Cookbooks For Sale

As many of you know our group did a cookbook fundraiser with Morris Press Cookbooks several years ago (like 4!) and we are still trying to sell the last of them! With the money raised we have paid for supplies, cut the cost of field trips , purchased equipment and t-shirts! We only have 13 cookbooks left! If anyone in the group would like one please let me know ASAP!

The price is now only $5 per book or 5 for $20!!!

These make great Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers! They are filled with great family recipes and fun craft food ideas in the back!

Remember this one from our Thanksgiving dinner???
Click on the image to make it bigger.

Thanks!
Liz Kelley

Christmas Party Games

Here are some pics from the other night at our Christmas Party! We played some really fun games!! Here the kids are playing the unwrap the gift game, click here for the directions and a bunch of other games.

We thought it would be fun to have the kids use oven mitts to unwrap with!
Unwrap and pass! Quick!!

I couldn't resist taking these short video's of Christmas musical chairs! Hope you enjoy them!!
This is the end of the 3rd grade and up game. The best part is the end when there are only a couple chairs left!


Now the Mom's turn!


The Dad's turn:



The whole group then played Family Yankee Swap, this is all of us (or almost, a few got cut out by the camera angle) before opening gifts!

Candy Making

Our annual Christmas candy making was once again a huge success. The kids had a great time making and tasting! And for the parents the best part was that the kids could do most of the making.

Check out some of the action from the day.

Kevin showing off his cutting form. Hannah and Tyler working away.

Patiently waiting for the next batch of candy. I am so proud that the kids didn't make powdered sugar clouds this year. A true sign they are growing up.

By the end of the day we had six batches of candy and a lot of tired and sugar coated kids.

You can see more pictures from the day on some of our family blogs:

Heartfelt Homemaking - The Jette Family

Wreath Making

The Homegrown Explorers took to the woods in search of the perfect bough to make the perfect Christmas wreaths. It was a gorgeous December day - sunny and a little nippy!

Armed with pruners, saws and wagons the boys set off.

The little ones had a great day with Mama Thorne leading them through the woods. She even had them cutting their own little boughs. So cute!


As usual Hannah and Chase had to strike a pose.



A bunch of the older kids.

The whole group with just a fraction of our boughs. The tree farm in the back is the Chamberlain Christmas Tree Farm. Thanks to Ward for letting us visit and cut boughs again this year. He had gorgeous trees if you aren't sure where to go and cut your own!

Then we all headed back to the church to assembly our wreaths and swags. After a quick impromptu lesson the kids set to work cutting and wrapping.

Hannah is hard at work finding the perfect bough.

Slow and steady, Chase worked diligently creating her beautiful wreath.

A little help from a mom goes a long way!


Finally time to decorate!

All the kids did a great job. I wish I had a picture of all of them with their wreaths or swags!

Homegrown Explorers Thanksgiving '09

I just posted some pics of our Thanksgiving feast on my blog if anyone wants to check them out! I didn't get any of food prep so maybe someone else could post them here!

Here is the link
The Kelley Family Blog
More Photos here
Heartfelt Homemaking - The Jette Family

Book Club

Book Club will be meeting on December 23rd at 10:30am. We will be meeting at the Conway Library in the meeting room downstairs. The younger group will meet in the children room for story time. Below are the question to get your readers minds thinking. This is not homework, just a good place to get the discussion going. I do need to give the library a head count. So far I have 13 kids and adults. Please let me know if you are coming. I also need a head count from the younger group. Can't wait to see you all there.

Topics for Discussion

1. Why do the townspeople fear the Alm Uncle? Why does Heidi not fear him?

2. The grandmother is permanently blind, yet Heidi manages to bring her light. Explain the various ways in which she does this.

3. How is Heidi's year in Frankfurt a positive experience for her? What does she gain from being there?

4. Grandfather wishes to keep Heidi at home rather than send her to school because at home "she is safe and will learn nothing evil." What does he wish to protect her from? Is his caution justified?

5. As Heidi gets ready to go home to her grandfather, she is careful to wear her red shawl and old straw hat, and she leaves her feathered hat behind at Brigitta's house. Why is what she wears so.....