Happy 200th Birthday, President Lincoln!

We have been studying the Presidents this semester. So today, we skipped down the line to Abe Lincoln. What a great President he was. My boys have always had an interest in Lincoln. So in '07, when we went to Springfield, IL - we visited his REALLY NEAT museum. It was a very moving experience and a great history lesson for us all. I would encourage everyone to visit there sometime. Well anyway ~ the boys wanted to dress up for our lesson today, but then Caleb chickened out - which is unusual. He loves to dress old fahioned. We also signed up to watch a webcast about Lincoln through the History Channel and at the last minute it wouldn't allow us to view it. : (

Valentine Traditions

Valentine's Day is one of my most favorite holidays! Every year, we make Gramma Rehfeldt's sugar cookies (although Gramma calls them butter cookies). Gramma always made a triple recipe - so that's what I always make. Gramma likes her baked "well done" and no frosting and we like ours soft with frosting. This is just one our Valentine traditions.

Gramma's Recipe ~
2/3 cup margarine
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
4 tsp. milk
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
Mix & chill for 1 hour ~ Bake @ 350 on an ungreased cookie sheet

My 41st!

Field Trip To Chicago

After a hard week of "hitting the books" & "frying our brains" ~ we took a field trip to the Museum of Science & Industry. Thankfully the month of January is free admission & we even found free parking on a nearby street. What a big museum! Megan brought her friend Andrea and they were able to go on their most of the time - so they really had a good time without us hanging around. : ) We ended the day early enough to miss rush hour traffic - once through the Windy City, we stopped at an Oasis and the let the kids eat.

I am not sure why alot of the pictures are blury - maybe the camera, the museum lighting, or the photographer???

Special Dinner

This past weekend, Caleb really wanted to make a dinner for us. So with a little assistance from mom - he made "goulash", corn & I toasted buns with butter & garlic. He used Italian sausage, tomato sauce, Chili powder, brown sugar, basil, Italian dreesing seasoning pouch & a few other ingredients - Yum it was good!

Caleb & Jacob really love to help in the kitchen. Maybe one of them will be a chef someday.

When Jake caught wind of Caleb making diner - he so badly wanted to use Aunt Virginia's special china. Thankfully, we had recently unpacked them from a long stay in the basement. Jacob used a piece of fabric for the table runner -good idea, huh?!?!

I planned all of this while Megan was at a youth activity - goulash, helping in the kitchen & china are not her "cup of tea" - so I knew she wouldn't miss out on anything.

Belated Christmas memories & pictures

I know that I am REALLY late in getting these Christmas photos on the blog ~ but I couldn't just skip over them either. So please bear with me. We really had a nice Christmas and wanted to share some pictures with you all. We were able to bake and take goodies to a few shut-ins, watch Megan in a play called "Eyewitness News From Bethlehem", our Christmas Program at church, attend the church Christmas parties & activities, spend an evening with George & Jan, spend Christmas Eve with the Rehfeldt's, go to Grandpa & Grandma's for Christmas Day, game night at Aunt Juliet's, and enjoy extra time with Rick ~ he had of 12/24 - 1/5. Oh, we also had two bouts of the flu as well! Eeeks ~ what a way to spend some of the holidays. : )

I hope & pray that you all have a very happy & blessed New Year!

Winter is "SNOW" much fun!

Finally! It has been so long since I have been able to post. Today, we took a break from busy-ness in the house and went outside to build "snow forts". Rick and Caleb worked on a fort for the boys to play in and Jake and I dug tunels for the rabbit to run in. Megan hesitated in coming outside, but finally did enjoy some wrestling in the snow. We love winter!

WINTER FUN!

BUNNY TUNNELS MADE BY JAKE & MOM

DAISY ENJOYING HER TUNNELS

CALEB IN HIS TUNNEL

DAD HELPING MEGAN OUT OF SNOW BANK

JAKE HELPING "CHIP AWAY" AT THE TUNNEL