well it's January. Today is "Hunkie Christmas" at our house. (it's actually Jan. 6th, Greek Orth. Catholic Christmas...) I really don't know the whole thing behind it. It was just something we always did when I was a child. My older siblings were Greek Catholic.... What we did as a child, was my Mom would hid a small (fit in your hand size) present in the tree and after dinner that evening, we would undecorate the tree.... listening to last of the Christmas music (till Dec.) and find our gifts. I don't know what exactly my older sibling did as children... I personally think it was my Moms way of getting us to undecorate the tree without any hassels. Of course by the time my children came... They would get a gift from us... my Mom and my in-laws liked the idea so well... they would get a gift from them.... so all in all it was a "mini-Christmas". Minus the undecorating of the tree. I just couldn't let anyone touch the tree.... now when they are all older and careful... they don't want to help. It's "mom's job". (my mistake I guess)
We had a wonderful dinner... a rolled rump roast.. (6lbs) mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts, corn, Amish noodles in beef broth... and portabella mushrooms saute'd in butter then added to beef broth. Marth Stewart's table couldn't look better. Guess... all in all this year.... (since I got tired of the tree and took it down New Years Day...) and we didn't feel like shopping, again....
and Jakoby won't remember this year anyhow... we went with gift cards. (if my Mom was still here, the kids would have really made out.) Each kid is over $50 richer and Jakoby (didn't get money) got his first "cell phone" (toy) Mom and Dad??? Nothing again.... but I'll have fun taking the kids shopping. I love to see them make decisions to spend there own money... I have one that will probably save his money till summer and add it to birthday money. One that has it spent already... before you hit the store. Knows exactly what she wants... and one, bless his heart... wants printer ink and school stuff for a project. (Something that just wasn't in my budget this month.
All in all it was a wonderful 2nd Christmas. The kids are now thinking ahead to vacation.
Me???
I think I'll just think ahead to spring and longer days.... where I don't want to fall asleep right after dinner....