Cooking With Grandma

We may be onto something... a Saturday morning show for kid's, 

"Cooking With Grandma" ~ starring Sharon Hendrickson.

While Sharon was here visiting us Labor Day weekend, she mentioned to Sarah cooking a dessert food with her, (Chocolate Sheet Cake - one of my faves).  Sarah did not forget about cooking with Grandma, but she did pick out a different recipe that she and Phoebe like even better than chocolate sheet cake... Angel Kiss Cookies.  (These are the peanut butter cookies that have a Hershey's Kiss on the top.)

First we all went to the grocery store.  Sarah had a list of the ingredients that they needed.  She, Phoebe, and Grandma walked around the store and found them together... along with a few other items that the girls "talked" Grandma into... ice cream sandwiches, string cheese, new kinds of yogurt, and new boxes of cereal.

When we all got back home Grandma helped them each get an apron on and then they got to work in the kitchen... measuring, stirring, mixing, and tasting, and baking.

Phoebe thought that the mixer was too loud and covered her ears the whole time.  Sarah thought it was great to get to help use the mixer.

Both girls really liked licking off the beaters, and taking many samples of the dough right out of the mixing bowl!  Sarah kept saying... "Just one more taste".

Both girls also helped roll the dough balls in the sugar before putting them on the cookie sheet to bake.  Each time Phoebe rolled her dough ball in the sugar, she also flattened it out.

The girls also ate a lot of plain Hershey's Kisses.  (So did I.)  We wouldn't have wanted all the extras to go to waste.

The cookies were delicious and it was a great thing for Grandma and her granddaughters to do together!

Angel Kiss Cookies

1/2 C. softened butter      

1/2 C. peanut butter

3/4 C. packed brown sugar

1/4 C. sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. salt

1 3/4 C. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

Beat first seven ingredients until light and fluffy. Add flour and soda; thoroughly blend.  Shape into balls.   Roll balls in sugar.  Place 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees.  Immediately top each cookie with a Hershey's Kiss upon taking them out of the oven, carefully pressing down firming.

Time With Grandma

Eric's mom, Sharon, came to visit us over Labor Day weekend.  Here she is meeting new grandbaby, Silas, for the first time.  Silas makes four grandchildren for Sharon... two girls and now two boys.

Sarah and Phoebe had fun with Grandma Sharon.... playing with puzzles and games, shopping, reading books, going to the water fountain park, and making cookies.

Eric, Sarah, Silas, Sharon, and Phoebe - All ready to go to church Sunday morning.

The girls and Grandma, reading some stories before going to bed.

Sharon got to go with us two mornings to drop Sarah off at school.  Here we are one morning right before taking her to school.

We had all had a nice time Sharon.  Thanks for visiting us!

Silas ~ Weeks 2, 3 & 4

Silas is four weeks old today! These are some pictures from over the last three weeks....

~ Week two ~

sitting and sleeping in the bouncy sit

Phoebe only asks to hold Silas every once in awhile and when she does hold him it is only for a minute or less.  She does enjoy sitting next to someone else who is holding him and just looking at him.  She always notices and likes to tell us when his eyes are open and he is "awake now".  She also likes to touch him gently with her pointer finger.  She is a good little helper with tasks like throwing yucky diapers away, getting a pacifier for Silas, and putting dirty clothes in the dirty clothes basket.  She likes to call him "baby Silas".

Silas already LOVES his Daddy!  Eric seems to have the special touch of getting Silas to calm down when he is crying and gets him to fall asleep much easier and faster than I can.  Silas especially enjoys laying flat out on top of Eric to sleep.  (Eric says that Silas sleeping on him hurts his back some, but I think secretly he loves that this cute, fragile, baby boy of ours snuggles up on him and falls asleep.  Really, who wouldn't love that a little bit?)

Here is Silas wearing one of his cute new outfits from some of our friends at church.  Thanks Ladies!  And, look!  A rare moment where Silas happened to fall asleep resting on me.  (Thanks for capturing this moment Lindsee.)

The Big Sisters and their Little Brother... Both girls have been great with their new baby brother.  It is especially cute at night, right before bedtime, when both girls have to hug and kiss, and tell Silas "Goodnight", or "Gunight" as Phoebe pronounces it.  Sometimes they might forget, and need a reminder, to hug and kiss Mommy or Daddy goodnight, but never Silas.

~ Week three ~

And, here it is... our most recent big purchase... The SWING!  I did not have one of these big, take up a lot of space in any room you put it in, pieces of baby equipment with either one of the girls, but last week it seemed like this was a must have.  It still seems like a must have, and both Silas and I are loving it.  He likes the forward and back motion, and I like that the forward and back motion helps to cease and eliminate any crying that might be going on.  It is a win/win for Silas and I. (Two thumbs up for the Fisher Price My Little Snugabunny Cradle'n Swing!)  Now, if they only made these in adult sizes....

~ Week four ~

More sleeping on Daddy...

Putting his feet into the backyard pool water... He clearly did not like it one bit.

Having a new baby around the house is always a new adventure and a joy.  Babies sure can help us to realize how strong love and family bonds are.  Even with the lack of sleep that I am experiencing now, and the grouchy pants I have on half the time due to the lack of sleep, I am totally in love with this new little guy, my cute girls and my hottie of a husband.  My heart is overflowing... and I am very grateful for these blessings in my life.

August Schoolwork

Sarah started Kindergarten two weeks ago.  She has been enjoying it and adjusting to her new routine nicely. She has brought many completed papers home already.... the following pictures are some of the papers that she has done at school.  They have done some writing, coloring, counting, number and letter recognition, cutting and gluing, matching and sorting, and listening and reading comprehension activities.

A few stories that Sarah's teacher has read to the class that Sarah has really liked are "The Kissing Hand", "Brown Bear, Brown Bear", "The Very Hungry Caterpillar", and "Lama Lama Misses Mama".  She brought home a small version of the Brown Bear book that she made at school, and she read it many times to Phoebe.  Phoebe even liked looking at it by herself and tried to recite the Brown Bear story.

Me - What are some of your favorite things that you have gotten to do so far at school?

Sarah - "Play outside, eating Goldfish, and doing worksheets. And, I like going to centers.  And, I like going to the library at my school.  And, I like Maria.  And, I like spending time with my friends."

Me - I know you have gotten to go to the library twice so far... What do you like about the library?

Sarah - "Um, checking out books, and getting Starbursts."

Me - Have you made some new friends in your class?  Who are they?
Sarah -"Yes.  Maria and Savannah.  I think one of my new best friends is Kara.  And, I like Emily."
Me - Tell me about your classroom.
Sarah - "There is a rainbow classroom.  There is a window that we can look outside.  There are three tables that we sit at."

Me - What do you hope you get to learn this year in Kindergarten?
Sarah - "I hope I get to learn all about Kindergarten."
Me - What do you like to play on or do at recess time?
Sarah - "I like to play tag and hide and seek.  And, go down the slide with Maria, and I like going swinging with Maria and playing pretend aliens with Maria.  And, we like to play on the little monkey bars and in the little playhouse.  And, we like to do merry-go riding."

Me - Have you had some snacks at school?  Like what?
Sarah - "Goldfish, and the favorite thing about them is that they are tasty and they are colored Goldfish."
Me - Tell me about your teacher.
Sarah - "Her name is Mrs. _ _ _ _ _ _ _.  I like her because she shakes my hand in the morning.  She has dark hair and it's black.  And, she has a really pretty smile."

Keep up the good work Sarah.  You are off to a fantastic start to your first year of school!  We are excited to watch you grow and learn new things this year in Kindergarten.