Snow Cream

"Okay, so I need you to have sort of plan for your day today so we don't all go crazy," I announce at breakfast anticipating the snow day ahead of us. Ideas are blurted out one of which includes making "Snow Cream." Great idea. Let the pictures be your own tutorial the next time you get a foot of snow!

The big sisters bundled up to gather the snow.

Dang it, that milk in the bag is a bugger to pour. Let mommy intervene.

Start with 4 cups for clean snow.

"Mom, I promise the snow was white when we brought it in....Oh, the milk made it yellow."

Add 1/2 c. milk, 1 tsp. vanilla & 1/4 c. sugar.

Be sure to take turns stirring.

Breanne takes a taste. Oh, this one is a keeper. In an instant, she adds with permanent marker to the recipe they found on youtube: "Snow Craem." Madison makes a spelling correction.

Recipe

4 cups clean snow

1/2 c. milk

1/4 c. sugar

1 t. vanilla

Dish it up any way you like it...but beware. It melts really fast!

Anything but frozen and lifeless

Winter can seem so dull and lifeless, but spend ten minutes around this house and you'll realize that although everything is frozen and dead outside, our little girls are full of life and energy. This winter has been a pretty busy season.

After the first of the year, Breanne began piano lessons. She is thriving! It appears to be her niche. She delights mom and dad's ears by playing constantly. One afternoon, I walked down the stairs to the sight of her at the piano playing away in her pajama pants and her headphones around the neck blaring upbeat music. "Very interesting," is a phrase often used at our house. Indeed.

Aliya began swim lessons in January and just finished her first session, passing her class. She's being very brave and enjoying the social interaction.

Breanne's entry: "Can an egg float in salty water?"

Madison & Breanne both participated in the Science Fair at school. We're very much the newbies around here and I'm constantly saying, "I don't know, this is my first rodeo..." It was a learning experience and the number one thing we learned was....don't procrastinate until the last night to finish! 

Madison's project: "What are the primary colors of light?"

We made a drive down to Pipestone to help cut and package up beef at Lucas and Kelly's. We were blessed to bring home lots of beef, learned much about the cuts of meat and enjoyed time with family! 

Brae & Bre

Good thing we have a boy cousin who likes to drive the 4-Wheeler and tie up the sleds.

Oh Chloe and Aliya...don't eat yellow snow!

 We were also able to watch both Carter and Braelyn get baptized at their church. 

 On President's Day, Madison was busy stitching up a present for Auntie Kayla who is now the owner of Madison's second pajama pant project. I don't think Madi's starting a business anytime soon...it was a long day of stitching, although a successful one!

We were saddened to hear of the Giffey's friend passing away unexpectedly over a week ago. They made a fast dash up to Ottertail, MN and our home was a stopping place for them on their journey. Even though the time is was short and the reason for the visit so tragic, we were blessed to see all these Tennessee faces and have good times sharing games, laughs, and even stomach bugs...oh well!

At the beginning of February, Madi and Bre had a sleepover with a few friends...the night was full of Rock Band, fort building, dolls, fashion shows (complete with hair and make-up), pizza, popcorn, candy and a movie.

Tender toward

 It has struck me deeply lately how much I learn from my children. Our "baby," Aliya, is no exception. Just a little over a week ago, on January 26, Aliya asked Jesus to be the boss of her life. Just she and mom were driving to SW Minnesota for Grandma Great's wedding when she said, "Mom, maybe Grandma will have a baby." That led to a conversation about it's not likely that a 76-year old woman has a baby, but nothing is impossible for God to do. Sarah and Abraham had a baby at 100! She then says, "Yea, that's why I made Jesus the boss of my life." My mommy ears perk up...back the train up, "You already did?" "Yes, in my head." "Well, sometimes, you say a special prayer and ask God." We talked through the ABCs: Admit that we are not perfect and sin; Believe that Jesus died on the cross because we sin and three days later was alive; and Commit our lives to Him (make Him the boss is the lingo we use.) After all that theology, yes, she wanted to pray. We did it right then and there...on I-90.
Since then, it has been so humbling to watch such a small heart tender toward God and absorbing who He is. On the way to Community Bible Study this morning, she says, "I'm gonna tell everybody that God is the boss of my life!" as she names several people. "Mom, you're not the boss of my life. God is." She has an insatiable appetite for memorizing scripture as part of our preschool and is so quick to pray. She often talks about Jesus coming down on a cloud to take us to Heaven with Him. Yesterday, she expressed concern about what her sisters might be doing in Heaven (she's convinced that mom and her will be gardeners together in Heaven) and maybe by going to school they'll find out what they're good at. She's asked me, what it means to serve God. She'll say, "I just noticed in that song they're talking about worshiping God." She has begun to attempt grasping the idea of Jesus and God are the same, but have different jobs and talks about it from time to time. (I don't think any of us understand the Trinity fully.) And last night, while driving home after bringing Madison to Derrick's office so that they might enjoy a Timberwolves game together, she said, "Mom, I just feel like we should pray for Madi and Daddy," and so we did.
I love how she injects God into her day. He's in a time slot of her day, only thinking of Him while we read the Bible or go to church, it's throughout: while driving, reading a book, a conversation over lunch... May I never cease to thank God for my little goldenheads that teach me how to be holy.

