Anatomy and Physiology

This album came up on my Pandora station.  The girls all saw it.
8 yr old. "What is that?!?!?"
7 yr old.  "Duh.  It's his toe."
10 year old in a fit of laughter, "That's a long toe!"

Softest Sugar Cookie Recipe

1 c butter
1 1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
Mix until fluffy.

1 t vanilla, lemon or almond extract
1/4 c sour cream
Mix in.

1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
Mix in.

4-5 c flour
Mix in.

Roll out to 1/4" to 1/2" thick.  Cut out shapes and bake on a cookie sheet for 6-9 minutes at 350 degrees.

It's like this...

Lars sent the girls into the bathroom to brush their teeth.  For the next ten minutes there was a constant stream of chatter and when I say chatter, mostly I mean the girls instructing each other on the proper way to brush their teeth, squeeze the toothpaste, flick off the excess water, wipe their mouths and whatever else they could find to nit-pick each other about. 

When they finally came back into the living room Lars asked, "Is it possible for you girls to be in a room with each other without bickering?"

 Leah shrugged her shoulders and replied, "I don't know.  It's never happened before."

Best Gingersnap Recipe EVER

Aunt Big's Gingersnaps (my way)

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup molasses
1 heaping teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons hot water
4 cups flour
1 heaping tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
pinch of salt

With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add molasses and blend until smooth. 

Mix the baking soda into the 2 Tablespoons hot water.  Stir until dissolved.  Add into first mixture.

Add ginger, cinnamon and salt.  Mix.

Dump in four cups flour and mix (in mixer) until smooth.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Scoop dough into balls.  Roll in sugar and press flat with the bottom of a glass cup. 

Bake for 8 minutes.  Remove from pan while still warm.

aaaaand now it's December

Wow.  My first term of school ended today and truthfully, this is the first time I've thought about this blog since it started!  Well, it's been an intense ten weeks.  Crazy but amazing!  Lars has taken on being a "stay-at-home Dad" with so much grace that it kind of puts me to shame.  He's got the girls on a schedule, he helps them with their homework and went to their parent-teacher conferences, he does the grocery shopping and makes the meals.  It is so nice for the girls to have this time with their Daddy. 

It's been a bit of a transition being gone so much.  Any time I get ready to leave Heidi will ask why I'm leaving.  I'll tell  her I'm going to school and she will say, "But Mom, I love you.  Don't leave."  Breaks my heart, but I know this is the best thing to be doing...so I do it. Lars is so incredibly supportive, encouraging me to go study any time I need to. 

As for school itself, I am SO excited to be back.  I had some amazing teachers and awesome classes.  I love, love, LOVE photography!  I'm not going to lie, when I see all the painting and drawing classes I feel pulled in that direction too; but I met with my advisor and told him to keep me on track and I'm following his guidance so I get all the classes done that I need to.  I think I could just stay in school for five years taking every class I want.  Surprisingly, there are a lot of students my age or older who apparently have done that very thing. :) 

I'll post some of my projects so you can see what I've been working on.