Snickerdoodles

 To be honest, I did not have anything planned for these cute little girls.

However, they love to make cookies and they are very good at it.

"What are we making?"

"Snickerdoodles!"

"Do they have Snickers in them?"

 These girls know how to work as a team and share.

I try to encourage them to work it out among themselves who is going to do what.

It's fun to listen to them take a few minutes to decide who's turn it is

to crack an egg, measure the sugar, mix the dough......

I will hear;

"I haven't had a turn"

"I only had one turn"

"You're after her"

"Can I be first, since I am the newest person?"

they always figure it out.

 We had to work fast if we were going to get them baked for them to take home.

These cookies burned up my hand mixer.

I could have used my Kitchen-Aid, but I wanted them to use the hand mixer.

Snickerdoodles

Ingredients:
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 cup of butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla
3 tbs. sugar
1 tbs. cinnamon
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl mix 3 tbs. of sugar and 1 tbs. of cinnamon. Set aside. Next, cream butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add vanilla, milk, and eggs and beat well.  Add baking soda, cream of tartar, and flour until the dough is well combined and formed.
 Make one inch balls with a cookie scoop or spoon. Roll each ball in the mixture of cinnamon sugar.
 Place cookies on a parchment paper (or greased) cookie sheet and slightly flatten each ball with the palm of your hand. Bake for 8-10 minutes until light golden. Makes approx. 66 cookies.

This recipe was taken from this website
 http://savorysweetlife.com/2009/08/tried-and-true-snickerdoodles-recipe/

While baking and waiting for parents we recited the 8th Article of Faith...

We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; 
we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.

12 Day Advent Cups

 My cousin showed me this cute idea for advent cups, however,

I didn't really want to make 24 cups x 6 so, that is how the activity

became the "12 Day Advent" Cups.

Each cup had a chocolate wrapped in Christmas theme foil that I found at WinCo and

an activity geared towards service and the birth of Christ.

 I had as much prepared as possible but still allowing plenty for the girls to do.

I pre-cut and glued wrapping paper on the dixie cups while

one girl punched holes for the handle, two girls attached the wire handles and

then two girls glued the numbers on each cup.

They were very organized, putting together their own system of putting cups into 

days 12-24 into groups for each girls.

These are the activities that we placed in each cup;

• Watch a Christmas movie with your family  
• Read a Christmas story to a sibling 
• Wash dishes for your mother and tell her you love her 
• Give your father a hug and tell him why you love him 
• Draw a picture of the Nativity
• Make a Birthday Card for Jesus and tell Him what your gift is to Him
•  Read about the birth of Jesus in Luke 2:1-20 
• Tell a Grandparent you love them and why they are special to you 
• Watch a bible video on the church website with your family at http://lds.org/bible-videos 
• Do something nice for your neighbor 
• Clean your room; make your bed, put your cloths away and dust your things 
• What are you thankful for? Tell Heavenly Father what you are thankful for in your prayers tonight. MERRY CHRISTMAS

 If you would like to put your own Advent Cups together

go HERE for instructions.

A Nutritious Meal

Under "Serving Others" in the Achievement Day, Faith in God booklet, pg 9 requirement is

*Plan, prepare, and serve a nutritious meal.

The girls made Oatmeal pancakes, scrambled eggs, apple slices & OJ.
We were going to have milk for their dairy, but was out voted by the OJ.

We  went shopping for a apples & OJ.

They each decided who would be in charge of making what.

Everyone had "their" way of doing things....just like women.

It was cute.

I am pretty confident with their cooking skills and pretty much let them go for it.

"Sister Mills?" was flying around the kitchen a bit more than I could handle.

They wanted to set the table with my "special" dishes.

They asked Troy if he would like to join us and made him a place at the table

and waited till everything and everyone was at the table before eating.

We passed the food around and enjoyed eating their wonderful meal together.
We talked about some important table manners and they were excited when I told
them that they would be having etiquette dinners when they get to young women.
They understand the importance of learning to cook nutritious meals, that they
will be mothers and will need to cook and feed their families healthy meals.

There was a lot of "Mmmmmmmm"

"This is good"

"These pancakes are good".......going on.

I asked if they wanted the recipe, "YES!"

So here you go....

