Monday, October 20, 2014

Activity Days- puzzles and cookies

Cereal Box Puzzles! 

"Those who diligently seek to learn of Christ eventually will come to know Him. They will personally receive a divine portrait of the Master, although it most often comes in the form of a puzzle—one piece at a time. Each individual piece may not be easily recognizable by itself; it may not be clear how it relates to the whole. Each piece helps us to see the big picture a little more clearly. Eventually, after enough pieces have been put together, we recognize the grand beauty of it all. Then, looking back on our experience, we see that the Savior had indeed come to be with us—not all at once but quietly, gently, almost unnoticed."

—Dieter F. Uchtdorf 

You are each a unique and beautiful young woman! Just like a puzzle piece, each of us different and yet perfect! Through the Gospel - We are brought closer to our father in heaven and our savior Jesus Christ who are able to help shape us and give us guidance as to where we are needed- and you are able to be made whole, so that we will one day be able to return to be with our father in heaven again. 

With our cereal boxes we were able to create a little piece of art- a toy- imagination! Use your cereal boxes to play with those around you and teach the gospel in fun little ways! 






















Scripture "swag" cookies!
(Scripture. Words. Are. Great... to eat both spiritually and physically!!)

Just like in baking, we may not always understand a recipe when looked at, at first glance. Sometimes recipes may call for ingredients that sound a little bit silly... like Sour Cream for example! When you first see sour cream, you don't think... "ohh yummy sour cream! My favorite!!! I am going to make cookies with that!" No,, you probably.. think, hummm sour cream, that is silly! WELL.... the gospel is the same way! Sometimes when we hear certain things or read certain things, they may sound a bit silly or we may not fully understand them on their own, BUT when you put those teachings with the rest of the instructions or ingredients that you have been given, you get a very delicious result! 
Life, just like in baking, is not always perfect, sometimes you make mistakes. We may forget to put in all of the necessary sugar for instance, and you know what.. if you miss a little bit, it is not going to do a whole lot. Just like if you forget to read your scriptures one day, you will still be okay, the world will not come crashing to an end... But if you forget to add any sugar, or if you don't ever read your scriptures, you will definitely notice that something just isn't right. 
soooo.... REMEMBER! read your scriptures daily, it will sweeten your every day life.. and maybe once in awhile, make yourself a little SWAG cookie to remember how sweet and tasty the gospel truly is! 

Each of the girls was sent home with the recipe.. - BUT just in case your recipe didn't make it home, here is the recipe we used.... 

"I got Scripture SWAG cookie" 

dough:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup solid shortening ( I like Butter Flavor Crisco)
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
4 1/2  cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
sugar for top of cookies

frosting:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 tablespoon sour cream
4 cups powdered sugar
1-2 teaspoons vanilla
dash of salt
1 drop red food coloring
1-2 tablespoons milk**


Preheat oven to 350.
Place butter, shortening and cold sour cream in a mixing bowl. Mix for about one minute. Add sugar and almond extract, mix until smooth. Add all dry ingredients at once. Mix just until flour disappears and the mixture comes together in a ball of dough, about 1 minute on very low speed. 
Scoop or Roll the dough into a ball about the size of a golf ball. It is best to use a scoop and overfill it a bit to get the desired jagged edge. 
Place about 1/4 cup sugar into a small bowl.
Spray the bottom of a flat glass with cooking spray. Flatten one cookie a bit then dip the glass in sugar Press the bottom of the glass against the cookie. Press the cookies so they are flattened a bit ( until the cookie dough just reaches the outside of the edge of the glass) twisting the glass as you press to produce a jagged edge. I bake 8 cookies per tray. 
Bake in oven for about 12-15 minutes or until edges are lightly golden and cookies are slightly firm to the touch.
Remove from oven, let cool.  Loosen the cookies from the cookie sheet after cooled a bit, or they will stick to the pan (even though it has been lightly greased).
Place the cookies in the fridge and chill. 

Prepare the frosting:
Beat together the butter, sour cream, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt. When all ingredients are incorporated, add the drop of food coloring and a little milk if the frosting needs to be thinned. 
Frost after the cookies are completely chilled. 
Makes about 18  large cookies.


(recipe adapted from abountifulkitchen.com "almost swig cookie recipe)
















Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Fresh from the tub and then some!

Nothing is better than a squeaky clean little baby to love on! I mean seriously!!! And lucky for me- my little one is happy as can be when she is fresh out of the tub and naked! so what better time than to snap a few pictures right! 







and of course Keller wanted a picture too when he got out of the bath! haha I got one before he streaked away!!

Now for some of our other adventures.... after General Conference, we decided to go out and play in grandma and grandpa's corn field!!! I wish I would have taken more but I love these ones! It took a little time to convince Keller the corn wasn't "gross" hahaha He was convinced it was gross and mean.. but once I coaxed him in, he loved every minute!!


Keller Braving the corn stalks with Auntie Lex helping out!







You guys, I am so sad that this corn husk??? leaf?? stalk??? anyways you know what I mean... well I am so sad that it was blocking Kellers face- because look at that handsome little devil! I love the adventure and that smile!! But I still love it leaf/ husk/plant/stalk thing... and all!!!