Preparing for the holidays

This is an exciting time of the year. Advent calendars are here and the kids can't barely wait until morning to go get their little chocolate. Decorating the house for Christmas is always fun and baking is something we look forward to each year.

Plus Alex knows that we're getting closer and closer to his birthday...

How do you like my spiky hair?

Chocolate girl

This is how I eat pho

Not very lady-like, huh?!?

Time to decorate the Xmas tree

Dolores' mittens are hung. Farm lights are on.

This is my big brother

Kissing the princess

I'm not going to say a word to this big Santa!

I would rather have chocolate than go back to Santa!

Practicing writing at the Crayola store

Check this out: I can write my name!

Our pretty girl

Papa is the gingerbread house master decorator

I ate some of these candies!

How do you like my peppernut line?

I practice rolling the dough and cutting it too!

Peppernuts time!

Peppernut (Pfeffernusse) recipe from Emma:

• 1 1/2 cup syrup
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup lard
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 5 or 6 cups flour
• lemon, almond and vanilla extract

Heat to a boil syrup, sugar, lard and sour cream. When cool, add the rest of the ingredients. Keep the dough in the refrigerator for one week for the spices to mingle. Roll out into long rolls and cut in small dice. Bake in 325 degree F oven until done (about 15 minutes).

Figured out the light. Now if I could only read in peace...

Thanksgiving

How nice to catch up with family during Thanksgiving. The kids got to see their cousins Josh and Melissa, as well as play with baby Austin.

Sauerkraut for a non-traditional Thanksgiving meal

Oma loves holding 4 months old great grandson Austin

Austin is tickling my hand

Josh telling good stories

Linda enjoying her little bundle of joy

Alex playing peekaboo with Austin

Deer

The kids wanted to check out the deer and other wild animals at Cabella's. Sophie was not too afraid of the wolves this time. Alex read the names of all the different kinds of deer. Pretty cool indoors outing for a very windy fall day!

Leaves

Fall is definitely here and the leaves are falling like crazy. Hopefully Alex will use some of his abundant energy to help us rake all these leaves in the yard...

Je suis le petit herisson

Jumping is what we do best!

Fangtopia

Our local international adoption group put together an exciting weekend of activities with Fang for the kids. We had watched a documentation called Somewhere Between a few months ago and Fang was one of the four young ladies featured in the movie about what it's like to be adopted from China.

Families Blessed friends

Fang read stories to the kids and taught them some Chinese

Alex showed Tai how to race

Fashion Girl

The first thing that Sophie wants to do when she gets up in the morning is find a pretty outfit to wear. She is into tights and skirts. No jeans for this girly girl. But lots of shoes, necklaces and barrettes. She would change her outfit three times a day if we let her.

Check out the new skirts that Papa got me this week!

Happy Halloween!

Halloween is always a much anticipated holiday. Alex and Sophie have been wearing their costumes for a while already and like to play dress up pretty much all year round. Plus it's always fun to go door to door to meet the neighbors and collect chocolate candies and other goodies along the way.

Preschool Halloween Party

Here are all my preschool friends

How do you like my first day at school picture next to the coat hook?

Peekaboo! Boo!

!st graders celebrating too

Some girls told Alex that he was "cute" as Tigger

We're on a mission: collecting yummy chocolate!

Checking out Marilyn's house

Riding in the wagon from house to house

Smoke machine at the Kaschka's

What a fun night!