Christmas Cookies

We made some Christmas cookies today. I tried a new sugar cookie recipe and really liked it. It made a ton of cookie dough, so I decided to just make 4 dozen today and put the rest in a couple of containers in the freezer. I think we have enough dough to last us through Valentine's Day. It was a little tricky keeping the icing off of the princesses, but it worked and they were happy and we all had fun.

Santa's Lap

Hannah
Nikki

Lexi
Emma
Eliza
Lydia
Alli & Jay

It was fun having the cousins at the ward party. Poor Jay didn't really appreciate this experience.

Feliz Navidad

This is Nate's introduction to his presentation of Argentina's Christmas traditions at our church Christmas party. He was so funny. Yes, I am definitely missing from the stage on purpose. This idea started as a joke, and I couldn't believe he was really going to do it. I love him for being able to do something like this. Poor Hannah was hiding behind him the whole time. The lighting is awful, but hopefully you can still get the gist of his dance. I think he was glad that his face is hidden in the video!

Studying

My assignments are all turned in (although I'm not looking forward to my grade on my last paper -- oh well), and I am studying for my final!! This has been the best class, but also the class that will never end. Anyway, I thought I would post some of the highlights of my review today.

What Makes Marriage Work? This article has a couple of interesting findings in it. Nate and I had a discussion on whether we have a validating or conflict-avoiding marriage. We compromised that sometimes it's a little of both -- but that's a validating technique. I also thought the 5-1 ratio was interesting -- a successful marriage has a ratio of 5 positive encounters for every 1 negative encounter.

Hallmarks of a Happy Home This is a talk given by Thomas S. Monson. Very good.

And my favorite highlight of my review today is a quote by President Gordon B. Hinckley: "You have nothing in this world more precious than your children. When you grow old, when your hair turns white and your body grows weary, when you are prone to sit in a rocker and meditate on the things of your life, nothing will be so important as the question of how your children have turned out. It will not be the money you have made. It will not be the cars you have owned. It will not be the large house in which you live. The searing question that will cross your mind again and again will be, How well have my children done? If the answer is that they have done very well, then your happiness will be complete. If they have done less than well, then no other satisfaction can compensate for your loss."

A good whole wheat bread recipe

While I have my recipes out, I just got a new one for whole wheat bread from my mother-in-law, too. I haven't made it yet, but she had some for us while we were at their house and it was delicious. It was very moist and not too heavy. She said she usually halves the recipe, which looks like a good idea to me.

8 cups whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp. yeast
3/4 c. gluten
Mix a little until yeast is mixed throughout flour, then add:

6 cups hot water. Mix this together for 1 minute with a mixer or constant stirring, then let the mixture sit, with a cloth/lid over bowl, for 10 minutes. Then add:

2/3 c. oil (3/4 c. if not using gluten)
1 cup honey
2 Tbsp. salt
Mix a little and keep mixing while adding:

6 more cups of flour. After flour is in, mix for 6 minutes on low, or knead for about 15 minutes. Sometimes the dough will end up stickier than other times depending on humidity, etc. I always use the same amount of flour (14 cups) and it works out fine. Turn oven onto lowest setting (170 degrees) and spray bread tins with Pam. Divide into 5 loaves for 8 inch pans, or 4 loaves for 9 inch pans. Arrange all pans in the oven and set timer for 20 minutes. when the timer goes off, turn oven up to 350 degrees and bake for 32 minutes longer. You do not need to open the oven or anything, just turn it up and reset timer. When the bread is done, take it out and immediately remove from pan and lay sideways on a clean dishcloth. Let cool for about 40-60 minutes.

Pizza

While we were in Utah my sister-in-law made homemade pizza for us one night, and it was soooo good. So I got the recipe from her. It was really easy, but you do have to plan ahead a little since it needs to rise for 40 minutes.

1 pkg yeast
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup warm water
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 c. white flour
corn meal
pizza toppings

Dissolve package of yeast in water with honey and let stand 5 minutes. Add wheat flour and 1 cup of white flour. On a floured surface knead dough for 6 minutes, adding the additional flour to prevent it from sticking (add more if necessary). Roll into a ball when finished.

Spray bowl with cooking spray. Cover with a towel and let dough rise in a warm place (at least 85 degrees) for 40 minutes free from drafts or until it doubles in size.

Spray baking sheet with cooking spray and lightly dust with cornmeal. roll out ball of dough on baking sheet. Bake on lowest rack in the oven on 500 degrees fro 8 minutes. Remove from oven and add pizza sauce, cheese and toppings. Bake for an additional 6-8 minutes on the highest rack in oven or until the cheese melts.

My camera came today!!

Thanks so much for sending my camera Robin!!! It was the best mail we got today! I wish I had gotten more pictures. I can't believe I didn't get any on Thanksgiving day with Nate's family. Where was my mind?! And then I didn't have it when we were at Kellee's or Steve's or at Temple Square with the Christmas lights. Anyway, those will just have to stay good memories in my head. So, finally I can post what pictures I did get from our trip.

Rock on!

This was absolutely hilarious. Robin's kids had this video game where you had a guitar and tried to play the music as it came up on the screen. It was really fun and really hard. Kellee just barely beat me! But the funniest was when Nate and Joe went at it. I think the video shows why!

Grandma and Grandpa

Of course, our luggage was lost when we arrived at the airport, but it was a good opportunity for the girls to get cozy with their grandma. Thankfully, our luggage arrived just as we were about to leave the baggage office.

We were so excited to get to visit with Nate's parents. Hannah and Nikki had been looking forward all year to this trip to Grandma and Grandpa's house. They also wanted snow, but I was actually glad we missed that part of Utah's winter. We had such a great time that they didn't even realize they missed out on making a snowman until we got home!

Hannah and Jayden

And Nikki never wants to be left out. =)