Monday, April 25, 2011

Easter Egg Rainbow Cookies

We like to make special cookies for Easter.  The recipe takes a little preparation but it is a lot of fun.  The recipe actually comes from a children's craft book "I Can Make a Rainbow" that I bought many years ago.

1 cup of softened butter or magarine                        1 teaspoon of vanilla
3/4 cup white sugar                                                 3 cups flour
3/4 cup brown sugar                                                1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs                                                                     1/2 teaspoon salt
 Cream butter and sugar; add eggs and vanilla; mix all dry ingredients separately and add to creamed butter and blend well. Divide into four (or more) separate bowls and add food coloring of your choice.
The night before you make the cookie dough and separate it into 4 or 5 separate bowls and color the dough.  It takes a bit of work to mix the food coloring in but the kids like to help with this part.

Then you divide each color into two balls - you'll be making two "rainbows."

Next, you roll each color into a long strip between sheets of wax paper.

And stack them one of each color on top of each other.  You do this twice so you have two separate stacks.


When they are all stacked you put them in the refrigerator over night.


The next day, you slice them into 1/4" strips.
The form them into whatever shapes you would like - we like to make Easter eggs, rainbows, letters, and crosses but the dough is really easy to form and you can put two or even three strips together for a bigger cookie or more pattern variety.



Happy Easter!

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Week 2: 20{4} 40

181.  Warmer spring days
182.  Pushing children on swings
183. Children's pain reliever
184.  hugs
185.  baby toys
186.  content babies
187.  melting snow
188.  plywood boards to cover mud
189. children's projects
190.  that learning can take place anywhere
191.  the joys of homeschooling
192.  friendship with other mothers with the same priorities in life
193.  breakfast with friends
194. quiet time to reflect
195.  freecycle
196.  the best husband in the world :-)
197.  for the gift of life
198.  that my mother chose life
199.  that I have always lived among those who have supported and loved me
200.  for the privilege of raising children
201.  that God has given me exactly what I need
202.  for the many extra blessings I don't deserve
203.  for a beautiful day
204.  for the Library
205.  for the power of prayer
206. that the Storms passed us by
207.  for a Successful Surgery for a mother with child
208.  for the Sun
209.  for blue sky
210.  for Sunsets remembered
211.  for the mountain views I've enjoyed
212. for Spring
213.  for new life
214.  for budding plants
215.  for healthy babies
216.  for vaccinations that prevent life-threatening diseases
217.  for horses
218.  for good neighbors
219.  for working pens
220.  for singing birds
221.  for freshly plowed fields
222.  for the corn that is knee high by the fourth of july and delicious fresh in the late summer harvest
223.  for inspiration when it comes
224.  for baby chicks
225.  for Sacrifices freely given
226.  for the opportunity to share the gifts God has given us with others
227.  for time spent with my husband giving the Faithfulness talk for the Deanery Marriage Preparation program
228.  For a talk that went well
229.  for a babysitter willing to get up early to watch our children for us
230.  for all those who volunteer with the deanery Marriage Prep team
231.  for my Godchildren - it's a true honor and blessing to be a Godparent
232.  for Softball season
233.  for the happy times spent cheering the St. Peter's Keys on
234.  for time spent with friends in the softball rec league in Ann Arbor
235.  that God blessed me with amazing roomates in Ann Arbor, MI before I met Phil
236.  for the amazing families & friends that I have been blessed with in each place I have lived
237.  for Catholic friendships that have an eternal quality to them
238.  for facebook that makes it easier to keep in touch with those far away
239.  for the time I spent at Sierra Madre Academy - now St. Joseph's Academy and the friendships I had there with the other teachers
240. For the amazing Catholic families I met while teaching kindergarten at SMA
241.  For all I learned while teaching kindergarten
242.  For the realization of my dream to teach
243.  for the gift of now teaching my own children
244.  for the grace I've received through Mass and the Sacraments
245.  that my parents knew how important it was to give their children the gift of faith
246.  that my parents sacrificed many of their own wishes for the good of their family
247.  that my parents gave me 9 siblings
248.  for the many happy times I've shared with my brothers and sister
249.  for the baseball toy that entertains Luke as I type
250.  for tired children nestled snuggly in their beds ready for a good night's rest
251.  for 40% off coupons from Michaels
252.  for the fun of decorating a cake for and with my daughter
253.  for religious Sisters
254.  for the gift of having many friends serving God in the religious life
255.  for Cloistered nuns who dedicate their lives to prayer for our sake
256.  for missionaries
258.  for religious brothers
259.  For the Dominicans
260.  For the ability to buy what our children need
261.  For a job
262.  for our homeschool group
263.  for those who step forward to volunteer their time
264.  for fieldtrips with other homeschoolers
265.  for my husband's consistancy and faithfulness
266.  For the many acts of service Phil does for me to show his love
267.  For Laundry folded for me
268.  For dishes washed
269.  for exuberant, loving children
270. for baby chicks that will grow to give us fresh eggs
271. for easter egg hunts
272.  watching my children hold baby chicks
273.  when my children take responsibility and do little chores
274.  anticipation of the joys of spring and summer
275.  vibrating teething toys
276.  fresh berries that grow on our property
277.  the ability to have a garden that will give us fresh veggies
278.  living 5 minutes from the lake
279.  a  baby's frst step
280.  snuggles with Luke
281.  baby curls
282.  new life
283.  swing sets
284.  little girls chasing chickens
285.  Thermacare for a sore shoulder
286.  for backrubs
287.  for icy hot
288.  for Phil's arms to carry our 27lb 10 month old
289.  for rocking chairs
290.  for open windows and doors
291  for fresh air
292.  for warm days admidst the cold
293. for time together as a family
294.  for dinner guests
295. for good conversations
296.  for visitors
297.  for special dinners
298.  for a fridge full of food
299.  for ocean waves 
300.  for the smell of salt water
301. for aquariums
302.  for undergravel vacumes to help clean the tank
303.  A punch bowl given to a friend who will love it and put it to good use
304.  having tea with friends
305.  children playing outside so the moms can talk
306.  bedtime
307.  clean sheets
308.  a soft pillow
309.  a full night's sleep
310.  waking up in the morning and being able to go to Mass
311.  when Phil wakes up first and warms the house with the wood stove
312.  a warm shower
313. morning prayers said before children wake
314. the sound of chicks peeping
315. Dentex flossers
316.  free samples that brighten my mailbox
317.  how-to books from the library
318.  on-line library access
319.  google search engine
320.  night time prayers

