Chocolate Lollipops

Jayden goes to preschool on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays, so the 10th of February was his Valentines day party.  I love the chocolate made from the chocolate wafers and so I decided Jayden would give one to each of his classmates, we gave like 5 each to his teachers and then handed them out to friends and family.  I had the rose molds and the hearts with the doves from our wedding.  Dave and I made these for our wedding, 9 1/2 years ago and I saved the molds.  And we bought two other heart molds for Valentine's Day.  So we were working with 6 molds (cuz we had 2 rose molds and 2 heart and dove molds).  And we had 6 pounds of chocolate wafers.

I started around 2pm when Tanner went down for his nap.  When Dave came home he and Jayden washed their hands and started helping.  I left the two of them to work on it while I made dinner and cleaned up from dinner.  And I finished them up when Dave left shortly after 8pm to go play basketball at church.  In all we made about 95 chocolate lollipops.  It took a long time to do it, but we sure love them!

While we were waiting for the chocolate in the molds to harden or while we ate dinner and whatever.  Dave had the brilliant idea to set the squeeze bottles of chocolate in a bowl of water on top of the coal stove.  This way it would stay warm and we didn't have to microwave it again.  He's so smart!

JJ's Preschool B-Day Treats

Jayden was so excited to bring treats to preschool for his birthday and to be the special helper for the day.  It had snowed the night before, but luckily the schools just had a 2 hour delay.  Since JJ goes to preschool in the afternoon, they still had school.

I made some individual dirt cake cups for him to take to school.
Here's the recipe…

Dirt Cake
1 (8 oz.) Cool Whip
2 small boxes chocolate instant pudding
1 (8 oz. pkg.) cream cheese, softened
1 pkg. (1lb.) oreos
Gummy Worms

Beat cream cheese until smooth.  Make pudding according to package directions.  Add cool whip and beaten cream cheese.
Crush Oreos (leave icing in cookie).  Use a flower pot (lined with foil or saran wrap) or any container.
  Put layer of crushed Oreos on bottom, add layer of pudding.
Repeat layers, ending with crushed Oreos on top.
Put gummy worms in-between layers if you choose.  Also put some on top of dirt and some half in it with the heads sticking out.
Put a construction paper flower attached to the end of a straw or a plastic spoon and place in the dirt cake.  Or you could put in some cleaned fake flowers and serve with a small garden tool.

Birthday Banner

A friend of mine (Cristina) had made one of these for her family and I just loved it.  What a cute little tradition to get this out for every birthday!  So I made one in time to have out for Jayden's birthday, which is on Friday.

It's made out of felt so it's super easy!

And it accordion folds so nicely!  I plan to keep it with my tablecloths and then it will be easily accessible.

I bought a 1/4 yard of all the colors I wanted and had plenty left over.  So I asked Liz if she wanted to make one too and passed on the extra felt to her.  And I bought 1 package of extra wide (1/2" inch) double fold bias tape for the top.  I thought it might be cute to make my own with cute colorful fabric, but that was too much trouble to deal with right now.  (And after I opened the bias tape I wished I had made my own, it would have been a little more perfect than the ones you can buy.  But it would take more time to make.)

You can use fabric glue to attach your letters, but I decided to sew mine on.  I have this colorful thread that changes color every couple of inches and I never use it and so I used it to sew these letters on.  I wanted to upload some close ups of letters to show you, but blogger won't let me at the moment.  Sorry!

I had also thought after I sewed the bias tape on with white thread I would use that same colorful thread to sew a train across the bias tape.  My sewing machine (which was my grandmothers) has a cute little train stitch.  But I decided I don't like sewing on the bias tape and I just wanted to be done.  Maybe one day I'll go back and do it.  And maybe one day I'll go back and spruce it up a bit too.

For the triangle, I did mine 7" wide and then 9" inches down.  I don't remember what size letter I used but I'm sure you can figure that out and do what you want if you choose to make one.  When I put the triangles under the bias tape I put them up as far as I could under the fold and I had the tips of the triangles touching, which makes it easier to fold and creates an even balance between triangles.

I was thinking on the one I left blank in between the words, that I can cut numbers out of felt or just print it on paper, and attach them to coordinate with the year of their birthday.  For instance, Jayden will be 5 on Friday so I'll print "5th" or cut out a "5" from felt to put there.

I'm very excited to hang this up for Jayden's birthday and all birthdays to come.  And I hope my kids look forward to it every year too.  Thank you Cristina for the wonderful idea!

