Sam and Santa

I am sure, although I couldn't hear it, that most of Sam's gifts could be traced back to one or more of the following themes, Legos, Star Wars, or Playstation 2 games. And the ultimate, I have been informed SEVERAL times would be Lego Star Wars, The Video Game for Playstation 2. Do you think Santa could keep all of that straight? Time will tell, I suppose. ;)

Pretzel Wreaths

I have spent the day at school today. Seth and I took the supplies to make these wreaths in both Sam's 4th grade classroom and also Jenna's Kindergarten room. I didn't get the chance to take pictures while there, as I was too busy. I always hate that about those events where you are too busy to actually take pictures to remember it by. So my picture of the sample with have to do, I suppose. Anyone interested in making these, they are totally simple. 10 little 'knot' pretzels, your choice of white or milk chocolate or the Wilton's candy melts, (I found red and green at Michaels) Dipping the 'double' side of the pretzel into the melted chocolate, then arrange them on a paper plate or wax paper into a circle, using five pretzels on each layer. The top layer I offset to sort help 'glue' the whole thing together. They harden in about 10 minutes in the freezer or probably 45 minutes to an hour sitting out. I have made them before with the 'mini' M&M's as the 'ornaments' One year we tried shoestring licorice as the ribbon, I can't remember, but I don't think we had super great luck with that. Totally simple project even little kids can do, the Kindergarteners had no more problem creating these than the 4th graders, they were just short for reaching across the table at school, but it worked really well. (note for any beginners, melt the chocolate in a heavy stoneware bowl, in 1 minute increments in the microwave, stirring in between, shouldn't take more than about three times. ) Also another FYI, the one pound bag of Rold Gold pretzels, made 20 wreaths......

Now I should really get back to projects here at home, before the kids get here. (BTW, no freezing rain YET!!!)

From Tulip~

KH

Gingerbread House

Send my Mom of the week star! I let Sam talk me into buying a Gingerbread house kit. And as you see we decorated it. I let the kids do this by themselves, so it's their creation, at least Sam, Jenna and Seth. Cody wasn't interested, I am thinking there was probably a football game on TV competing for his attention! Anyway we are 'merrily' (sarcasm intented!) working our way throught the holiday season. With one fun activity after another. (refer to the above note) I know that we are making great memories and I try to remind myself of that as I was 'chipping' dried icing off the table that had almost cemented the gingerbread house in place that night! My kids were really fired up about the gingerbread being edible until they tried it....... Maybe next year we will bake our own. Maybe not........time will tell.

I have to take this moment to BRAG, I think I am done shopping or if not done VERY CLOSE!! WOO HOO!!!

That's not to say I am just sitting back and waiting around for Christmas, I don't have cards done or baking or sewing, but I have 'part' of the work done, so for that I am THRILLED! I would love to add some pictures of some of my creations, but I am not really sure who all is following this, so not ruin any surprises, I guess I will wait to post those pictures till after Christmas. But know that my sewing machine, has ran EVERYDAY for the last month and I still h ave alot more to go!!

Well I see as I type, that picture finally uploaded, gotta love that slow dial up, going to close for now, tonight is practice for the Church Christmas Program and about a million other things, you know same old, same old around here.

From Tulip~

KH

Kids and Black Cows, Part 2

Sam had mixed results for the first two shows. At Sturgeon, Friday night, he competed against an older heifer and the judge never asked the calves birthdates and he lost out. Then Saturday night he had the Champion Angus Heifer at Centralia, so go figure who knows. Anyway I always try to find good pictures, but it seems that pictures of kids showing cattle you either end up with the kids backside, or the cows, sorry! Sometimes you end up with both, oh well. The above picture was when Sam was in the show ring competing for Supreme Female, which was won by a Centralia girl, Tara Fountain, you can see the 'best side' of her Charolais heifer there in the edge of the picture. He was thrilled also though with his 'trophy' which was a mesh tote bag that holds all the sprays and 'goops' that they put on the calves, in fact the kids already have it full of their 'show stuff' ready for the next show, this coming Saturday at Audrain County, in Mexico, MO.