Cinnamon Oatmeal Pancake Mix

4 C quick cooking oats

2 C Flour

2 C whole wheat flour

1 C non-fat dry milk

1/2 C sugar

1 Tbsp cinnamon

2 tsp salt

3 Tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Combine ingredients and stir to mix well. Put in large airtight container.
Label. Store in a cool dry place. Use within 6 months.
( I place a copy of this recipe in with the mix)

Mixing Directions: In medium bowl, beat 1 egg.
Beat in 1 1/2 Tbsp. canola or olive oil gradually.

Alternately stir in 1 C pancake mix and 1/2 C water.
Drop by spoonfuls onto lightly greased skillet

over medium-high heat. When batter shows broken bubbles, turn pancakes over. 

They set the table all on their own!

 They did a wonderful job, I was very impressed how they jumped right in,
 they were focused and worked as a team.
They are very wound-up after school, but they settle right down,
I could tell that dinner was a special time in their homes by the reverence
they had while we ate.

"Secret Sisters"
Today the girls drew each other's names to secretly serve for the next 2 wks.
We will report their success next meeting.

Service

 We have a young mother in our ward fighting a battle with cancer and
the community had a fund raiser for her at the Fall Festival.
The girls wanted to do something to contribute.
The girls came over on a Friday rather than the usual Wednesday after school.

That way their baked goods would be their freshest Sat. morning.

They whipped up and baked 4 batches of
Chocolate Chip Zucchini Brownies

Click on this link to find the recipe

Three of the girls called later asking for the recipe and made them for their
families, that was exciting.
They love to cook and they all work really well together,

and they are good about clean-up.

After they were done with their baking I asked if they would like to 

pick all of my corn cobs off the corn stalks......YEA!

Little Miss Pack Rat packed all of the corn into a pocket of her shirt.

Not good.......we hurried and took it all out before she exploded.

We had a guest this Achievement Day.

My cousin's daughter Victoria! 

She is only 6, but her best friend in Arizona is 8 and so she felt right at home.

I was so proud of the girls for including her and making her a part of their

activity.

These girls have the spirit of Christ in them and it radiated this day as they showed

their kindness to a little girl who had to leave her best friend behind as her family moves
to a new town. Victoria was so excited for them to come and

to be able to play with the girls.

I am grateful for their service today towards Victoria and Me.

Thank you girls.

A Water Fight

The Good Samaritan

At the April 2011 General Conference President Henry B. Erying

announced that in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Church welfare program, 

members worldwide will be invited to participate in a day of service. 

"Opportunities To Do Good"

In their "Faith In God" pamphlet under Service, pg 8 is an activity on service.

We read about the Good Samaritan from Luke 10:30-37.

They are to plan and complete a service project.

I encouraged them to do this on their own and that they will report back.

I also asked what they would like to do as a group.

They knew exactly what they wanted to do.

There is a young mother fighting cancer in our ward and a 10 yr old

boy who's pelvis was crushed after being hit by a car while riding a 4-wheeler.

There are going to be 2 separate fundraisers in their behalf.

They wanted to make things to contribute to the fundraisers.

I was so excited for their enthusiasm.

All summer they asked to jump on the trampoline with the sprinkler on, so

since summer is coming to an end I told them if it was hot enough they could.

They were so thrilled. I had them pack their swimsuits in their school packs.

Jumping on the tramp getting wet lasted for awhile till one jumped down and

decided to turn the sprinkler on me!

I changed my cloths and the water fight was on!

Those girls were ruthless!

I was drenched and finally ran to the house and locked them out.

Blue even got into it, but he was being too nice.

They wanted him to get another hose, but had already cinched it.

So Fun!!!!!!

**SPOTLIGHT**

Miss Green Thumb grew this HUGE cabbage from a small seedling that she brought
home from school.
She is learning the joys and rewards of gardening.
That is an impressive cabbage.

Surprise Pictures On My Camera

They are back in school and wound up as ever.

This day we caught up with our scrapbooks.

A few days later I was going through my camera and found

these adorable pictures.

My first thought was, "I don't remember taking these pictures"

My next thought, "When did they do this?"
I think I know who the culprit is......

They are the cutest little girls, sweet spirits and full of joy.

Putting On The Whole Armor of God

“Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, 

against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

“Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day. …

“Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

“And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

“Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

“And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.” (Eph. 6:11–18.)

I traced them out on paper and then they drew their armor on after we talked

about how Daniel, David, and Joseph put the WHOLE armor of God on

and withstood great temptations, evil and persecution.

I encouraged them to put their WHOLE armor on as they start the new

year of school and to remember the examples of these great men

who put their trust in God.