Published Again!

 I sent another "Great Idea" to the Family Fun magazine and they decided to publish it!  Yay!  That makes two times in 11 months that I was published in the Family Fun magazine!  And every time they give you $100 to have your name and idea published!  I did think they would use a picture of both boys, because in the email they sent me to check the facts they asked if one of the pictures I sent them was with the older boy wearing a shirt that said "messy" and the littlest one holding the block.  Oh well, it's still a cute picture of Jayden.  Hopefully this link will take you to the page...

http://familyfun.coverleaf.com/familyfun/201102/?pg=54&pm=1&u1=friend

These first 2 pictures are the ones I sent them...

 I guess you can see the block better in this picture of just Jayden...

 Last time I sent them pictures of just the thing, that was what they published, I didn't want that happen this time.  I wanted a picture of my cute boys in there.  I took these pictures of just the block to publish on the blog back in August when I made it.

 If you want to read how it was made you'll have to find that post or one day I'll put the link here.

I copied the pictures from the digital version of the magazine so you don't have to go to the link if you don't want to.  Here is the full page...

 Here is the close up of "My Great Idea"...

 Okay, not so clear so maybe you do want to go to the link.

Easy Basil Alfredo with Chicken

I made a yummy recipe off the back of San Giorgio Fettuccine Florentine pasta and I wanted to share it.  While I was making it Dave was playing in the snow with the boys, but Tanner didn't like getting sprayed in the face with snow while they were sledding, so he came in to help me "makes."  He loves to help "makes dinner."  So I let him stir.  Ever since he burned all 5 fingers in the summer he has been so good about only touching the handle to the oven door and the handles of pans.  He will tell me when he touches it "it's cold momma."

 Here's the finished dish, with a side of broccoli...

Here is what the recipe says...

1 TBL olive or vegetable oil

1 Large onion

3/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken

1 Cup milk

1 teaspoon dried basil leaves

1 package (3 oz.) cream cheese, cubed

1 jar (7 oz.) roasted red peppers, drained and sliced into thin strips (optional)

1 package (12 oz.) San Giorgio Fettuccine Florentine, uncooked

1/2 Cup grated Parmesan cheese

In large skillet over medium heat, heat oil; add onion.  Cook until lightly browned, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add chicken; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until thoroughly cooked.  Stir in milk and basil; heat just to boiling.  Reduce heat; add cream cheese and peppers, stirring frequently, until cream cheese melts and sauce is smooth.  Keep warm.  Cook pasta according to package directions.  Stir Parmesan cheese into sauce.  Toss hot pasta and sauce; serve immediately.  6 servings.

I used the 1/3 fat free cream cheese, and I don't know why it says a 3 ounce package, I've never seen a 3 oz. package.  I always buy the 8 oz, so I just the whole 8 oz. package and I thought it was fine.  I also drink skim milk and so I used skim milk.  I chopped my roasted red peppers in my Tupperware Quick Chef, I personally don't like chunks or slices of it, but I don't mind it if it's chopped.  And I like to cook my chicken the way I saw Rachael Ray do it, oh and I used 3 chicken breasts.  I cut the chicken up and when the onions started to caramelize I added the chicken to the pan.  You're not supposed to touch the chicken until the pieces start to separate on their own, I'm not very good at waiting and so I normally touch it earlier.  I peak at a piece and when it starts to get this nice brown color on the bottom, I wait as long as I can and then I stir it up.  It makes this nice color on the chicken and a wonderful flavor!

White Christmas Cookies

I finally started feeling better around week 14.  (I am 16 weeks now.)  Then I started getting terrible headaches that would last for about 3 days, go away for a couple days and then come back.  Then the weekend before Christmas I got what I thought was a head cold (and still think that is what it started as) and turned into a sinus infection.  And on top of that I had a terrible headache for 4 days.  Luckily I called my doctor and she gave me a prescription for the sinus infection so I could be better for Christmas.  But we need to wait for that to clear up before we can address these headaches.

And so I was in no mood or condition to bake Christmas cookies this year.  So Dave, being the super daddy that he is, bake 4 different kinds of cookies with the boys.  They made snicker doodles, chocolate crinkles, forgotten cookies and chocolate chip cookies with M&M's.  How awesome is he?

