How we spend Christmas Break . . .

Here are a few highlights (aka: Blessings) from our Christmas Break from school:

I don't do windows ~ hardly ever.  But I did today.  For December, we have been spoiled with some really nice weather.  It got up to 60 degrees again today, with no wind (Blessing #160).  A perfect day to wash windows.  Cleaning is so much more fun when shared with . . . a daughter. (#161)  Today, Jenica got into the action.  I didn't even have to ask for help.  She volunteered.  So we got out the extension ladder and started cleaning windows.  We had some awesome teamwork going, until we got into a water fight.  For the record:  Jenica started it. 

Company's coming ~ I really like the "lived in" look of our home, so the only time I really clean (more than just on the surface) is when we're having company.  And tomorrow is the day we are celebrating Christmas with Chad's family.  So the last couple days have been spent on cleaning.  I've already told you this, but . . . My husband is the best!  He helped me clean both bathrooms last night.  (pictures have been concealed.)  (Blessing #162) And today, Jenica helped me clean the floors (#163) in addition to the windows.  Here's a picture of her in the dining room with one of the best little cleaners ever - My Dirt Devil Steam-Mop.  

White Texas Sheet Cake (#164) ~ This afternoon, Jenica said to me, "I feel like baking something, mom."  Perfect!  Because I needed to make a cake for tomorrow.  She spent the night with a friend last night and they practiced decorating with frosting on a piece of aluminum foil.  She was in the mood for cake decorating, so this is what ended up on top of the Cake.  The special ingredient that makes this cake so amazing is the almond extract. 

White Texas Sheet Cake



1 c. butter, cubed
1 c. water
2 c. flour
2 c. sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 c. sour cream
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. Almond Extract
1/4 tsp. baking soda
Boil butter and water just to boiling.  Stir in flour, sugar, eggs, sour cream, salt, baking powder, almond, and baking soda until smooth.  Pour into greased 10x15 pan.  Bake at 375 for 18-22 minutes.  Cool on wire rack 20 minutes. 
Frosting:1/2 c. butter
1/4 c. milk
4 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. Almond Extract
Bring butter and milk just to boil.  Stir in almond and powdered sugar 1 cup at a time.  (You may not need all 4 cups if it starts getting too thick to spread.)  Spread over warm cake.  It's DELICIOUS!!

Maggie's Birthday Party ~  Jillian went to her friend's birthday party this morning.  The invitation read:  "You're Invited to a Premier Princess Party ~ An Upscale Posh Party for Little Divas!"  This is what she looked like before the party:

And this is Jillian after:

(Her fingernails and toenails also came home fancier than when she left for the party.) (#165)

Great-Grandma Esther's Table (#166) ~ Last summer, I rescued my g-gma's old table and 2 benches from my grandpa's barn, where they were covered with dust.  Under the dust, the benches had a mustard-yellow coverning on them, so it fits perfectly with our decor. All they needed was a little cleaning up. I have one in the living room for extra seating, and one in the dining room for a cute little reading corner.  The table top, however, needed refinished after I peeled off the speckled formica top.  I got all the glue off without much trouble.  I'm pretty sure the formica was supposed to cover up all the scratches on top.  But I think the scratch marks give it character, as well as fill my imagination with stories on how the carvings got there.  Chad helped me (#167) sand down the top, and then I found a close-match for the stain, and today I finished putting the last coat of varnish on top.  I love it!!  My g-gma had the table and benches in her "breakfast nook" in their farmhouse for many, many years before retiring to the old barn (the table, not grandma) ~ just waiting to be rescued.  And now the treasure belongs to me.  Thank you, Grandpa Don, for sharing this little piece of our family history with me.

Nebraska Sunsets are the BEST (#168)~ Where we live, we have the blessing of watching some incredible sunrises and sunsets.  We have the perfect view, without anything blocking it.  Check out this sunset from Wednesday night: 

And look at the sunset tonight!  Chad was grilling steaks, and I was busy in the kitchen.  And I almost missed it!  He got to enjoy the sunset a little longer than I did tonight.  The colors God paints in our western sky are absolutely amazing! (#169)

Jenica's Craft Project ~ Jenica's been working on this little project for a while now, and tonight it's finally complete.  She painted the letters of her name on ceramic tiles at "Paint Yourself Silly" in Lincoln this fall.  And we finally got a piece of wood cut to the right size, painted, and colorful knobs installed, for her to hang the letters on.  Isn't it cute?! (#170)  It was a combined effort from Jenica, myself, Chad, and the husband of a friend who has some handy-dandy tools that we needed to snip off the extra long screws on these knobs and sand them down to make them flush with the back.