Hayes Christmas Cookies 2008

Nana, Aleasia, Hayley, Mandi, Brayden, and I

Today Nanny, Nana, Mandi, and I made the infamous Hayes Christmas cookies...sand tarts. These are cookies that you have to acquire a taste for and actually not many of our significant others actually enjoy the cookies, but we all enjoy the tradition and the time together (and for the record, all the girls do like them). A sand tart is a thin cookie topped with black walnuts, if you are not a black walnut fan...then you are not going to enjoy these cookies. We started around 10AM and finished around 2:30 and baked approximately 700 cookies....Nope...I didn't use one too many zeros! It was really 700 cookies. So, what do we do with that many cookies...well, everyone gets their own tin and my Nana does give some out for gifts. The sand tart is much better after it has "aged" so this is why we make them so early. My mom has been helping my Nana make these cookies for 38 years...and my Nana inherited the making of cookies from her grandmother-in-law. This year was the first year we made them at my Mom's house...and things went fairly well. Aleasia, Hayley, and Brayden wanted to help...but only stayed interested for about a whole 5 minutes...although Hayley did come back and help later in the afternoon.

Madeline also came along for the cookied baking.....and Nana did a great job keeping her occupied, although she is such a good baby...as long as she is fed...she is pretty much satisfied.

Mady enjoyed an afternoon nap with her grandnana!! How SWEET!!!

You know you are getting older when....

You are home on a Saturday night, drinking coffee, and watching Mulan II with your kiddos!! LOL

Christmas lights...ballerina turkey??....and Shrek

Today I had all intentions of putting up the Christmas decorations; however, I was not quite in the "mood". We have very busy weekends coming up and I am just not sure when I will find the time to do it...so more than likely, we will "squeeze" it in next weekend between "Cookie Day 2008" and taking Hayley roller skating with Hannah on Sunday. Hopefully, I will be more into the Christmas spirit next weekend!! Scott did put up all the outside lights...and they look really good.


So, what to do?? I planned on making a big dinner with a roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, and filling...YUMMM...so that is in the oven right now. I also made a carrot cake..but I told the kids that is was a "wacky cake" so they would at least try it...knowing carrots were in the cake, neither of my kids would even try it. I went to use the cream cheese frosting in the pantry, and it was "best used by 04/19/08"..so went to my trusty cookbook to find out how to make the frosting myself. Can you believe I had all the ingredients except I only had about 1 cup of powdered sugar and I needed 4 cups. AGHHH...so I had to get out of my pjs and go to the store (by the way, it was 12:45...I was a little lazy today). Now with the cream cheese frosting made Hayley informs me that she needs to "dress a turkey" for school. Here are some pics from our crafting this afternoon. Hayley decided to dress her turkey as a Ballerina(who would have guessed??)

cutting & glueing

The finished Ballerina turkey

Then the kids decided to dress up....Hayley as a "flower princess" and Brayden as Shrek


I can't believe the weekend is over again already!

Saturday

SATURDAY...The day started with Angie and her two kids coming over to go to StoryTime at the Reader's Cafe on Broadway. This us such a quaint little Cafe/Bookstore...it is such a wonderful little place *and they have good coffee too! : ) After story time, we went through Wendy's drive thru for a quick lunch. Then Angie and I were determined to get some scrapbooking/card making done...even with four kids running amuck in the basement with us. I would have to say that the kiddos were on their best behavior for the most part, even with Cody and Brayden not getting their normal afternoon nap. Angie got a few pages of Cody's scrapbook done, and I started my Christamas cards (I had cut all of the paper two evenings earlier while watching Grey's) I really enjoy being "creative" and think that my cards turned out very well. Although most of you that read my blog will be getting your very own once they get mailed out...I decided I wanted to post a picture of it here.....So, without further ado, here it is!!

Marsh Christmas Card 2008

Pics from the weekend

Here are a few pictures from the weekend.
We went to our cabin in Raystown and like
always, had a wonderful time! There were
plenty of leaves for the kiddos to play in....
and boy did they have a ball....check them
out! Yeah...they are just wearing long-sleeved
shirts...when we arrived on Friday, it was
70 degrees...not typical for November in PA!

I call the last one....my clown and the princess...Obviously I could not get

Brayden to cooperate and pose for a good picture with his sister. Hayley

is a PRO!!

Such A Big Girl!!!