Finally on the eve of Christmas eve I felt well enough to make cookies with my boys.  And the only cookie I felt I could eat this year (that's the other thing, I have no desire to eat cookies or much of anything because it makes me nauseous) was my Mammy's (my dad's mother) White Christmas Cookies.  I looked forward to these cookies every year.  I remember after she passed away I gave it a try and my attempted failed.  And so I haven't tried since.  But I have learned a lot about cooking and baking since then.  I'm no expert, but I defiantly know more now then I did about 7 years ago.  From what I gather these are a real PA Dutch kind of cookie.  You cannot buy anything like these unless some old lady at a little church bizarre makes them.  And like I said, I grew up eating these every year.  And so for myself and my family (sisters, brothers and parents), we LOVE them!!!

And for those that don't understand how they couldn't have turned out the first time I made them, I will copy word for word what the recipe card I have says...

 White Christmas Cookies

 4 1/2 Cup flour

2 1/2 Cup sugar

1 Cup butter

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cream tartar

3 eggs

1/2 tsp salt

2 TBL milk

Chill dough - roll & cut

350 degrees 8-10 minutes

That's it, that's all the instruction I have.  When I first made these, I didn't cook or bake much, so... can you imagine what someone with little experience would do with instructions like that?  I'm not sure what I did, but I know they did not turn out well.

This time I mixed the dry ingredients together.  I used softened butter and creamed it with the sugar and then added the wet ingredients and then the dry ingredients.  And it seemed to turn out well.  A recipe I have for sugar cookies says to chill it for an hour, so that is what I did.

I was surprised to find out that the first batched that was rolled out and cut did not turn out as well as the next  batch, when I took the excess and rerolled it and cut out more.  The more it was mushed back together and rerolled the thinner I could roll it and it is the thinner cookies that tasted the most like my Mammy's cookies.

Anyway, the boys had so much fun cutting out the cookies and putting the colored sugar on them.  After they were done they loved to point out (especially Tanner) that they made those cookies.

 

Funny thing is I have aprons for them, and the aprons are hanging up right behind where they were working and I never thought to put them on the boys.  Oh well, maybe one of these times when they are helping with the food I will remember to put their aprons on.

I'm so glad these cookies turned out!  They were the only Christmas cookies I could eat this year and I did eat.  It just brings back so many memories to smell them and to taste them.  And all of the cookie trays we made had been made and given out before we made these.  So we had all those cookies to ourselves!  But my dad took about half the batch.  He too was also thrilled to have his mother's cookies at Christmas time.  They filled 2 ice cream buckets, that's about how many there were.

Christmas Card for Kids to Color

I wanted a card that Jayden could color for his teachers.  But in my quick search I couldn't find one.  So I quickly put these 3 together.  They say the same thing inside, but there are 3 different pictures.  I believe you should be able to right click on it and save it to your computer and print it.  If not, and you'd like one, send me your email address and I will email it to you.

These are cards to be folded in quarters, not half.  I did it that way because they fit inside of an invitation envelope nicely and I have those envelopes.

I'm also partial to the Nativity scene being on the Christmas card and those are most definitely hard to find.  Not that I don't like Santa's and snowmen, it's just... Jesus is the reason for the season.  However next year when Jayden is in public school I will make one with Santa or snowmen just not to offend anyone, but I will still write "Merry Christmas" and not "Happy Holidays."

Nativity Craft

In nursery the kids made this cute little Nativity craft.  (FYI- my mother in-law is the nursery leader and 2 of her grandkids are in her class, Tanner and Carolynn.)

This is what Tanner made and he just loves it!  He told me all about it and who the people were.  Then I hung it up and every time he'd see it he would tell  me he made it for me and all about the people in the picture.  And as I am writing this post he saw the picture and said "I made that for you momma!"

 Here is the back.  I'm sure granny wrote his actual name, but Tanner wrote the circle or the "o" as he calls it and the "T".  That's how he writes his name if you ask him to write it.  So far those are the only letters he can write and I don't even know who taught him how to write them.

Christmas Ornaments

Here are 2 ornaments I made this year.

 I used our family picture from our Christmas card last year, I just love the picture.

 And I had Carolynn (my niece that I baby sit a couple days a week) dress up as Mary and gave her Jayden's baby doll to hold for baby Jesus.  And then I made this ornament for her.

Here are the pictures I printed for the ornaments...

 I created the background with some clip art of weathered wood, to try and make it look like the back of the stable.  And cut around the people and put it on top of the background I made.  I made the pictures 2.5"x3".

