Cookie Baking Night 05/12/14

Tonight was Cookie Baking Night. In attendance this evening: Emily and Alli. We made chocolate chip cookies and white chocolate chip cookies (can't go wrong with a classic).

We continued working on an art project that we started several weeks ago (more on that later). 

Tonight we also started a new book, Training Hearts and Teaching Minds by Starr Meade (Subtitled: Family Devotions Based on the Shorter Catechism). 

Question 1:  "What is Man's Primary Purpose?"

Answer 1: "Man's Primary Purpose is to Glorify God and to Enjoy Him Forever"

The first lesson explored the idea of what happens when you use things for purposes other than what they are intended to be used for (such as putting marshmallows in a toaster or using white shoe polish to whiten your teeth)--I think we'll explore this lesson a little more next Cookie Baking Night with a few object lessons to illustrate that point. Emily read Psalm 16:11 for us from the Bible (You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.) 

This book is set up to go through a question a week with something to talk about each night. We'll probably modify the format to fit the Cookie Baking Night schedule and take a few nights to work through each question. This book shows real promise. I'll keep you posted on my thoughts as we work through it. 

Another Cookie Baking Night has come and gone and, as usual, a fun time was had by all. 

An Evening With A Niece 05/2014

The whole purpose of Cookie Baking Nights is to mentor my nieces and nephews from childhood into adulthood (to have a voice in their lives via a relationship). Once they become teenagers and school and friend activities increase, the lure of Cookie Baking Nights decreases, but my purpose remains the same, so I have to get creative. 

I can see in my niece, Emily, that this little lamb is going to need the gospel message and a little extra care to maneuver through the teenage years (I said to Emily a couple weeks ago: "Do you think we're going to survive these teenage years?" Her casual reply: "Hard to say." My reply: "Who do you think will crack first, me or you?" Her reply: "Probably you."--let's pray she isn't right--seriously people, pray). 

We have discovered a common bond, an interest in cooking. We're taking her years of cookie baking experience and moving into the realm of meal making. She made a list of meals she would like to learn how to make and a few nights a month we've been providing Greg (aka our guinea pig) with our gourmet feasts. 

The night we made chicken lo mein 

and chocolate chip cookies (old habits die hard)

the night we made beef and broccoli

and cream cheese wontons 

(Are you sensing a culinary theme? My Dad-Larry started her on Chinese food at a very early age and she's loved it ever since). 

I thank God for the opportunity to have relationships with my family members, and I lean ever so heavily into His sovereignty, grace, and all-encompassing love for His children during such endeavors. 

Cookie Baking Night 04/29/14

Tonight was Cookie Baking Night. In attendance this evening: Ethan, Carissa, and Alli. 

Spring has finally arrived in Minnesota, and the snow has melted. We decided to celebrate with flower-shaped sugar cookies. 

I made the cookies ahead of time as making dough, rolling and cutting out cookies, baking and cooling them, and then frosting and decorating them would have been more than we could have comfortably accomplished in our 3-hour evening together. 

However, the children made the frosting and colored it. 

Yellow

Purple 

Blue

Then they decorated

And decorated 

and decorated

Pretty Fancy!

Tonight we finished our book Sammy and His Shepherd by Susan Hunt. We read chapter 11 "And I Shall Dwell in the House of the Lord Forever". It was a beautiful ending. I cried. The author did such a nice job of summing up the role of the Good Shepherd (Jesus) and the role of other sheep in the flock (His Church). 

This is what Precious (a sheep) said she learned about the Good Shepherd. "He's merciful. He bought me when I was sick and dirty, and he has cared for me so that now I'm strong and healthy. He's good. He always does what is good and right for me. He has forgiven me when I've disobeyed him, comforted  me when I've been fearful, and rescued me when I've wandered away. I have finally realized that I'm a precious jewel to him, and that I will dwell in his flock forever."

This is what Precious said about her friend, Sammy (another sheep from the flock). "You have shown me that the more we know our shepherd, the more we become like him. He is good and merciful, and when we live with him we become good and merciful, too. Being with him changes us from silly sheep to faithful followers."

This book was based on Psalm 23

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures. 

He leads me beside the still waters.

He restores my soul. 

He leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for you are with me;

your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, 

and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. 

I highly recommend adding this book to your bookshelf and revisiting it with your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, neighbor children, etc on a regular basis. 

That sums up the Cookie Baking Night report for this time. As usual, a fun time was had by all. 

Cookie Baking Night 04/14/14

Tonight was Cookie Baking Night. In attendance this evneing: Ethan, Carissa, and Alli. Since spring has arrived to Minnesota and the snow has melted (for now anyway), we thought we would celebrate with our "Spring Bird Nests" cookie. Chow mein noodles, peanut butter, choc chips, butterscotch chips, and some candy eggs, and you have quite a cute and tasty treat on your hands (literally).

Tonight we worked on a little art project that we'll be using during the Cookie Baking Nights ahead. Phase 1: Decorate a paper heart. Check. (More to come on that later). 

Instead of reading from Sammy and His Shepherd tonight, we talked about Good Friday which falls at the end of this week. We read (lesson 40) "Jesus Died For Us" from Leading Little Ones to God by Marian Scholland. In this candy egg culture that we're living in Good Friday is certainly being ignored and why we celebrate Easter at all is getting pushed to the background (even among the church-going crowd). We talked about why the Friday when Jesus died could be called "good" (forgiveness of sins) and what happened the following Sunday (he rose from the dead). Ethan read John 19:11-18 for us from the Bible. 

As usual, a fun time was had by all!

Katrina's Musings (1,000th post)

                                                  1,000

                                      

This is my one-thousandth post to this blog. I praise God for sustaining it thus far. May it bring Him glory or may it cease to exist forever. 

Cookie Baking Night 03/17/14

Tonight was Cookie Baking Night: In attendance this evening: Ethan, Carissa, and Alli. Tonight we made sugar cookies with cream cheese frosting. 

We thought as long as it was St. Patrick's Day, we would make green frosting for our cookies. 

As long as they're already green, might as well add a few "Spring-like" sprinkles.

Mmm. Tasty.

Tonight we read chapter 10 in our book Sammy and His Shepherd. Chapter 10 is titled "Surely Goodness and Mercy Shall Follow Me All the Days of My Life". This chapter talked about and beautifully illustrated the concepts of mercy and grace, a well-timed lesson for our group this evening. 

We ended the evening with a lively game of Zingo. 

As usual, a fun time was had by all!

Niece and Nephew Musings 03/12/14

Nope. It's not Cookie Baking Night tonight. It just looks a little like it. Tonight we babysat three nieces and nephews (Alli and her two brothers, Rylar and Enzo) on Greg's side of the family and it happened to be on the same night Emily (niece on my side of the family) was scheduled to spend the evening with us, so she joined in the fun. It was a little younger of a crowd than we're used to (Alli is 3, Rylar is 2, and Enzo is 7 months), but it was a good time all the same. Emily is 13 years old now and eager to hone her babysitting skills. She was a big help. We even did a little cookie baking project (more like a sorting and melting project, but close enough). We thank God for the opportunity to serve Him this way and spend some time with the nieces and nephews this evening.

It's okay, you can say it, he's adorable. (Not quite crawling yet but poised for action at any moment). 

A little coloring 

A little handwashing

A little baby holding 

A little sorting 

(sorting out all the yellow M&Ms--excellent project for the little ones I might add)

A little eating 

(Rylar will be joining us at Cookie Baking Nights in December--this was a good trial run for us all)