Jazz Up January

My latest venture is going to be called Jazz Up January. I originally got the idea here at Serving Pink Lemonade. This month as a way to make a boring month more exciting, I am going to do fun little activities and crafts with the girls. I am not 100% sure if we'll have very much time to do all of them, so some of the activities are very short and sweet.

The activities range from little things like reading a winter theme story to baking to crafting and finally to activities as a family.

I am also going to use pictures of the activities as my picture of the day. Here's hoping that we can have some fun during an otherwise boring month.

Final Project Life for 2010

I got way behind posting my project life pictures. Here is my very last Project Life post for 2010. I managed to take a picture - or at least fake a picture - for nearly every day of 2010. My folder has 360 pictures in it, so not half bad if I do say so myself.

December 5, 2010

We have been reading a Christmas / Holiday / Winter book every night this month. Tricia decided to take over tonight and read Ryleigh Twas the Night Before Christmas. I love the illustrations in this book. Next year, I hope to have a craft / activity planned for each book as well.


December 6, 2010

We bought puppy gifts at Loopy's today. The cute snowflake bones came in sets of two so Tricia just had to open it up and give Holly one of them. You can see just how long the stuffed squeaky toy lasted!


December 7, 2010

This was what I saw when I took Holly outside early this morning. The fog, while not much fun to drive in, creates such beautiful things. The trees around town all looked just like this.


December 8, 2010

Frosty the Elf brought the girls each a gift for being good. Tricia got a pink lava lamp! How cool is that?!?! It is so much fun to watch the blobs of color ooze around the lamp.


December 9, 2010

Tricia had her school Christmas program tonight. For the first time since she has been in school, she purposely did not smile at my camera. I could not get a smiling picture of her for the entire program. Methinks my little girl is growing up.


December 10, 2010

The girls did a little Christmas crafting again tonight. They made these cute make-n-bake suncatcher ornaments. They will be given as teacher gifts.


December 11, 2010

The cookie weekend that wasn't. We were supposed to be decorating several dozen Christmas cookies today with the rest of the family. The weather had other ideas, unfortunately. The girls and I ventured over to Mom and Dad's house Friday night so that we could for sure be there to frost cookies on Saturday. Dad came home after I did. It snowed and snowed and snowed. We tried to get from Mom's house to Grandma's using Dad's van but it kept getting stuck. So we just hunkered down and played some cards instead. Cookies were very quickly frosted on Sunday morning once the storm had passed.


December 12, 2010

Since we decorated in such a hurry, this is the only picture I have of the two girls together. Most of the rest of the pictures feature one or the other of the girls licking frosting off their fingers. The best part about cookie weekend is the cream cheese frosting.


December 13, 2010

Today is always a day when I spend time reflecting and missing Tricia. 18 years ago today I skipped work at the Villager, pretending to be sick. I count that as divine intervention since had I been at work I would not have been able to say goodbye to Tricia for the last time and mom would have been alone in the house when the Sheriff pulled up to the door carrying her purse.

The girls put together their gingerbread house tonight. Actually Frosty the Elf found a different set and it was actually a small gingerbread village. This is another tradition that I love.


December 15, 2010

Tonight was Ryleigh's Christmas program for preschool at St. Paul Lutheran. She was such a smiley little thing up there on the stage. She was also very proud of herself that she wasn't in the front row, which in her mind means she isn't the shortest.

I had a good chuckle with mom and Dave remembering when Tricia was in her last year of preschool at St. Paul's. Tricia's costume was to be a sheep. The kids laughed at her when she put it on at school. So she pretended to be sick so she would not have to be in the program. Ahh memories.


December 16, 2010

A random picture of some holiday decorations. We have purchased the Hallmark singing snowman every year since they started. They are really ridiculous and absolutely take over the house, but I love them anyway and so does Ryleigh.


December 17, 2010

Our small but growing Nutcracker collection. This year I found and purchased two new ones: the fishing one and the hunting one.


December 18, 2010

Our mantel decorated for the holidays. I tend to keep the blue and silver theme up here each year. This year I completely forgot to put out the big Santa and train that usually goes above the gun cabinet. Next year I guess.


December 19, 2010

Holly LOVES the snow! Here she is with her nose buried in the snow. She loves to be outside when the temperatures are not too cold. She can sit out there for a long time before her feet finally get too cold.


December 20, 2010

Snowing again. Gotta love winter in Minnesota. Today is one of the days when I wonder why I still live here.


December 21, 2010

Dave and Holly doing what they do best in December ... blowing snow and playing in it!


December 22, 2010

The next several pictures are not necessarily from the date indicated. I have just picked several favorites from the holiday season and included them here. Here is Miss Ryleigh in her hand-me-down Christmas dress. She looked so adorable for her program.