I spray painted Popsicle sticks that I cut in half to form the stable.  I think it would be neat if you turned the sticks the other direction to make if more 3D looking, but I was too lazy to paint the other side of the sticks.  I had the little wooden stars from another craft I did a few years ago.  And so I just painted them.  You could use foam and cut stars or whatever your little heart desires.

I printed the pictures on card stock, just to give it more stability.  And then I used spray adhesive to glue them to a cereal box, again just to  make it more sturdy.  Also if you do print them on regular paper, sometimes the spray adhesive goes through the paper and ruins the picture, but it doesn't go through card stock.  Then I mod podged over them twice, letting each coat dry for at least 20 minutes.  I did this because I printed it myself, the ink would smudge when glue touched it (when I attached the sticks) and it will help the picture to last longer.

I used regular Elmer's glue to attach the sticks.  I hot glued the star on and I put a piece of hemp underneath the star to hang it and to have a little extra hanging down.

I think they turned out pretty cute.  What do you think?

Stepping Stones For Granny

Polly had a great idea to make these hand print stepping stones for Granny and Pappy for Christmas.  They have such a beautiful flower bed around their entire house.  So we each bought a kit for our kids and for the grandchildren that don't live around here (Calvin, Caelin and Chase).  We got together at Polly's house to make them.  And Andrew visited Matt and brought back Calvin's.  Becky and Ralph went to visit Scott and his family for Christmas so they took the kits down with them to get their stone made.  The rest of us gave them a small album with these pictures and big box with all the stones in them on Christmas Eve.  (I'm posting this later, but I'm going to change the date to the date we got together at Polly's house.)

Dave mixed most of the stuff for all the stones.

Jayden

Tanner

Trevor

Austin

Carolynn

Corban

Damean

Finn

Josh

Rhett

I think they all turned out great!  Such a cute idea!

Christmas Card 2010

Before church I took a few photos in front of the tree for our Christmas card this year.  I really liked last years picture where we all dressed up like the Nativity, but I didn't want to do the same thing this year.

Here are some of the pictures I like, but didn't use in the card.  (This first picture is similar to one in the card, but Jayden's eye's are to the side.)

 Tanner was so excited to wear his own tie.  I have a cute sweater vest that goes with this outfit but he wouldn't let me cover up his tie.

 This was the one and only family picture that I liked.  I had told Dave I just wanted pictures of the boys.  But I just couldn't resist getting a family photo.  I love looking back at all the family photos!

 Jayden was just so cute with the Santa hat!

And this is the 4x6 that I put together to mail with our cards this year.  I placed every little snow flake.  I wasn't sure if I wanted the "2010" where I have it or up in the corner of the family picture.  I didn't want it to stick out too much, so I decided to leave it where I had it.  I just felt it would really stand out in the corner of the family picture.

Each boy signed their own name on all of the cards this year.  I was afraid it would take too long if Jayden wrote his whole name and he might get bored and not sign them all.  So I had him just sign "JJ".  And for some reason Tanner is into writing "T" and "o".  So he signed a "T" for his name.  He does it so well and I have no idea where he learned it from.  It's kind of awful to say, but I wasn't the one who taught him to write a "T" and I don't know who did.

Here is the little letter I typed up and included in each card this year...

Dear (we wrote in their name)

          We had a great year in the Staus House in 2010.  In the beginning of the year we totally remodeled our kitchen and dining room.  Dave did most of the work himself (with help from wonderful family and friends) & he did a fabulous job!!!  We just love our new kitchen!

    In the March 2010 issue of the Family Fun magazine, Susan was published in the “My Great Idea” section for her idea of “Picture Perfect Game Pieces.” 

     Jayden is in his last year of preschool before he starts Kindergarten and he just loves going to preschool.

    Tanner continues to make us laugh each day and amazes us with how smart he is.  He cannot stop talking about when he finally gets to go preschool next year.

    And the most exciting news is that we are expecting our 3^rd child around June 9, 2011!!!  Jayden really wants a sister (really 2 sisters) but we won’t know what it is until sometime end of January.  You can always check our blog to find out what it will be and to see what is happening in the Staus House.  Susan tries to post regularly to keep our friends and family up to date and to have all the happenings recorded for the family journal.

     We would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

                                           Love,

         David, Susan, Jayden, Tanner & Baby #3 Staus

www.DavidStausFamily.Blogspot.com

Please don't be offended if we didn't send you a card this year.  If we didn't and you'd like one, please send me your mailing address.

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!