Here are some videos of Luka and Axel (in French for their grandparents):
Luka playing Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Camping Car Video 1
Camping Car Video 2
Camping Car Video 3
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Luka and Axel Jumping on Mommy - woooeeee!
Axel Jumping on Mommy (9 seconds)
Luka and Axel Jumping on Mommy (10 seconds)
Luka and Axel Jumping on Mommy (10 seconds)
Monday, December 28, 2009
Axel's Artwork
Axel has also been doing some interesting artwork at the Pre-K level. He is very exacting and perfectionist as far as lines go. He is also focused on color. Here are some of his recent items.
Trees Axel colored for Mommy - 4 years old
Gingerbread man with cinnamon made at summer rec center program - just too cute - and smelled good too
"Mommy, Axel, Luka, Jean Claude and Annick - Daddy wasn't home yet"
The Ax man riding his bike - go, Ax!
Luka's Artwork
Luka has produced some really interesting art work at The Studio School using various media and techniques, in 1st grade and in kindergarten. Some examples of what he has done are below; hold your mouse over the image for more information about a particular piece.
Sunflower - by Luka in 1st Grade
Rain Forest - 1st Grade
Snowman - by Luka in 1st Grade
Mardi Gras Mask made in French class - Kindergarten
Owl - by Luka in Kindergarten
Fish - by Luka in 1st Grade
Butterflies - Kindergarten
Butterflies Again - Kindergarten
Abstract by Luka - 1st Grade
Abstract Again by Luka - 1st Grade
Postcard from Edith
We received this postcard from Edith earlier this year. I thought it was neat. Click on it to make it bigger and find five rabbits hidden in the picture. The company who makes this and other cool cards is: www.correspondances.com in France.
To get the solution as to where the rabbits are, click on this image:
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Santa Came Early
Since we will be out of town for Christmas day, Santa must have known. He visited our house early (last night, Dec 22) for the boys to open their Santa gifts on Dec 23rd. We will be on a backcountry hut trip with the boys and friends for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The boys received Star Wars toys, board games, a finger skateboard ramp, Jungle Book toys and a talking globe. Going to sleep tonight, Luka said his favorite toy was the globe and all the games it has. Axel didn't say, but surely it was the Star Wars toys.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Recipe: Lemon Artichoke Chicken
2 TBS butter
1 - 3 cloves crushed garlic, to taste
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half thin or pounded out (I had the butcher do it)
flour
1 can artichoke hearts in water, drained
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 TBS capers
1/3 cup white wine
juice of 1 lemon
salt & pepper to taste
Cook garlic in melted butter. Dredge chicken breast halves in flour seasoned with black pepper. Brown in butter mixture until golden, turn over and continue cooking chicken until golden in color, then remove chicken.
Add to pan drippings: chicken broth, white wine, lemon juice, capers, and artichokes--cut into small pieces (I chopped the artichokes till creamy in a food processor). Cook sauce until it has drained and thickened and reduced somewhat. Add chicken and heat through.
Serve chicken over noodles with a green vegetable.
FREEZING NOTES: If you are planning to freeze this for future use, make the sauce to freeze: put broth, wine, lemon juice and pureed artichokes in a quart-sized freezer bag (omit capers and use them from bottle at cooking time). Freeze flat. Thaw when ready to use, and pour into pan after cooking chicken, as directed above.
1 - 3 cloves crushed garlic, to taste
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half thin or pounded out (I had the butcher do it)
flour
1 can artichoke hearts in water, drained
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 TBS capers
1/3 cup white wine
juice of 1 lemon
salt & pepper to taste
Cook garlic in melted butter. Dredge chicken breast halves in flour seasoned with black pepper. Brown in butter mixture until golden, turn over and continue cooking chicken until golden in color, then remove chicken.
Add to pan drippings: chicken broth, white wine, lemon juice, capers, and artichokes--cut into small pieces (I chopped the artichokes till creamy in a food processor). Cook sauce until it has drained and thickened and reduced somewhat. Add chicken and heat through.
Serve chicken over noodles with a green vegetable.
FREEZING NOTES: If you are planning to freeze this for future use, make the sauce to freeze: put broth, wine, lemon juice and pureed artichokes in a quart-sized freezer bag (omit capers and use them from bottle at cooking time). Freeze flat. Thaw when ready to use, and pour into pan after cooking chicken, as directed above.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Nancy's Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
My friend Nancy gave me this recipe years ago. It is very rich and very bad for you, I am sure, but they are sooooo good!
1 (10 oz.) bag mini peanut butter cups
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups flour
Doubles well.
Mini muffin pan required.
Instructions:
Prep mini peanut butter cup by unwrapping them and placing on a plate, set aside. (You need them as soon as the cookies come out of the oven.)
Cream together butter, peanut butter and all sugars. Then, beat in egg and vanilla. Stir flour, salt and baking soda together. Add flour mixture to the cream mixture and mix well. Make 1 inch balls and place in ungreased mini muffin pan. Bake for ~8 minutes at 375 degrees.
Take out baked peanut butter balls and immediately push in peanut butter cups to the bottom. Let cool 15 minutes. Always good, but divine when still warm.