December 23, 2010

This is Tricia's dress for her Christmas program. I can hardly believe how grown up she is getting. She is every bit a pre-teen!


December 24, 2010

The girls took a minute out of their present-opening to leave Santa his milk and cookies by the fireplace. I sure hope the big guy is hungry when he stops at the Nissen house!


December 25, 2010

This is one of my favorites from Christmas at Mom and Dad's house. After playing our two dice games for gifts, all of the girls lined up to help pick up the wrapping paper. I thought this picture was too adorable with all of the girls standing there with handfuls of garbage throwing it away.


Bonus Picture - December 25, 2010

This is a bonus picture of the girls posing with their newly unwrapped presents. I love to see the smiles on their faces as they see what their new gifts are.


December 26, 2010

On Sunday, we went back over to Holland to spend a little more time with Troy, Patty and Olivia. We took Holly with so that she could play with Belle for a while. This is my attempt at getting a picture of the three girls in the back of the car.


December 27, 2010

This is my favorite picture of Tricia at Christmas time this year. This is her after opening up the note saying she would be getting her iPod. Love the screaming smile she has going on there1


December 28, 2010

This is my favorite picture of Ryleigh. What a big smile and huge eyes she has!


December 29, 2010

Ryleigh doing what she does best these days ... coloring with a stuffed animal always nearby while watching cartoons.


December 30, 2010

Tricia had Maciah over for a sleepover. I got them some stuff to make some New Year's Eve crafts. The girls made special 2011 cups and several poppers filled with candy.


December 31, 2010

The final picture of 2010 ... This was our exciting New Year's Eve! Dave and Ryleigh slept while Tricia played in her room and I watched TV in the living room. Our NYE plans with the Czechs were interrupted by another storm (that was not nearly as bad as they said it was going to be) so we ended up taking the girls for a late supper at Swanny's and then watching The Sorcerer's Apprentice on TV. Not the most exciting of families I guess.


Make sure to head over to Jessica's site to check out the other Project Life posts - most of which are the final posts for 2010!

So there you have it. One entire year in pictures. I have all but this last group of pictures printed and in the album along with a bunch of memorabilia stuff. I have also typed up all my journaling cards and just need to print those out. I've started taking pictures for 2011 and have ordered the new kit so we'll see how I end up tackling the project in the coming year.

Holiday Baking Recipes

Here are the recipes I am making this year ... I will try to add some pictures once everything is all complete! This is only about a quarter of what I usually make, but time and money are both tight this year so here is what we are having.

Velveeta Fudge

• 3/4 pound Velveeta cheese, cut up
• 1 cup butter
• 6 squares unsweetened baking chocolate
• 1 TBSP light corn syrup
• 2 pkg. powdered sugar (32 oz. total)
• 1 TSP vanilla

Place Velveeta, butter, chocolate and corn syrup in a large microwaveable bowl. Microwave on high 2 minutes; stir. Microwave an additional minute; stir until well blended. Add chocolate mixture, in batches, to sugar in a large bowl, beating with an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Pour into greased 13X9 pan. Smooth top with a spatula; cover. Refrigerate several hours or until firm. Makes 96 pieces.

(We'll see how this tastes this time ... I forgot the corn syrup!)

Double Layer Mint Fudge

Fudge Layer:

• 1 bag semisweet chocolate chips (12 oz.)
• 1 can creamy chocolate frosting (16 oz.)

Peppermint Layer:

• 1 bag white vanilla baking chips (12 oz.)
• 1 can creamy vanilla frosting (16 oz.)
• 2 drops red food color
• 1/2 cup finely crushed peppermint candy
• 2 milk chocolate candy bars, chopped

Line 13X9 pan with foil so foil extends over the sides of the pan; lightly butter foil. In a 3-quart saucepan, melt chocolate chips over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from the heat. Stir in chocolate frosting. Spread in pan. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a 3-quart saucepan, melt vanilla chips over low heat until smooth. Stir in vanilla frosting and food color until well blended. Fold in crushed peppermint candy. Spread carefully over chilled chocolate layer. Sprinkle chopped candy bars over top; press in lightly. Refrigerate until set and cut. Makes 96 pieces.

For this one, I usually add just a little bit of peppermint flavoring to the mint layer to make it more "minty".

Fudgy Mint Cookies

• 1 pkg. devil's food cake mix
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 TBSP water
• 2 eggs
• 2 TBSP confectioner's sugar
• 2 pkg. chocolate covered thin mints

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, butter and water. Add eggs; mix well. Shape into 1-inch balls; roll in confectioner's sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes or until set. Immediately press a mint into the center of each cookie. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

JELL-O Pastel Cookies

• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1 TSP baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 pkg. JELL-O, any flavor, divided
• 1 egg
• 1 TSP vanilla

Preheat oven to 400. Mix flour and baking powder; set aside. Beat butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add sugar and 1 pkg. of the dry gelatin, beating until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating until well blended after each addition.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place, 2 inches apart, on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten with the bottom of a clean glass. Sprinkling with remaining dry gelatin.

