Priceless Marie Quote

Mom, is this house a four leaf clover [foreclosure]?

Bracing for Winter

The girls were ready for winter clothes about a month and a half ago. But I told them they had to wait until it got quite a bit colder in order to help them adapt to the "extreme" temperature. (Otherwise we wouldn't have any other layers when it really got cold.) Since it got down to the mid 20's last night, I figured it was cold enough. Here they are, just before going off to school.

Kristen Kay Christensen's Wedding (What a tongue twister!)

Kristen was married on a perfect autumn day in the Manti temple. It was so much fun being with all the cousins. A special thank-you goes to Grandma Lori for the horses and Little House series, and to Grandpa Steve for ball games and stories on his knee!

80's Party

Allie sporting biker shorts and a fanny pack.

Check out those wings (and hoop earrings)!

Pegged pants and a Michael J. Fox "life preserver."

We look so HOT.

Thank you, Aunt Molly, for the shorts, earrings, and for watching the kids for us. They miss you already.

Baked Sour Cream Donuts

I lost my best recipe in the move. This recipe is pretty close (and quite delicious), but I do have one question for those baking pros out there. Since this recipe calls for baking powder and soda (instead of yeast), should I treat the dough like muffin batter and handle it as little as possible? It does ask you to "gently" knead the dough. So does that mean that intead, that it will be like bread: the more it is roughed up the lighter it will be? I went for somewhere in the middle...

Baked Sour Cream Donuts (pictured below)*

3 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

2 large eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup melted butter

1 cup sour cream

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Combine dry ingredients in large bowl and set aside. Combine eggs and sugar and mix until pale yellow and slightly stiff. Add butter and sour cream and mix until well blended. Add dry ingredients and beat until a moist, stiff dough is formed.

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Turn onto lightly floured surface. Knead gently, working in additional flour to prevent sticking. Dough should be soft and smooth. Cover; let rest for 30 minutes.

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Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Generously grease cookie sheets. Roll the dough to 1/2 inch thickness and cut out with round cookie cutter or simply cut into squares (like you would biscuits). Leave at least one inch space between donuts on the cookie sheets. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. DO NOT OVER COOK.

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Prepare a bowl with a cinnamon and sugar mixture then another with melted butter. When still warm (or cool), quickly submerge each donut in butter and then roll around in cinnamon/sugar, coating all sides. Or, dip into a maple glaze (see below):

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1 1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup maple syrup

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The donut recipe in the picture was doubled.

Valiant 9 Class Party

Even though I was released as a primary teacher, I promised the kids we would still hold the class party that we had scheduled for this weekend. There aren't too many pictures, but I think everyone had a lot of fun. (I learned, though, that kids that age are still picky eaters. No one ate the chili and pumpkin egg nog. It's a good thing I had plenty of chips, cheese, and cookies.)

James' poster for "Pin the Wart on the Witch."

Maddie gets ready to place her wart.

Kids popping each other's balloons.

Why I Love Autumn

Leaves changing color in our very own yard!

Baked Sour Cream Donuts

Halloween Hangman (this was Marie's word)

We Love that Grace's Face

What a character she has turned out to be!