1 (10 oz.) bag mini peanut butter cups
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups flour
Doubles well.
Mini muffin pan required.
Instructions:
Prep mini peanut butter cup by unwrapping them and placing on a plate, set aside. (You need them as soon as the cookies come out of the oven.)
Cream together butter, peanut butter and all sugars. Then, beat in egg and vanilla. Stir flour, salt and baking soda together. Add flour mixture to the cream mixture and mix well. Make 1 inch balls and place in ungreased mini muffin pan. Bake for ~8 minutes at 375 degrees.
Take out baked peanut butter balls and immediately push in peanut butter cups to the bottom. Let cool 15 minutes. Always good, but divine when still warm.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
School Celebrations
Axel had his Christmas presentation at school today and did a great job. His class of Pre-K students sang three songs: Santa Clause is Coming to Town, a funny version of The Twelve Days of Christmas and "Happy Holidays to the tune of Happy Birthday.
He loved learning the songs and was an enthusiastic performer.
The words to the funny version of the Twelve Days of Christmas, that his teacher wrote, are:
On the Twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
12 I.O.U's
11 candy bars
10 purple stars
9 froggies leaping
8 fishies sleeping
7 useless car parts
6 one-dollar gift cards
5 strands of lights (shouted: all tangled!)
4 Christmas cards
3 pet rocks
2 different socks
and a chicken in a pear tree
Axel had two (different) socks that he got to hold up each time the "2 different socks" part came around. After the classes finished their presentations, each of the children got to visit with Santa. Axel was very excited and "not afraid of Santa this year" and asked for lots of animals to go with the boys' Jungle Book play set (that is neat, but lacks animals) - this he is getting, a new light saber (to this, mommy says, "no way") and a second garbage truck toy (he loves the first one Santa brought him and for some reason, they ask for a second one every year -- to share? -- but it ain't happening). Santa will bring various Star Wars toys and that should keep them happy. ;)
Luka had his Winter Festival tonight at The Studio School, the arts integration elementary school he attends in our district. It was fantastic! 200 kids singing and dancing. They did the first and the last numbers all together; 200 kids on stage singing together was pretty impressive. Then, each grade (two classes) did numbers separately. Luka's class did a cool African drumming number called Shiko and also a fun dance number called the Great Kapok Animal Dance.
Santa was not at Luka's celebration but he has been saying he hopes that Santa will bring him a "real telescope" that he can look at the sky with. Auntie Laura will fulfill that dream with the Brunton Monocular. He also wants Madagascar II (but it getting Monsters Inc which they both will love) and other cool stuff. He also wants Star Wars toys - that is indeed on Santa's list.
He loved learning the songs and was an enthusiastic performer.
The words to the funny version of the Twelve Days of Christmas, that his teacher wrote, are:
On the Twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:
12 I.O.U's
11 candy bars
10 purple stars
9 froggies leaping
8 fishies sleeping
7 useless car parts
6 one-dollar gift cards
5 strands of lights (shouted: all tangled!)
4 Christmas cards
3 pet rocks
2 different socks
and a chicken in a pear tree
Axel had two (different) socks that he got to hold up each time the "2 different socks" part came around. After the classes finished their presentations, each of the children got to visit with Santa. Axel was very excited and "not afraid of Santa this year" and asked for lots of animals to go with the boys' Jungle Book play set (that is neat, but lacks animals) - this he is getting, a new light saber (to this, mommy says, "no way") and a second garbage truck toy (he loves the first one Santa brought him and for some reason, they ask for a second one every year -- to share? -- but it ain't happening). Santa will bring various Star Wars toys and that should keep them happy. ;)
Luka had his Winter Festival tonight at The Studio School, the arts integration elementary school he attends in our district. It was fantastic! 200 kids singing and dancing. They did the first and the last numbers all together; 200 kids on stage singing together was pretty impressive. Then, each grade (two classes) did numbers separately. Luka's class did a cool African drumming number called Shiko and also a fun dance number called the Great Kapok Animal Dance.
Santa was not at Luka's celebration but he has been saying he hopes that Santa will bring him a "real telescope" that he can look at the sky with. Auntie Laura will fulfill that dream with the Brunton Monocular. He also wants Madagascar II (but it getting Monsters Inc which they both will love) and other cool stuff. He also wants Star Wars toys - that is indeed on Santa's list.
Make a Blog into a Book
This is so cool! I am very excited about this as I have a lot of stories about the kids in the blog and would also like to preserve them on paper. Check out Blog2Print at: http://blog2print.sharedbook.com/blogworld/printmyblog/index.html
Monday, December 14, 2009
Hangman
One of Luka's favorite games right now is Hangman. Here is a hangman game to print out. Have fun!
He also loves Uno and Axel is learning to play that card game too. Ax gets how the colors and numbers work and loves it when he wins. ;)
He also loves Uno and Axel is learning to play that card game too. Ax gets how the colors and numbers work and loves it when he wins. ;)
Saturday, December 05, 2009
Photos from Moab
Here are photos from our Thanksgiving trip to Moab and others. Check out our Flickr account (see "Fall 2009" photo album/set) to see more Moab photos and some others from the fall.
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