A Weekend With A Niece

Since tonight is an off-night for Cookie Baking Night, I thought it would be a good time to share some pictures from a few weeks ago when my niece, Emily, spent the weekend at our house. 

We busied ourselves with a few projects over our time together. We made Sesame Street Cookies (Elmo and Cookie Monster--only Sesame Street cookie cutters I could find). 

Emily also helped me fill treat bags for Halloween. Halloween is one of the best times of the year to hand out gospel tracts. I used to try to grab some candy and then grab a gospel tract as trick-o-treaters come to the door, but I've found it's easier to have it all in one bag and hand it out that way. (Because I think everything's cuter with a sticker on it, I like to put stickers on the outside of the bags. Emily says "stickers are entirely unnecessary--the kid's are after candy" but she humored me anyway).

I think the cookies turned out pretty cute!

P.S. This is where I will put in a plug for spending time with the adolescents in your life. That 12, 13, 14 year old stage can be a tricky one. Best not to waste an opportunity to find out what they're thinking as well as opportunities to share the gospel message (the good news of Jesus Christ) through the course of everyday life. So, get out there, grab the nearest 12-year-old you know (gently and with permission, of course) and bake some cookies! (or whatever it is you do in your little corner of the world). 

Cookie Baking Night 10/21/13

Tonight was Cookie Baking Night. In attendance this evening: Ethan, Carissa, and Alli. When we were setting up all the cookies we would make in 2013, it was decided that we couldn't skip over Pumpkin Patch Brownies in October because, as the kids told me, it's a tradition. So, tonight was the night we made Pumpkin Patch Brownies.

First, we made the brownies. 

Then we frosted the brownies and added the candy pumpkins 

Then we added the the green-frosting vines. (We always get a little vine happy, also a tradition). 

The finished product: Pumpkin Patch Brownies

Tonight we continued with our cup game that we've used to learn the books of the Bible. I called out the names of the books. Ethan and Carissa found the corresponding cup w/book title. 

And Alli ran across the room to line the cups up next to the fireplace. (A little something for everyone). 

We also read chapter 3 from Sammy and His Shepherd titled, "He Leads Me Beside Still Waters". This little book does a great job of expounding on the truths of Psalm 23. I highly recommend it. 

We ended the evening with a rousing game of Sequence for Kids. 

As usual, a fun time was had by all. 

Cookie Baking Musings 10/14/13

In mid August, 

a future Cookie Baking Night member made his entrance into the world:

 Enzo Allen Oseid. 

I posted a picture at the time, but I received feedback that some people weren't able to view it. So, here's a picture of Greg holding little Enzo at our most recent family gathering.

Enzo, we're holding a spot for you at Cookie Baking Nights. See you in about three years, give or take a few weeks.

Cookie Baking Night 10/06/13

Tonight was Cookie Baking Night. In attendance this evening: Emily, Ethan, Carissa, and Alli.
When we decided to dub 2013 the "Year of the Cookie", we sat down and assigned a cookie to each night. Ethan really wanted a "pizza cookie", so I found a variation, and tonight we made the "Rocky Road Pizza Cookie" using chocolate chip cookies, marshmallows, choc chips, nuts, and caramel. The kids had a fun time putting them together.

The finished product is pictured below. 

We also read from our current book Sammy and His Shepherd, chapter 2 "He Makes Me Lie Down in Green Pastures". As the story unfolded this evening, we learned four things that sheep need in order to rest: The four things: 1. They must not be afraid. 2. No fighting or bullying present. 3. They must be at peace (free from pests such as flies and parasites). 4. They must not be hungry. A good shepherd usually provides these four things, and then the sheep can rest. The parallels between sheep and people very pretty obvious (even to the children) and so was the need for a Good Shepherd. The discussion questions at the end helped us explore this lesson a little more. 

We also had time for a few games of Zingo before we called it a night. As usual, a fun time was had by all. 

P.S. This picture is just for fun. Alli and her family joined us for dinner on Saturday night and I took this picture of Rylar (Alli's younger but not youngest brother)--in just a little over a year Rylar will make his appearance at Cookie Baking Nights. We look forward to his arrival.