Thanks to Allen for opening up the driveway for us Friday morning and the kids shoveled the back walks. :)
Linda texted us girlfriends and invited us to come to their house and crop Friday night and Saturday. I was so into that and made arrangements for some of the kids. Hadassah went to Courtney's house and Matthew was with Matthew King. They both had a great time! Thanks sitters! :)
Meanwhile, Ashlyn and I went to Linda's and unloaded all my scrapbooking supplies. The other ladies joined us and we gathered around the ping pong table to scrapbook. There were lots of children that joined the late nighter crop and they got busy playing. We had a soup and wrap supper that tasted so good! Veggies and then some desserts. It was 9:00 PM and Ashlyn was getting sleepy and started crying for her daddy. We are all missing Mike so much and can't wait till he comes back home but this was the first that she cried. She said, "I miss my daddy." So we gave him a call and hearing him say to her, "Ashlyn, I miss you too," made her smile! A lot! She was happy to hear his voice and talk a few minutes. I loved to talk to him too! :) She was sleeping on the couch soon after that. I kept on cropping. The ladies and I chatted and laughed as we cut our paper and laid out our pages. Nothing too fancy for me. Just getting them organized in a book is my goal! And, meanwhile Ruthie tried to download her pictures and scrap online. :)))
It was 1 AM before we all finally went to bed. Ashlyn and I slept on the couch downstairs while the other ladies bunked in the bedrooms. (Marlene and girls went home and Suz was on her way to Florida. You missed out!) Even though you sit a lot while cropping, it felt good to spread out on the couch and close my eyes!
The sun came up bright and early Saturday morning. Some of the kids were awake at 6 AM! Everything stayed fairly quiet till 7:30! Linda and Ruthie whipped up some toasted bagels and toast. Cereal and fresh fruit! The kids were soon off to play again. We sipped on some hot coffee and biscotti's while we got back into cropping. I got so much done and really caught up with Hadassah's book! I have plenty to crop yet in Matthew's book but I made a huge dent the past few days in my photo pile!!! Yeah!!! I hope and know that the children will treasure these books in the future!
Linda made homemade pizza and we gathered some chips and more veggies for lunch. Ashlyn was ridiculous with the chips! She usually loves veggies but for some reason she kept begging and begging for more chips! :/ Chase kept getting more biscotti's out of the container and only eating the chocolate off of them. Poor guy was not impressed when we realized what was going on and closed up the lid. It was 3 PM and time to get cleaned up! Hadassah got dropped off there and so her help with loading my things was perfect timing! Then we picked up Matthew and Ginger and came back home! The whole event was fun and I am very pleased with all that got done in my books! Thanks so much Linda for the invite and letting us all come raid your home for a night and day!
Here's the new biscotti recipe that I tried for the first time on Friday. I got the recipe from a church friend (thanks Claudia) and they are WAY better than the one's I made a few weeks ago! :) Dip them in coffee and have a nice treat! So good!!!
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Biscotti Recipe:
2 3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Combine and set aside.
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar (or less)
3 eggs
1 Tb. vanilla
1 Tb. water
Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs on at a time and beating well after each one. Add vanilla and water. Gradually add the flour mixture.
Toss in:
1 cup mini chocolate chips (I used regular chocolate chips because I didn't have the mini's.)
1 cup slice almonds
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Divide dough into two parts and spread on a greased cookie sheet with floured hands. Spread out to make a long log but not too wide. 4 inches by 12 inches. Bake for 30 minutes and then cool for 15 minutes. Cut into one inch thick pieces and place them cut side up back on the cookie sheet. Bake again for 15 minutes. Flip to bake the other cut side and bake another 15 minutes. Cool.
Melt some chocolate chips on a dish and dip each cooled biscotti into the melted chocolate. Set back on the pan for the chocolate to harden. Store in a tight jar and then enjoy them with your hot coffee!
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These turned out so yummy!
The snow is melting because the sunshine is so bright. We are still in below freezing tempts during the day but we are to get up to the 50 degrees next week!? Is Spring trying to come??? I hope so! As for now, the kids are outside making the best out of the snow we still have on the ground. They are sledding out front and Matthew dug away trying to make fort. :)
We are ready for Spring time as soon as it arrives!!! :) I am also happy to be another closer to baby's delivery date! Week number 22 is in progress!!! More than half way there!!!!!!!!
Have a great weekend!
