Birthday, kefir and gluten-free...

 

 Happy 15th Birthday to Isaac!

 

 After supper with a choice of potato soup or corn chowder.  Mmmm!  We had a gallon of each leftover!  Yes!!! I miss leftovers!  We rarely have them or else it isn't enough left for everyone! 

 My nephew Lane enjoying a glass of strawberry kefir.  We got a few yogurt products in our Azure order this week, enough to have something (almost) everyday.  We really like the kefir drinks.  We are trying a maple flavor and vanilla flavored yogurt this month too.  Always thinking of our gut health!!! :)  Fun stuff :) 

 Lane really likes it and kept saying, "More please."

Lena likes yogurt too.  Emily walked up to her right after this picture and Lena asks, "Are you having pancakes or are you gluten-free?"  It makes me laugh to hear her talk like this :))  The other day Isaac said to someone not to get crumbs on his food and she replied, "Why? Are you gluten-free?" 

Camp...

 Lena having fun telling me to take a picture of her like this!  :)   We had a great weekend at camp again.  Third year for us to go and the kids had the best time of all.

 Em with friends goofing around as I was trying to take a picture of them.

 Lena had enough of skating.  She begged and begged to skate and then it wasn't quite so fun as she thought it would be.  She did well going halfway and then kept partially falling and I think it scared her too much.

 Moriah loved it though!

 Here are some kids in their bed the first night we were there.  We were able to stay three wonderful nights! 

 Rebekah came home with three or more addresses of girls to write to.  It's one of her favorite things to do; write to people.

 About the only picture I got of Gideon the whole weekend!

 Jordan and her friend Krissy from Montana!  The place was filled to the brim.  All of the rooms were full!

My boys helping with dishes.

Life lately...

 Happy Sweet Sixteen to Emily and Happy 11th to Rebekah!

 Emily was having a real hard time blowing out her candles.  She did manage to do it eventually.

 My parents were able to come for supper on Em and Bekah's birthday!  Here they are with the kids!

 Happy 20th Birthday to my beautiful oldest girl Jordan!

 We cooked a grilled cheese sandwich downstairs on the wood stove.  It was the perfect sandwich!

 Yesterday, we had our last Christmas celebration with Grandpa Rich, Aunt Lois and Uncle Wayne and my brother and family. 

 Saturday night we were playing some games while Grandpa watched.  Kevin is intent on his next move in Connect Four with Moriah.

 More Christmas yesterday!  My brother and his wife!

All of Grandpa Rich's grandkids.  The boys got headlamps from Grandpa.  Kevin uses his every day at work, so much easier than a flashlight.  I think he just wears it most of the day so he doesn't misplace it. 

Let the birthdays begin...

 My two-digit boy, Gideon, who turned 10 years old today!  This is right after a haircut and shower and he put on his new shirt he got for Christmas! 

 My two 10-year olds.  They will be 10 together until Rebekah's birthday on Tuesday!

 We copied a dessert some friends made recently called a trifle.  Mmmmmm! is all I can say.  We put chocolate cake on the bottom, chocolate pudding next, cool whip, then heath bar bits and M&M's and another layer of it all and then drizzled chocolate on top!  No ice cream necessary!

 Can't wait to see what Grandma Reta and Grandpa Sam got!

 Legos!!!  Yeah!!! Love them!!!

 Brothers in their matching shirts fooling around!  I love that my boys still like to go around with the same shirts.  We were in Fargo today. They like their button down shirts. 

 How tall are you now!

Merry Christmas!!!!!

 The girls made krumkake and rosettes today!  Mmmm.  Rebekah chose cinnamon and sugar to coat the rosettes and they are "melt in your mouth" good!

 The different treats we are bringing to Christmas Eve dinner with family tonight!

The kids are ready and willing to open presents anytime!  I bought only 2 or 3 of the presents under the tree.  Most of them are the children buying for each other and for others! 

Buttered crackers please...

I am running out of meal ideas so made up a lentil soup for supper.  I do believe buttered crackers are in order.  We used to eat a soup starter soup when I was a teenager and always had buttered crackers.  Loved it!    Grandpa Sam is shopping right now with 3 of my kids and he's the one who I learned to eat crackers like this. 

The kids are looking forward to Christmas and all the warm feelings that the anticipation brings.  We have a full week of activities and look forward to spending some time with family.  

Kevin's on his way home to "lick" the floor he says.  Sometimes after working in a particularly messy or dirty house he comes home and kisses the floor but tonight he said he'd actually lick it.  I reminded him we have a dog who walks around now.  He said that didn't matter.  It must be quite a house!