So when I found this recipe I was so excited:

Eggless Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups powdered sugar (yes – powdered!)
• 1 cup butter (softened)
• 1/4 c. skim milk
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 t. cream of tartar
• 2.5 c. self rising flour

Directions:

Mix ingredients together until well blended. Refrigerate for 2 – 3 hours. Roll out cookies, decorate, and bake for about 10 – 12 minutes at 350 degrees.

Here’s what it looked like when we made them:

The mixed dough was just like regular sugar cookie dough. Yummy and no eggs!

The oldest and youngest boy helped me cut out the shapes.

The other five kids decorated the cookies.

Here’s the finished product – don’t you wish this was “tasteable” right through the computer screen? They really are good. They freeze well, and make great gifts if you can part with them. You will notice that some of the cookies are a little strange looking. That’s what happens when a four year old has free reign with the sprinkles!

Enjoy!  Diane

Sometimes I feel like a total failure. I look at my little guys and realize I haven’t painted with them in absolutely ages. With my older three we seemed to always paint, do play-doh, and make crafts. The little boys play so well together that sometimes I forget to plan structured activities for them to go along with their daily play and school.

Last week I was reading my favorite kids activity book, Unplugged Play: No Batteries. No Plugs. Pure Fun. It’s an amazing book full of information and ideas on keeping kids busy, happy, and learning at the same time. WITHOUT the television! (Not that we watch much at all, but just to have some ideas is wonderful.)

Anyway, I decided to set up the kitchen table so the little boys could paint. They had such a great time. And the best part? It was totally easy. It took two minutes to get out all the supplies, another two minutes to get them ready and covered up, and two minutes for them to be done! Just kidding – they really enjoyed painting and I enjoyed watching them explore their world further.

Supplies you need:

• Children – helpful but not totally necessary I suppose!
• Paper
• Paint
• Water
• Brushes
• Individual plates so they don’t have to share, because sharing is terrible. Awful and terrible!
• Patience and some fun spirit!

Who out there paints with their kids? Were you at all like I was, and feeling like it took too much time? I hope you do it more often than I did – I know I will!!   Diane

Are these the biggest ornaments you have ever seen? We couldn’t wait to show them to John. When we walked in the house we all started singing, “We wish you a Merry Christmas. . .” He loved them. We immediately took them outside to see how they’d look hanging from our bird feeder tree! How fun.

I love yard sales, and we go every week during the season. Today I also found 4 brand new coloring books that I’m going to stick in the boy’s stockings, a new backpack for N. to store his medical equipment in, and a whole brand new set of astronaut guys. Does anyone else like yard sales?  Diane

And here’s his bigger brother!

This is why girls rarely go to sleep with damp hair. The morning result isn’t pretty.

This is also what happens when you tell little guys to smile! It’s not always a pretty picture is it? Just now our nine year old can smile without looking totally strange.  Diane