Sugar Cookie Crazy!

I love sugar cookies. Over vacation I tried out three different recipes for sugar cookies. Each with their own good points.

Sugar Cookie recipe #1
Tammy posted this recipe:

This was a great recipe for kids to be able to roll out their own dough. It rolled so easily. They were almost too soft for me. I think I like sugar cookies to be shortbreadish like. Meaning you can see layers of goodness, and these were so, so very soft and moist, no layers. Next time I want the kids to roll out their own dough, I will definitely use this recipe.

Sugar Cookie recipe #2
Courtesy of the Splendid Table

The first time they came out too buttery. So I cut out the 2 Tablespoons of butter and doubled the baking powder. I also just rolled the entire recipe into a log, and cut out circles. I wanted the kids to decorate balls on New Year's Eve to represent the ball that is dropped in Times Square. My husband thought these were the best tasting. It was really easy to make the balls and the kids had a great time decorating them on New Year's Eve.

Sugar Cookie recipe #3
Courtesy of Ginger Marshall

1 cup powdered sugar
1cup regular sugar
1 cup butter
1 cup oil
2 eggs
1tsp vanilla

Mix dry
4 1/3 cup flour
1/2-1 tsp salt
1tsp baking soda
1tsp cream of tarter
Mix wet & dry--refrigerate. Will be sticky so roll out on floured surface a little at a time. Leave the rest in the fridge. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

My personal favorite. The dough is difficult to work with, but they are soft and have the layered butter, flour, sugar that I adore in sugar cookies.

Now with Valentine's Day approaching, I would like to make some more sugar cookies, so I need more recipes! I will be giving away the newest Emma movie for those that enter the contest.

The recipes are due by February 14, 2010. The winner will be announced on February 15. As I get recipes, I will post the recipes and my personal review and rating system. You only need to send in a recipe to enter.

Email your recipes to

kaylynntje@gmail.com

To Thrive is bettern than survive

I loved my word last year! So much that I am going to make it the word of the decade and my life. But, then I wouldn't have a word for this year. I fear student teaching. Not so much the classroom. I'm comfortable with kids, and I have lots of talent teaching children. No, it's more getting out of the house every morning and all the additional assignments. I just wanted to survive this next year--no kidding.

My word for the year was really going to be survive. My husband said, you ought to change it to thrive. So much better. I am going to thrive this year: grow and develop, not just make it through. I am sure that some days I will just be in the survival mode, but other days I will be thriving--that's what I will be aiming for.

I recently saw the movie Invictus, which brought the point home. Mandela could have survived in prison. That would have left him bitter and angry. Rather he learned how to thrive. When he emerged from prison he was able to forgive those who placed him in prison, and lead others in forgiveness. It is much better to thrive than survive. I am sure there were some days where he was in survival mode, but overall he thrived.

Thrive.

Will be better than survive.

Merry Christmas!

We had a lovely Christmas. Mike had off, which was a miracle. We opened presents when the boys woke up, and enjoyed the day in our pajamas. For Christmas Eve, the boys and their two cousins put on the Christmas pageant it was quite a treat! We enjoyed having the spirit of Christ in our home during this time of year.

Mike: is still flying for Air Wisconsin. He flies out of LGA for now. He is always changing bases: five different bases in the past five years. So who knows what will happen next. He continues to serve as the Elder's Quorum President. He is a great dad who often is building amazing ships out of legos for the boys.

Luke: is 6 and in first grade. He is a great reader and enjoys math. He was student of the week because he always tries his best. He has a great imagination, and is constantly writing books both fiction and nonfiction. His recent books included, That is not my Sled, and That is not my Hat. He created a planet called A N W, and has battles and stories that go along with his planet. He decided he wants to create movies when he is older. With his imagination, who knows. He is a joy to have in the home (most of the time). We really can't complain because he is smart, handsome, and a great big brother.

Anakin: is 5 and in preschool. He amazes all of us with his great math skills (adding numbers in his head all the time.) He also likes to write and created his very own character: Joshua the Robot. He even dressed up as Joshua the Robot for Halloween. He loves to play with his brother. Recently during a church program he said this, "My daddy plays legos with me, my mommy reads to me, my brother is a great big brother, and my little sister dances. I help my family by taking out the recycling." He stopped taking out the recycling, but his smile, hugs, and blue eyes make up for his not wanting to go out in the snow.

GG: is 2 1/2 and loves to sing and dance. She hasn't been talking as much as other 2 year olds, possibly because of her obsession with dancing. She is always happy and a joy to have in our home. She loves Backyardigans, Wonderpets, her mommy and milk. She loves to play by herself which makes her brothers very, very happy.

That leaves me: I am still in graduate school. I took 5 classes last year, and will start student teaching on January 13. Hopefully, we will all survive! I am already counting the weeks until I am finished. Luckily, I have great kids who can entertain themselves, and a supportive husband (when home). I love snow days because it gives me a wonderful chance to play with my kids. May we have many more! I have enjoyed school and love the opportunity I have to learn and grow.

Anne's Christmas Present

Click here to view this photo book larger

Perspective

When I finished with my classes on the 8th, I had a list of 100 things I wanted to get done. Thanks to a snowstorm and some Book of Mormon reading I changed my priorities. I threw my to do list out the window and have just played with my kids. It has been fun!

Our Second Snow Day!

This huge mess means we have had a lot of fun playing in the snow!

Mike built a second snowman with Anakin, and took GG sledding on her second day.

After sledding, we made gingerbread cookies, and ate soup. Well Mike and I ate soup, and the kids ate cornbread.

I think snowdays are my new favorite holiday. I love having the excuse not to do anything but play with my kids. Boy did we play. Anakin and I walked down to the end of our street and found a new hill. Luke, Mike and I played TIKAL. We watched movies, and just enjoyed being together as a family. It was a great way to celebrate the end of a very hard semester. Too bad they don't have snowdays in May when I finish student teacher. We might have to think of something.

Our First Snow Day!

Tuesday was a gift. Who knew that snow could be a gift, but it was. We our first gift: Anakin's afternoon classes were canceled. He was so excited. That morning we had just bought new sleds and a sledding we went. I went sledding with Anakin and GG at about 11. Then we went inside, ate lunch, and I started to get ready for my last exam. I packed up my books, put on dry clothing, and was just about to head out the door when my phone rang. It was my professor. He canceled the final, with no make up exam. I just needed to email him my paper. I told Anakin, and he was excited, I got to go sledding with him a second time. I quickly finished my paper (I just had the bibliography to complete), and went sledding a third time. This time with Luke and Anakin. What a treat--everything cancelled and fun.

This kid loves the snow. In about August he asked, "When is going to snow again?"

He always goes head first.

GG loved her first time sledding. She really liked making tracks. We don't have any mittens for her, but she got to wear my gloves. So so much fun!!

This kid can sled. In fact if anyone needs lessons, he is a great teacher. He taught my how to turn, stop, just about everything. What a blast!

His very first snowman of the season. Anakin rolled the balls, I just put them on top of each of them. He even named it, after himself again. There is Anakin and Anakin!

Luckily today is a snowday as well. We will just play, play, play. My bones and muscles hurt from yesterday--so on to my stretches to help them feel better.