Today Hayley had her 5 year check up (where has the time gone??). She did very well. I had prepared her for the fact that she was going to be getting the dreaded "shots". The mean mommy that I am also scheduled for her to get her flu shot as well (what was I thinking??) The Doctor spent a lot of time with us...talking to Hayley...asking her what she knew, having her draw pictures, asked her address and phone number (which is something we are going to have to work on...since she couldn't remember). Then the nurses came in to tag team her. She did good with the first set of shots...and not too bad with the second set....but that flu shot put her over the edge...and she started shedding some tears. Those tears only lasted a few seconds...and then she was back to her old self. Brayden also got his flu shot and he was a real trooper...not crying at all. I brought the kiddos home...gave them some Tylenol...and but Brayden down for a nap. Then Hayley and I made an apple pie to take along to the mountains this weekend. My mom, the kids, and I are going up tomorrow afternoon. We always have such a great time at the mountains with the family

A day on the dairy farm

The day turned out to be a fairly nice one! We didn't have anything planned in the morning..so we just hung out until it was time to go to the annual A&A picnic at the Dehoff Farm in Red Lion, PA. Hayley was all excited because her friend Hannah was going to be there! We arrived around 1PM and it was quite brisk out! The kids first went over and feed the goats. These goats have been around for years...and they just love cheese curls!! Of course, neither of my kiddos would allow the goats to eat right out of their hands...but I got a few cute pics of them trying.

Later, we all walked up to see the baby cows....man were they cute (as cute as a dirty cow can be but cute nonetheless)

Again, my kiddos would not pet nor let the baby cows suck on their fingers (hmmmm...guesss they take after their mother??) I had to BEG them to pose in front of the cows so I could at least prove that we went to the dairy farm.

Next, we walked down to the actual "staging area" prior to milking. It was awful dark in that barn....so I couldn't get any good pics....but the HUGE dairy cows were all standing in what looked like mud....but lets just say...it wasn't dirt and water (ughhh) As we were walking out....one of the cows decided that right at that time would be a perfect time to relieve herself. Now I know where the expression " sounds like a cow p***ing on a flat rock" came from....*woo hoo*...she really had to go! I snapped this picture of Hannah & Hayley leaving the barn...I thought it was cute.

As we were leaving , up came the tractor for the hayride, so Hannah, Hayley, Cody, Brayden, Angie, and I all got on while Scott and Jimmy decided to go back down to where the food was. The kids enjoyed the ride...although it was a little long as well as a little cold....poor Cody didn't want to get off when it was over but I was ready...45 minutes on a straw bail was plenty of time for me.

The kids then had caramel apples w/ sprinkles, mini M&Ms, and gummy bears (yeah...they got their dose of sugar today!) We left to come home around 4:45...and Hayley said..."Mommy, we didn't see where they milked the cows." Can you believe we never made it over to the milking area. The cows are milked every 12 hours (4 a.m. and 4 p.m.) 7 days a week...with no vacation days for the cows!! Thankfully...we also didn't see the boy cows making babies (LOL) Once home, it was time for bathes and to watch the rest of the Eagles football game (the EAGLES WON!!) Hayley was sitting on her daddy's lap watching the game and it must have been boring for her or she was just plain exhausted from a day at the farm! I hope she is not up at 4 a.m. Monday morning!!

November 1st

Wow....November 1st...and it was 60 degrees today! Ummmm...not that I am complaining. I am definitely not looking forward to gloves and heavy coats or even that dreaded SNOW!! Today was a fun day! Mandi, Jane, and Mady came up for the day and we started Mady's scrapbook. Mandi just needed a little push in the right direction and voila...she is a scrapbooking Mama!! I wish I would have thought to take pictures today and post them on here...but I didn't so there won't be any pics :( We scrapped from about 10:30 until 3:30 with an hour break for lunch and to print some pics. Thank goodness for Grandma Jane who kept Mady occupied...as well as my two kids. Later in the afternoon, the whole gang of us went to AC Moore to get some more scrapping materials (now I know why I like to go without KIDS!!) but because Grandma Jane was so generous...we made it out of there with only a few stares at Brayden who definitely had the terrible twos today! Mandi is all set now...and has plenty of supplies to keep her going...now for her to just find the time...and energy.

Tomorrow, we are going to a picnic at a coworkers dairy farm. The kids are all excited to go. Here is a conversation we had this morning!

Me: Tomorrow we are going to the dairy farm for a picnic. We will get to see where milk comes from.
Hayley: Wow..I didn't know we were going there. I can't wait to see the cows!
Brayden: Girl cows make milk??
Hayley: No Brayden, boy cows make milk.
Me: No, Hayley boy cows do not make milk, girl cows do.
Hayley: Oh....then what do the boy cows do? **only my 5-year-old : )
Me: ?!****?? Well.....*sigh*...boy cows make babies. ***I was at loss for words...didn't know what to say..so I was HONEST
Hayley: Are we going to see the boy cows make babies???....
Me: Guess what...Aunt Mandi is coming over today with Mady...(DIVERSION worked!!) LOL

Now I am off to watch CSI on Demand.....I'll let you know about the dairy farm...*tisk *tisk !