Goodies with Grandma

For the last few years all the girl grandchildren have gotten together with my Grandmother Alice to help her make the Backous's Christmas candies. It is so much fun learning her recipes and spending time with her.

My cousin Gary's wife, Naomi and I

This year only three of us were able to make it so we had our work cut out for us. Grandma just had knee replacement surgery last month so we tried to make her take it easy.

My younger sister Amanda and I

We made the traditional Backous favorite, peanut butter balls, as well as peanut clusters, rolo turtles, cherry mash, and my new favorite white chocolate peppermint covered pretzels! And one that has many names but what my Grandma calls them kept me giggling all afternoon... ting-a-lings...see its funny to say!

Baby Kayla liked Great Grandma's piano playing snowman

Hard at work on the first stage of the peanut butter balls

They started  off nice and small but after a while everyone gets tired and suddenly there huge!

"Mashing" the cherry mash

I think my grandma washed these same dishes five times, I kept having to go back to the sink to find where something had disappeared to! She just really likes to clean as she goes

I cannot express enough the love and gratitude I have for this women. She's cared for me in her home more nights than I can count, taught me how to fish and camp and loved me through my roughest times.

Already looking forward to next year's Goodies with Grandma!

preparing for Christmas

Yep still in catch up mode....


This year our little family worked very hard on a couple different occasions to make handmade gifts.


Here's a few pics of the "salt, water, flour dough" Christmas ornaments Kiara made for her family!

Kiara and daddy worked one day on making the dough, rolling it out and cutting it. Then we let them dry for a few days

We all took turns painting them

This was Kiara's corner of painting cardboard

Here they are finished! She did such a good job on them and everyone loved them

The weekend of Thanksgiving my mom, aunt Lisa and her husband Mike came to our house to make jars of Christmas treats to give as gifts.
It was actually our Christmas gift from my aunt. What a great blessing that we were able to spend time with them (they live in MN) and get a gift that we in turn could bless someone else with!

Another family night last month in preparation for Christmas we baked sugar cookies. Kiara and I had a blast staying up late to frost them!

Kiara's two favorite colors are pink and purple. So I thought it was appropriate to have purple snowflakes!

 

 

 

 

 

As well as the homemade gifts and cookies we have been teaching Kiara the real reason we celebrate Christmas by doing our "The Story of Christmas" advent calender. I know she doesn't understand the full blessing of what our Lord and Saviour has done for us. However she does really enjoy getting to find that nights number, pulling out the mini book, listening as daddy or I read it to her and then her favorite part... putting it on the Christmas tree!

Sadly I didn't get a photo of the calender or our nativity scene this year but here is the first book we read on our count down to Jesus's birth.

Thanksgiving

I've got to get better at getting this blog done on a more regular basis!!!


So here it is The Scherbs Thanksgiving post...


Kiara made some great school crafts in the month of Nov. focusing on thanking our Lord Christ!

We enjoyed a total of three "thanksgivings" One with my Backous side, then a visit to my best friend Chrissi's family and then one with my mom's side of the family.


We had a wonderful celebration at my aunt Leann's and uncle Denny's. I love being able to see all my Backous side of the family!

My cousin Ryan's wife Laura, holding baby Kayla

My cousin Michael John's daughter Marena, playing with baby Kayla

Uncle Chris playing with baby Kayla (so sweet)

My sister Jenn and her youngest Ana

Jenn and our cousin Gary's youngest, Piper

Some the Ladies playing some cards

My father and I

Kiara enjoying some of the fun dress up clothes at aunt Leann's house

one of our first attempts at getting a photo of all our little girls

Well their all there but not all of them are so chipper about it ;)

this is my brother from another mother, Nick meeting and holding Kayla for the first time

Nick's daughter, everybody calls her sissy, and Kiara were born one day a part. Wish they lived closer, I know they would be great friends.

Chrissi and I

My family on my momma's side. Front row Uncle Andy, Kayla, my mom Laurie, Kiara Back row Andy's daughter Ashlyn, My aunt's son Camren

photo taking has never been a easy thing for our family ;)

 We were so thankful for the time we were able to spend with all our family!!!

Half a year??!!!

As usual I'm very late with this post.
Kayla turned six months old on Dec. 9th. I absolutely love this age!!! And all the new tricks Kayla has been doing.

like this face

and her new mouth tricks!

Happy half birthday baby girl!!!