Taking a Minute to Catch my Breath

Hello All~
Let's see since last week, we have, had a track and field day which our 'superman' won all three of his events, which were 50 yard dash, 100 yard dash, and high jump. Wooo Hooo Sam!!! Sam also had an awards lunch at which he received the 'Mr Charming/Gentleman' award and another one, which I can't remember what it was, as I think I am still in shock about the first award! Apparently they didn't get a vote from Jenna, LOL!!! What else?????? The boys are lifting weights with the wrestling coach, more for Cody than Sam, but that adds trips to town for me.
Oh big news, David and I went out on a 'date' something that we don't do very often at all. The kids stayed home and 'babysat' themselves. We came home to Cody, Seth and Jenna all in Cody's twin bed, but asleep. So guess it all worked out. We shopped a bit for Mother's Day. We ate out at a place that had came highly recommended to us, HuHot, Mongolian Grill. It was excellent. You design your own dish, picking meat veggies, noodles and sauce, then watch it be stirfry-ed. Very good, we will definitely go back. We weren't particularly successful in our shopping, I am wanting to tile some in our kitchen and think that we can teach ourselves how. So I want to try something smaller as a first project. I am wanting to tile a wall at the end of our cabinets with mosaic tiles. The big problem is that online, I saw EXACTLY what I wanted, and of course didn't find it locally.............. so now debating about paying the shipping or making a different choice. So the project is in limbo...........
Had a great Mother's Day, didn't have to cook MUCH.............. The men at Tulip cook breakfast for the women, so we started our day that way. With a huge breakfast on our tummies, we 'survived' till supper, which was spent with my side of the family. We ate BBQ and all the fixins'
This week includes, more end of the year 'parties' for the various clubs Cody is in, a farewell to the band director at school bbq, Sam's class picnic, and the birthday party of a very dear woman in our life, Alice Vaughn, and I am not sure what all else.
Seth thinks we all need to go to bed RIGHT NOW, and I am tending to agree with him, so for now,
From Tulip~
KH

Sam's Field Trip, more info

Here's the link to a local newspaper article about the place Sam visited on his field trip:

http://www.showmenews.com/2008/May/20080503News007.asp

Looks like from the article, kind of similar to the 'Science Center' in StL maybe, I am wanting to go there and check it out for myself.

:) KH

Where have I been?

To my loyal followers, Aunt Olivia, Mom and Marcy (and whoever else, those are the ones who I know have mentioned visiting here) I am back online. I am thinking that I won't be asked to do any 'happy Dell customer' commercials any time soon. This four month old computer has had more 'growing pains' than the one that I owned for 6.5 years.................... ugh, technology is great when it works, FRUSTRATING as he!! when it doesn't, especially after it has you all hooked on all the conveniences that it offers............... Will try not to make this post a 'vent'.
Okay last post was 2 or 3 weeks ago, what's been going on................
It warms up once in a while here, enough to remind us that summer and all that entails, is really gonna show up one of these days. (and then I will probably be complaining about the heat)
Jenna got 'done' with Preschool last week. Lots of 'moments'~the picnic, the last day, the program, the graduation, a few mommy tears along the way.
Cody has been going to weight training after school, we are thinking that bucking bales, and scooping grain would be about the same work out, but those days are coming soon enough.
Sam's class had their field trip in Columbia last week also, they toured the 'Candy Factory' (aka my competition, ha!) they also toured the 'YouZeum' which if it was Cody's class who went I would know all about, but since it was Sam's I can't tell you one thing........ they also had lunch at the Shelter Gardens and sorry Mom you probably could have had lunch with him if I had got it arranged.......
What else??????? Us Hasekamp ladies had a garage sale today, not a bank breaker, but at 50, 25 and even a few 10 cent items, alot of things were sold, and the guys didn't have much to haul home.
Haven't found back the 'picture uploader' program yet that I used to add pics, so it may be a while before I get them on here, but I have some cute ones taken of Jenna all dressed up before her program/graduation, etc..........
Well that's about it, lots going on, hope to get back here soon and share more of our family with you, from Tulip~
KH

Mr GQ

Here's the 'fashion plate' of our house, maybe that's really who Jenna favors, her big brother, Samuel. This one is going to be trouble, he will be the heartbreaker, the guy all the gals are talkin' about. If we could conquer the middle child syndrome and hard headed-ness, he'd be right there close to perfect. Oh maybe a little larger love for reading............ This is the fellow who has went to church mad because we rushed him and didn't give him enough time to pick out exactly what he wanted to wear. This is the one who is the center of attention, but modest and easily embarrassed, which I hope remains. Sam has a pretty strong sense of who he is and if we don't like it, he's confident enough not care.