From The Higgins Family
Andy, Jenni, Ailey, Marin & Silje
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Pete and How Come
Andy pulled out an old joke for Ailey the other night.
Andy: "Pete and Repeat sat on a log. Pete fell off. Who was left?"
Ailey: "How come?"
Just can't pull one over on that girl.
Andy: "Pete and Repeat sat on a log. Pete fell off. Who was left?"
Ailey: "How come?"
Just can't pull one over on that girl.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Gingerbread, Frosting, and Candy ... Oh My!
Ailey isn't much for sweets, but she likes to decorate them. Heart-shaped sugar cookies on Valentine's Day, frosting covered cupcakes on her birthday, gingerbread man cookies at Christmas. All with sprinkles, please!Last year Ailey and Andy made a gingerbread house, so they decided to make it a tradition and do it again this year. It has made a nice center-piece for our dining table.
Ailey likes to decorate gingerbread man cookies too. She hasn't gotten into making eyes, a nose and a mouth yet. Maybe next year.
Ailey's gingerbread men.... LOTS of sprinkles!
This isn't a food blog, but I'm going to include my gingerbread cookie recipe because it is really good. This makes very edible, soft, sweet gingerbread cookies. These cookies aren't just for decorating!
5 - 5 1/2 cups flour (I end up using a lot more)
5 - 5 1/2 cups flour (I end up using a lot more)
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
2 t. ground ginger
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1 t. cloves
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
2 eggs, beaten
Thoroughly mix flour, soda, salt, and spices. Melt shortening in large saucepan. Cool slightly. (I cool for about 20-30 minutes.) Add sugar, molasses, and eggs. Mix well. Add 4 cups dry ingredients and mix well. (Make sure shortening is cooled enough, and add the eggs slowly while stirring, or you'll have a scrambled egg mess! I add the eggs after the sugar and molasses.)
Turn mixture onto lightly floured surface. Knead in remaining dry ingredients by hand. Add a little more flour, as needed, to make a firm dough. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness for cut-out cookies. Bake at 375 on ungreased cookie sheets - small/medium cookies for 6-10 minutes, large cookies for 10-15 minutes. Decorate when cooled!
Thoroughly mix flour, soda, salt, and spices. Melt shortening in large saucepan. Cool slightly. (I cool for about 20-30 minutes.) Add sugar, molasses, and eggs. Mix well. Add 4 cups dry ingredients and mix well. (Make sure shortening is cooled enough, and add the eggs slowly while stirring, or you'll have a scrambled egg mess! I add the eggs after the sugar and molasses.)
Turn mixture onto lightly floured surface. Knead in remaining dry ingredients by hand. Add a little more flour, as needed, to make a firm dough. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness for cut-out cookies. Bake at 375 on ungreased cookie sheets - small/medium cookies for 6-10 minutes, large cookies for 10-15 minutes. Decorate when cooled!
Friday, December 11, 2009
A Christmas Production
Ailey had her preschool Christmas program this past week. It was SO much fun to see her with her classmates, singing in the spotlight.
Getting situated.
Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer ... Ailey had antlers through the whole song.
Not always facing forward and performing with the class.
Marin and Silje enjoyed the show.
Ailey and her Sunday School teacher, Miss Nancy. (This was the picture after the picture with her eyes closed.)
Ailey and her favorite preschool teacher, Mrs. Crossen.
Ailey and Andy, waiting to go back and gather with her class.
Getting situated.
Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer ... Ailey had antlers through the whole song.
Not always facing forward and performing with the class.
Marin and Silje enjoyed the show.
Ailey and her Sunday School teacher, Miss Nancy. (This was the picture after the picture with her eyes closed.)
Ailey and her favorite preschool teacher, Mrs. Crossen.
Ailey and her class performing "God is Bigger Than the Boogie Man"
An "Oops" moment during one of Ailey's songs
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Me and Dufus
With the Christmas season comes the Christmas books, the decorations and the holiday music. With two beginning talkers in the house there are a lot of new words being tried out these days.
Marin and Silje know that "Baby Jesus" is in the manger of the nativity scene, on the last page of the book "Christmas in the Manger", and, well, sometimes on the cover of a Hanna Andersson catalog.
They know the Christmas tree "lights" and want them on ... and off, and on, and off.... They run to the window to check out Papa's "lights" when he turns them on in the evening.
They always ask for the "Fa La La" song or "Santa Baby" when we are in the car.
They know "Santa", the "Christmas tree", the "stockings", the "star".
Silje even knows "Me and Dufus". She points to "Me and Dufus" in books and in our nativity scene. (That is, "Mary and Joseph". She's such a smart little girl.)
It's been a fun holiday season so far with Marin and Silje at this age - the new discoveries are so exciting, and special to this time of year.
I hope you are all enjoying this holiday season, and remember the reason for the season: "Baby Jesus", and "Me and Dufus" too.
Marin and Silje know that "Baby Jesus" is in the manger of the nativity scene, on the last page of the book "Christmas in the Manger", and, well, sometimes on the cover of a Hanna Andersson catalog.
They know the Christmas tree "lights" and want them on ... and off, and on, and off.... They run to the window to check out Papa's "lights" when he turns them on in the evening.
They always ask for the "Fa La La" song or "Santa Baby" when we are in the car.
They know "Santa", the "Christmas tree", the "stockings", the "star".
Silje even knows "Me and Dufus". She points to "Me and Dufus" in books and in our nativity scene. (That is, "Mary and Joseph". She's such a smart little girl.)
It's been a fun holiday season so far with Marin and Silje at this age - the new discoveries are so exciting, and special to this time of year.
I hope you are all enjoying this holiday season, and remember the reason for the season: "Baby Jesus", and "Me and Dufus" too.
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