Bake 8-10 minutes or until tops are lightly browned. Remove from baking sheets to wire racks. Cool completely. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature.

Cake Balls

• 1 box red velvet cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13X9 cake)
• 1 can cream cheese frosting
• 1 pkg. chocolate bark (regular or white chocolate)
• wax paper

After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into a large bowl. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together but be warned it will get messy.) Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on a cookie sheet. (Should make about 45-50.) Chill for several hours (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.) Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. Only melt a few pieces of chocolate bark at a time because it starts to cool and thicken.

For this, you can use any combination of cake and frosting that you like. For Christmas, I decided to buy the funfetti cake mix and frosting. We'll see how it works.

Nutter Butter Balls

• 1 pkg. Nutter Butter cookies (broken, use the cookie with the cream center)
• 1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
• 1 pkg. chocolate bark

Finely crush all but 5 cookies in a food processor or place them in a ziploc bag and crush into a fine consistency. Combine with cream cheese. Use the back of a large spoon to help mash the two together. Roll the mixture into 1" balls and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet. Melt chocolate as directed on the package and then dip balls into chocolate, tap off extra and set aside on wax paper covered cookie sheet to dry. Once dry, refrigerate and enjoy. makes about 30 balls.

Carol's Caramels

• 1 cup butter
• 1 pound light brown sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk

Combine all ingredients. Bring to 244 degrees. Add vanilla after removed from heat. Pour into foil-lined and buttered 9X13 pan. Refrigerate until firm and cut.

and just for good measure ...

Tricia's Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 cup butter-flavored Crisco
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 TSP salt
• 1 TSP vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 TSP baking soda
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 bag chocolate chips

Cream together Crisco, both sugars and eggs; add salt, vanilla and soda until well blended; add in flour one cup at a time; once well mixed add chocolate chips; bake at 375 until golden brown.

For this recipe I typically double it and use a mix of chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and white chips. This was my grandma's and my sister's recipe.

Nissen Card 2010

Joy And Magic Christmas 5x7 folded card

Get custom photo Christmas cards online at Shutterfly.com.

View the entire collection of cards.

Henry

Click here to view this photo book larger

I Spy Nissen News 2010???

Typically I have already ordered, addressed, and stamped all of my Christmas cards by now so that they can get sent right after Thanksgiving. This year has been a different year though. Because of my student teaching, I just have not even had time to get it done. Also this year, with me not working since August, money is a little tight right now.

I had a really fantastic idea that I might still try to pull off - I Spy Nissen News 2010. I was going to set out a bunch of memorabilia and pictures on my table and take a picture. The "Christmas letter" would be a list of everything that can be found in the picture. It sounds fun and very original, but is it worth the work?

Or would it be easier to just use a couple of great pictures of the girls and an adorable card like any of these from Shutterfly:



I like that this card is square. An original idea.


Then there is always one like this where I can do one good picture of each of the girls and then either a family picture or one of both girls in the middle.




But this one would be perfect with the picture of the four of us at the Headwaters of the Mississippi River.




DECISIONS, DECISIONS, DECISIONS! I better make my decision quick though! Shutterfly is offering 50 free photo cards to bloggers, so at least that would help with the budget issues!

What about you, what do you do for holiday cards?

Teddy Bear

Today was my last day of student teaching. It was quite busy. It was emotional. It was fun. And I received a most beautiful gift from my parents.

This little white teddy bear doesn't look like much, does it?




But this little white teddy bear will always hold a special place in my heart. It was my sister's bear. I look at the bear and see her face, a face I have not seen since December of 1992. It is the best gift my parents could have given me today. I truly have felt my sister's spirit willing me on, pushing me forward as I worked through this degree program.

And now that I have this teddy bear, it will always have a special place to live. For now, it will live with these two bears, which were made from Tricia's dresses and Grandpa's suit coat. But someday, when I have my own classroom, this teddy bear will be with me. It will stand as a constant reminder that I have a special angel on my side. I will keep her teddy bear in every classroom I ever have so that Tricia can always be near. I know that as long as she is by my side, anything is possible.

Thank you, mom and dad for this wonderful gift. I will treasure it always. I will treasure her always. I will treasure you always.

I have not shared pictures of my class on my blog yet, but today I will share just one. This is me and my wonderful 2nd graders at the end of the day today. They were all sugared up and ready for a nice long vacation. I love each and every one of these guys and know that they will all go on to be the best that they can be!

Have a WONDERFUL Thanksgiving!