Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments

One of our favorite activities this year was creating homemade ornaments.  On this day, we made CINNAMON APPLESAUCE ORNAMENTS.  SO EASY!  I found this idea on pinterest and decided we had to try it!

The recipe is simple...

1 c. applesauce

1 c. cinnamon

4 T. white glue (like Elmer's)

(We talked to Ethan over & over about how we can NOT eat these although they smell so good and look like yummy cookies.  So he reminded everyone that we gave one to not to eat theirs either.)

Stirring the dough

After you roll out the dough between two pieces of wax paper, you can cut them with any cookie cutter shape.  Make sure you don't roll the dough too thin because they will brittle.  Most recipes I found said between 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick.  I found the thicker to be better.

We liked the stars and crosses the best but we did try gingerbread men and trees too.

Once you cut them out, make sure to use a straw (or something like it) 

to cut out a hole in the top of the ornament for string.  Then, bake them on a cookie sheet at 150 degrees for 2 HOURS.  Then, turn off the heat and leave the cookie sheet in the oven for at least 6 hours.  We just left ours in the oven overnight.

My proud little baker!

(Yes, he has his favorite Buzz Lightyear pajamas on with a child's apron.)

We tied raffia on the ornaments and attached them to mugs 

filled with homemade hot cocoa mix.  

We gave these as gifts for Sunday School teachers, choir teachers, 

co-op teachers, friends, and family.

Memory Verses #21- #24

Wow!  I didn't realize how long it had been since I posted.  Thanksgiving & Christmas had me busy.  This year, we spent a lot of time making Christmas crafty projects and making family memories.  I'll be posting pictures of them soon. 


But first I have to post my Siesta Memory Verses...I didn't realize I hadn't even posted them on here.  I have logged them in on Beth Moore's Living Proof blog but forgot to do it here.


So here they are...


#21
Psalm 28:7
The Lord is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.
My heart leaps for joy,
and I will give thanks to Him in son.


#22
Psalm 136:1
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.
His love endures forever!


#23
Proverbs 29:11
A fool gives full vent to his anger,
but a WISE (wo)man keeps him(her)self under control.


#24
Isaiah 9:6

For to us a child is born, 
   to us a son is given, 
   and the government will be on his shoulders. 
And he will be called 
   Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, 
   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Thanksgiving Treats

 This week we have the opportunity to stay with Grammy & PawPaw for Thanksgiving.  We are enjoying spending time with our family, decorating for Christmas, and shopping.  Hopefully, we're not wearing out my mom & dad.  :)

Before we left, Ethan made this adorable stuffed turkey 

thanks to his Aunt Shellye giving him the supplies. 

 This week, we celebrated Aunt Ami's Birthday...

 And PawPaw's Birthday...

 And with the help of Ethan and two little girls at Grammy's daycare,
we made some edible acorns and edible pilgrim hats.

 Cute and Yummy!

OBU Homecoming

My sweet niece was in Ouachita Baptist University's Tiger Tunes during Homecoming last month.  As an OBU Alumni, to say I was quite proud is an understatement.  We loved the show & loved getting to see sweet Mauri!

Our friend, Ryan, was one of the Tiger Tunes hosts too!
Fabulous job! 

Campus Ministries were students & professors.

The EEE's were astronauts & aliens.

Mauri taught Ethan the official Tiger Tunes face!

Palo Duro Canyon (Fall Vacation Part 4)

Another highlight of our vacation was spending the night at Palo Duro Canyon.  We enjoyed learning about the canyon and hiking and learning how to Geocache.  (You can go here  to read my husband's chronicles of Geocaching...very FUN family outing!)

It was really hot when we got there that afternoon...95 degrees at the end of October!  But the next morning it was 45 degrees!  That's the way I like it!

The boys even got to earn a Junior Ranger Badge by learning about the history of the canyon.  We had such a great time together!  And the canyon was beautiful!  God is so creative with His creation!

Learning in the education center.

Daddy is pointing at Palo Duro Canyon & Ethan is pointing at Caprock Canyons (where we went the next day).

We stayed in the "Cow Camp Cabins" at the bottom of Palo Duro Canyon.  There are only 4 cabins that were built in 1933 by the Civilian Conservation Corp workers who initially developed road access into the canyon.  They were really rustic, and those of you who know me, will know that this was pushing my limits.  But surprisingly, I really liked them.  I didn't really like having to use the restroom down the street, but the little cabin was really neat!  It had this bunkbed, a little microwave, a mini-fridge, and a table with 2 chairs.  Because of the burn ban, we didn't get to have a fire or cook anything, but that's ok.

We began our Geocaching journey here on the Juniper Trail in Palo Duro Canyon.  We all had a wonderful time searching for little hidden treasures!

I love this picture of Daddy & our boys!

My husband got a little carried away trying to find one and never did.  He climbed up this HUGE steep hill.  Can you see Evan sitting about halfway down in the picture above?  He has a white t-shirt and an orange cap.  It was getting too steep for him, so he stopped & waited on Daddy to get back down.  He later thought the cache might be around the curve, but we didn't have time to search...it was getting dark!

Eating dinner in our little cabin.

Our cabin the next morning...cool & crisp & beautiful!

These beautiful trees were in the bottom of the canyon but not at the top.