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Fun at Lowes

Lowes has a fun program called build and grow where every other saturday they give a free kit to each child to build with their parents.  They provide hammers, safety goggles & even an apron for each child.  We took William, Miriam and Luke to build a race car and had so much fun. 

Even Luke got in on the fun.


It was a great Father - Son building project!

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Luke Update

Luke is all over the place now.  Though he hasn't quite mastered crawling (he still goes backwards more often than forwards), he can pull himself up to a standing position and cruise around the room.  It was time to bring out the baby gate.

Days 7 & 8: 20{4)40

141. William's "surprises"
142.  Luke's laughter
143. Miriam bouncing her ball
144. Phil putting the kids to bed
145. Daniel Boone family Movie time
146. That my kids love books
147. A clean pantry!
148. Bedtime prayers
149. my education
150. The freedom to Homeschool my children
151. that my husband takes such good care of our animals
152. for quiet evening time
153. for a delicious dinner with apple tarts for dessert to celebrate Laetare Sunday
154. for the Latin Language as the Universal language of our Church
155. that Phil works for St. Peter's and that he loves his job
156. For all the blessings and trial God gives us
157. for a faithful guard dog
158. the simple pleasures - colored macaroni that kept the kids happy all afternoon
159. for indoor plants
160. that Easter is 3 weeks from today
161. for coupons and sales
162. for great homeschool resources on-line
163. for rummage sales that will soon be starting up
164. for free cycle to help de-clutter
165. for the saints and their wisdom
166. For those who help me to grow closer to God
167. For St. Therese's little way
168. For St. Thomas's Summa
169. For St. Jerome's gift of the Latin Vulgate
170. For St. Anne who gave us Mary
171. For St. Louis de Montfort and His Consecration to Mary
172. St. Maria Goretti and her witness to the virtue of Chastity
173. For St. Bernadette who listened to Our Lady in Lourdes
174. Luke's back pack carrier
175. Miriam's hugs
176.  Miriam's singing - I had to laugh when she sang Row Row Row your boat during the Our Father a Mass - if you don't know the words, make them up :-)
177. having a little girl
178. for my heating pad
179. for my rocking chair
180. for a good night's sleep

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Days 5&6: 20{4}40

81. The snow storms that missed us
82. Parish events
83. The Sisters of Mary Mother of The Eucharist
84.  My Sister - Sister Rose Anthony Gomez, OP
85. Having been able to work with the Sisters
86. Family Pilgrimages
87. Family Vacations
88.  A free trip to a water park when William was one and the happy memories
89. My brother's engagement
90. My Godchildren
91.  Lost keys found again
92.  Luke's smile and laughter
93.  Family time together
94.  Our Homeschool group
95.  A hilarious play our homeschool group put on
96.  A laptop computer
97. The internet
98. My kindle and free books for it
99. That I can be home with my children
100. Seeing my babys' firsts
101. Strollers
102. warm jackets on cold days
103. time for prayer
104. Psalm 42
105.  Hope
106. Orange Juice
107. Sippy cups that don't spill
108. Imagination
109. dancing with Miriam
110. Babysitters
111. Playing Dinosaurs with William
112. Healthy pregnancies/ no C-Sections
113. The abundance God has given our family
114. Liturgy of the Hours
115. A home in the country
116. Our ducks that wander freely
117. The protection of St.Joseph
118.  Napping babies
119. First Confessions
120. Freedom by Confessing Sins