The thrill of packages and learning

Three words: American Girl Doll. Breanne has had her little heart set on an American Girl Doll for months. It didn't take her but a minute to decide that's what she's be spending her Christmas money on. She researched online and found she could get the Target knock-off for a fraction of the price plus have plenty of cash left over for accessories. (As a personal note, I'm proud of her wise consumerism!)

Of course, the sisters also got caught up in the excitement of shopping and also having money to spend, decided to buy a Target knock-off as well (and contrary to Derrick's brilliant idea, these are not called, "Canadian Girl Dolls," but rather Our Generation Dolls.) What I find most humorous is that the big girls call them dolls, but to Aliya, it's her "baby."

 Breanne got the entire Hair Salon complete with many accessories and chair that pumps up and all. What this momma wasn't prepared for was setting aside at least an hour of my week to do the doll's hair. (Oh the problems, I know!) However, it was a thrilling day when that package arrived in the mail! 

We also have purchased ice skates and been able to spend a little time on the pond out back, letting the girls learn that skill. Gotta love Minnesota!
Aliya has been working super hard in preschool and has been most recently thrilled to learn much about the moon and it's phases. With our "student-teachers" home for the preschool day this past Monday, we took the opportunity to use oreos to explain and visualize the phases of the moon as it orbits around the earth, reflecting light from the sun.

Aliya understands much about this, you should quiz her the next time you see her.

Lessons learned in pictures

Much was being taught this Christmas season. (I hope I learned.) We had a great time preparing for Christmas. The weeks before, we did a great Advent devotional as well as a Jesse Tree which threads the Old Testament into the birth of Jesus, our Savior. 

Aliya was Mary in her CBS program. What a smile!

Aliya had a program at our Community Bible Study class which Derrick was able to see and then he took Aliya and I out to lunch. Derrick enjoyed a date out with his bigger girls as well. 

We hosted our friends, the Giffeys coming through from Tennessee and also Derrick's company Christmas party. We were looking forward to Christmas Eve services when Aliya and I were struck with the fever and achy bodies! Definitely put a damper on Christmas Eve festivities! Derrick played trumpet in a brass ensemble which sounded wonderful (somehow I managed to make it through the service despite feeling quite ill) and the girls sang so cutely in the service as well. Thankfully, the fevers broke and then gave way to colds that seem to hang on forever and unfortunately Aliya developed bronchitis. But I think God wanted to remind this momma that it's really about Him, not "my" traditions and agenda. Him!

The Gingerbread houses... 

Nerf wars put a twist on the traditional Christmas pictures. What a real smile though!

The second Kracht Cousin Amazing Race. Teamwork on the blindfolded puzzle.

The dads were team captains again. Here Mike is helping Braelyn through the smell challenge.

They chose a "messy day"...for Lucas! Madison, Daniel and Chloe "shaved" him with cool whip and popsicle sticks.

Wheelbarrow to the finish line.

So excited to win! 

The new scooters. Thank goodness for the heated garage!

Beautiful earring Mike! Here's the deer...now where's the Buick?

Thrilled with a Barbie! 

Sweet cuddles! 

A great visit with Grandma Edna! 

Lunch and visit with Grandpa Great Bert.

Kracht cousin day at Carousel Skate in Sioux Falls, SD. 

The big kids tore up the rink! 

Sechler cousin time at the sleepover this past weekend.

We did a kid swap. Aliya spent time at Abigail's and Rebekah spent time with me sewing while Madison & Breanne were in school. We were successful in our project. And were also thrilled to have makeovers, fashion shows and the highlight was going out for "coffee" at the Dunn Brothers Coffee Shop and playing Clue.

The fashion divas. Plastic bags are all the new rage.

All the cousins making cupcakes for dessert.