Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Play Dough Cookies

This is a copy-cat post from Burke's cousin Val. Her blog is private or I would just link you all over to her post about this, but the idea is too cute to not share-- It has been cold and rainy the last few days so I have been glad to have a few fun indoor activities to help break up our cabin fever!

Here is the Recipe and some instructions:

Mix the following ingredients:
3/4 c. butter, softened
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1 c. white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 3/4 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Then divide the dough into fourths and color each fourth a color of your choice with food coloring - (any food coloring will work fine... we just used the cheap liquid ones and they worked fine, just add the food coloring until its the shade you desire).
Now roll each color of the dough separately into 1/2 inch balls. (MOST kids will love rolling the dough into balls, but my son got too distracted so I just ended up cutting them in 1/2 " cubes). Put the balls onto wax paper and let set in the freezer for around 10 minutes, just so they are chilled slightly. (I actually covered mine well and refrigerated the cubes overnight because Preston was bored at this point-- but I think most kids would not think this was too long of an activity!)
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and take the dough out of the freezer. Combine one ball (cube) of each color and slightly roll it into a bigger ball.
Then roll that big ball into a snake - Preston LOVED this part!! Then coil the snake into a cookie --or whatever shape they end up being! and place them on a lightly greased cookie sheet.

Smashing your dough ball into a big wad and sticking it to the side of the refridgerator is cool too
;) Put them in the oven for 8-12 minutes or until they just barely start to brown on the edges.
Take them out of the oven and put them onto a cooling rack to cool - then eat them and enjoy!

Thanks for sharing the cute idea Val (and for not hating me for pirating your tutorial!!)

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

*Cute Rebekah Story*


If you ask Rebekah to touch her nose she will grab her nose. If you ask Rebekah to touch her ears she will grab . . . her nose. So I have been laughing about this for a while (the last month or so), but I am not too concerned cuz she will get it eventually. But I could not stop laughing the other day when I learned that she thinks ears are called . . . "hellos". She was playing with my ear lobe and kept saying "ello" over and over again. Then she would touch my nose and say "ose" and laugh and giggle and start over again. So I tried it. I said, "Rebekah touch your nose" And she got that huge grin and grabbed her nose. Then I said, "Rebekah touch your hellos" and sure enough she immediately grabbed her ears . . . oh well . . .

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Miss Mischief!!

Little Rebekah is growing! She loves the piano-- it cracks me up to see her from across the room walking back and forth hanging on the keys!

Rebekah is really starting to get into everything . . . here she found her way into my closet and got into my craft box! Yikes! At least Preston wasn't with her or I am sure all of those markers would have been open. He is cool to teach her tricks like that!
I walked into the kitchen the other day and this is what I found! What a funny baby! Guess it is time to install the cupboard latches *sigh*

The new and improved walker for tots-- I remember Preston using this high chair the same way!
It even works on the carpet!
. . .but she hasn't figured out how to get it under the table (thank goodness!)

Below are a few video clips (no sound) -- feel free to skip if you want-- I realize they are kinda boring, but you can see the "walker" in action and Rebekah sitting at the piano!

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Getting to know Preston . . .


Preston "licking" the bowl after we mixed a batch of brownies for Valentines Day :)


I saw this toddler interview on someone's blog quite a while ago -- I thought it was super cute and copied the questions to ask Preston. We did this a few weeks ago-- I am sure his answers would be totally different if I asked him again today-- What a crack up-- I love you my silly boy!!

What's your name?
Preston!

How old are you?
2-- I’m 2!

What's your favorite color?
Ummm Red.

What is your favorite book?
uh Green? (Michelle side note: what book is that?! As you will see in the following questions his favorite color might not be red!)

What is your favorite Tv show?
Bear movie! (loves the Bear on Word World)

Favorite smell?
Chocolate milk

What is your favorite taste?
Greens. (Michelle side note: I wish this were true, but again I think this is him changing his mind about the color question!)

What is your favorite candy?
Green candy!

What is your favorite sound?
Mommy ( Michelle side note: seriously how cute is that?)

What is your favorite food?
Oranges

What is your favorite drink?
Juice!!

Favorite animal?
Ted (his teddy bear)

Favorite thing to do?
Play with our family

Where is your favorite place to go?
Store (Michelle side note: what can I say? Maybe we should get out more!)

What makes you happy?
Juice

What do you want to be when you grow up?
Play games.

Favorite quote?
“I already told you!!” (Michelle side note: Yikes--This is true- he says this one a lot!)

Rebekah's Birthday!!

Rebekah's birthday was a beautiful warm perfect day! We played in the yard, and went for a walk to enjoy the sun.


Just before dinner she opened her present (with a lot of help from Preston!)


Preston tried to convince Rebekah the box of whoppers was not a toy, but something wonderful to eat-- she thought it was a great rattle though and wouldn't let him touch it to prove his point! We opened them the next day and she fell in love with the Hill family traditional birthday treat-- whoppers!


Since Burke was out of town for the actual day I decided to make cupcakes instead of a cake-- Preston had a great time helping me frost them and arrange them like a flower on the pan. Then on Sunday when Burke was home we made a cake with the candle (there was something terrifying to me about lighting a candle with two small kids while trying to balance the cake and take pictures--best to wait until I had another set of adult hands!)


MMMmmm. She loved her birthday!

Monday, March 9, 2009

*Preston Quote*

"Mom can you call my birthday today and see if I could have it?"

Thursday, March 5, 2009

One Year Ago Today . . .

Rebekah Michelle Hill
3/5/08
6 lbs 14 oz


Just before Mom and Dad left Grandma Hill's house to go to the hospital :)


Just hanging out waiting for our turn!


Burke all dressed up to go into the O.R.


Brand spanking new!! I couldn't believe how tiny she was!


Sweet baby and her Daddy-- these two continue to be the sweetest pair --they completely adore each other (a few months ago, I did tell Burke I would appreciate it if he would come through the door at night and kiss me before he went to kiss Rebekah though--luckily he has complied ;) !


Preston and Rebekah's first meeting! Aren't siblings the best?!