Blog Break Recap

Now that I've enjoyed several days away from the blog, I feel like I haven't posted in YEARS.  Going from posting every day for a month to not posting for 4 or 5 days was a definite change.  I found myself missing the blog in some aspects, thinking while we were doing something "this would make a fun post!" but I also definitely did not miss staying up late and frantically trying to get my post done before midnight so it would "count" for a certain day.  I think my family also appreciated me not having to take a picture every time we did something to "document" it for the blog.  That means I have taken very few pictures over the last several days, but I do have a few taken from my phone to share later in the post. 

Sometime last week I attempted to make sugar cookies from scratch.  Chad went to the grocery store one night after work and I asked him to pick up baking powder.  He asked me why I needed baking powder and I said, "I want to make my own sugar cookies".  Completely incredulous, he said, "Why would you want to make your own sugar cookies???".  I had to laugh.  In our household, that is a legitimate question since in all the time we've been married I've never expressed any desire to make anything from scratch.  I've always been a firm believer in box cakes and buying the pre-made refrigerated packs of sugar cookies and just putting them in the oven. 

Since I've become a mom I'm more interested in learning how to do crafts and bake things myself.  I want my children to have fond memories of things we made together or foods they look forward to having when they are grown up and come home.  I don't want the memories to include, "we can't wait for mom to put the package of pre-made sugar cookies in the oven".  Anyhow, I did make my own sugar cookies and I learned two things, 1. When you make them yourself, the recipe makes a whole lot more than the 10 or so in the pre-made pack, 2. The secret to making sugar cookies is timing, knowing the precise time to pull them out so they are cooked but still chewy and soft.  Next time I will definitely cook them for less time.  It may take me a few trys to get it right, but hopefully by the time Brady and Chloe can remember them I'll have it perfect!  Here is a picture of my imperfect, from scratch sugar cookies:

A Christmas tree, a Snowman, and a Gingerbread Man

On Friday we had the privilege of having our amazingly talented friend/neighbor Carlea come over to take some pictures of the babies in their first Christmas outfits for our Christmas card.  I may post some of those pictures on the blog in another post.  Here is a sneak peak at some of the elements of the Christmas card outfits (these were all just informal pictures taken by me on my phone):

Precious little shoes!

The tights and the hairbow are part of her Christmas outfit, but this was just a fun picture I took with my phone after the photos were done

On Saturday we had our good friends the Dermodys and the Rollows over to watch the Iowa State v. Kansas State game.  Our friend Jamie went to Iowa State and our friend Brett went to Kansas State, so it was a fun rivalry match!  The Dermodys are the parents to 18 month old twins Sam and Abby and the Rollow family is expecting twin boys in January!  The funny thing is each of our twins are approximately 9 months apart in age.  Sam and Abby and Chloe and Brady had a good time playing with all the toys and I think all the adults had a good time eating pizza and watching the football game.  I can't believe we had everyone together and I didn't take a single picture! 

We have a lot to look forward to coming up soon!  Tomorrow morning we plan to meet Natalie and Sam and Abby at the Children's Museum for a lot of fun!  Also, Meepie is coming to visit for a week starting this Saturday!  We cannot wait, we are so excited for her visit!  Sunday, we plan to take Meepie with us when the babies visit Santa for the very first time.  I am eagerly anticipating the upcoming fun events we have planned within the next week! 

I will leave you with a picture of Mr. Brady, he is getting to be such a grown up boy:

Hello!



Have a great day everyone!