Carols and Christmas Trees

Robert provides a unique fundraising experience for his students. Instead of selling food which covers the vast majority of fundraising around here, he sets up gigs for the students. This year the students prepared some classical pieces and some carols and then provided background music for a few local events. I thought they did a great job. They played for my doTERRA Christmas Party. One guest commented that the live music "put it over the top!" It really set a festive mood and there is nothing like live music to add to an occasion. The kids met their fundraising goals and I had a great time on tour with them. Can't wait for next year! These pictures are from the town lighting and tree festival. We donated a little music tree this year. My neighbor won our tree. She has a cute, country-decorated room. It looked so perfect in there.

The boys put their tickets in for this tree but we won a roll of wrapping paper instead :(

Robert's cousin called one day and said she was mailing some musical Christmas Tree decorations. They were left over from their ward party and she thought we might like them. The kids and I borrowed a tree, and a stand, and sneaked up to the school while Robert  was at the elementary. We got it all decorated and left it with the Christmas lights on and the main lights off. The funny thing is, he didn't notice until the students came in and said, "Hey, where did that tree come from?" Merry Christmas.

Eine Kleine music book treats.

 The high school students decorated Robert's door for teacher appreciation week. It's an inside joke. I'll give you a hint: The main song is called "sheep may safely graze" with the last two measures being the theme song from a movie about sharks. Silly kids. I loved it.

Be My Valentine

I know, I know, Enough of Valentine's already but maybe because Robert and my birthdays both fall in the month of love, we have to celebrate. He conveniently works across the street so I can run goodies over any time. It doesn't happen all that often but once I found a red, heart shaped basket so at least once a year, he gets a basket full of valentines. The ideas for most of these tags came from Better Homes and Gardens. They made them a little more official. www.bhg.com/holidays/valentines-day/cards/valentines-day-cards-with-candy

 
The other thing that happened to our family is that Peter started preschool in January. He loves it but we had to do the Valentines exchange thing. I will be honest, as a kid, I dreaded making valentines for all those kids, like them as I might, I did not like Valentines. And yes, we hand made them all. So, in keeping with tradition, we made ours this year but I did NOT buy 1 piece of candy! And the kids still like Peter. Alot. Because he made paper airplanes. With lightning bolts and hearts drawn on them. And they had a loft to fly them from. It was really fun. At least for the kids. I got the instructions from www.10paperairplanes.com. That's how we had so many cool designs.

Tuiles

I had a fun, little doTERRA essential oils for your valentine party. We made bath salts, shared some massage ideas and the best oils to get you in a Valentining mood. Then of course, we had treats. These were from a little book Robert got me years ago entitled "Chocolate". These were yummy and delicate and fun to make. I filled these with strawberries and cream and drizzled with chocolate.

Tuiles

• 4 tablespoons unsalted Butter
• 2 Egg Whites
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1/3 cup Flour
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1/4 cup sliced Almonds
• Grated peel of 1 Orange

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two or three baking sheets and a rolling pin. In a small sauce pan, melt butter and cool. In a small bowl, using a fork, whisk egg whites and sugar until mixture is frothy. Sift flour and cocoa into egg whites. Add sliced almonds and orange peel; mix with a fork. Add cooled butter and mix thoroughly.  Drop teaspoons full onto baking sheets leaving 5 inches between each. Using a palate knife spread each spoonful out slightly. Bake in preheated oven one pan at a time, for 8-10 minutes, until edges feel firm. Lift cookies off sheets carefully with a palette knife and place on a rolling pin while still warm. Let sit 2 minutes, until set in a curved shape; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Valentines Tea Party

As you know, we have a shortage of pink, girly things at our house. But just because we're all boy doesn't mean we don't need a little culture. I feel pretty strongly about practicing a few manners, having fancy dinners, opening doors for people, and generally learning to be little gentlemen. Those of you who see us, say at church or the store, will wonder if my kids have any inkling towards that gentleman thing but I occasionally see a shining, glitter of hope.

Another activity inspired by my mom is the occasion of the Tea Party. When we visit her it is common for the 8-10 year old cousins to call and schedule a party. All the little cousins are invited we have little food at little tables served in little dishes. We have to refill the pots and serving dishes a multitude of times because well, they are little too. I guess that's what makes it so fun.

The food

Round about Valentines day we were feeling fancy so we had our own edition of the Tea Party. There were little heart shaped cornbreads, at the request of Ammon (I think they like cooking the marbles), tiny cheese cakes and brownies, some chocolate dipped pretzels, water, and some fruit. Of course, I invited myself because when the food is tiny, you can eat more and it's okay.

All the kids and Cheltsea.

They look pretty excited, don't you think?

Junior Prom

 One of the most unique things that happens in this little town is the event of the Jr. Prom. The very first time we came here prom was up - Arabian Nights I think it was. They had crafted an apparently Magic Carpet on which to take pictures. Anyway, the kids work on it for about a week. You can't believe what some cardboard, crepe paper, butcher paper, icicle lights and a whole ton of creativity can do to a high school gym in a week.

This year's theme was Under Western Skies. This was the first western theme in 25+ years they had ever done because really people, don't you ever get tired of cowboy boots? Well, nope. They did an incredible job and the community really came out and supported them. Two of my top Whys I Love Orderville were related to the prom. I'll have to see if I can find pictures about them. In the meantime, you can schedule your next visit for next year's prom. The best part is, these people know how to dance. Even the kids!

Kids hanging the streamers. 600 rolls of crepe paper!

 The "tea" room. The mothers decorate Robert's music room and serve refreshments for the Juniors and Seniors. This year they wanted to call it something like the watering hole and have the moms dressed like old western bar girls but that plan got vetoed. Instead it was a delicious chuck wagon. 

This picture is from the community dinner the night after.

The community dance.

They built this town as the entrance to the gym,

Here's one of the pics. They rode horses to prom!

My cowboy and his baby.

Leap Day

Since leap year doesn't come around very often it was a good excuse for a party. Somehow I didn't take pictures of the fun games we played. But it was all leap themed. We had a shy neighbor boy over but even he participated and had fun. We sang 5 little speckled frogs. The boys sat on the couch and jumped onto my conveniently blue rug pond when it was their turn. We had a hopping race, a long jump competition, and carried tissue paper frogs with straws. I really don't know how that relates but it was fun. We played hot potato with a Kangaroo my college roommate brought me from Australia. Lucky we have those things sitting around. It was great fun.

The treat was frog cup cakes. I did take pictures of those. Last year I used my doTERRA essential oils and made scrumptious lime cupcakes. I'm afraid these were rather plain - in flavor. Candy stays good indefinitely so the eyes were jellies left from Christmas and I think the licorice might even be from Halloween. Good thing we didn't eat it all yet!

That night we made a family time capsule. It's just a folder that is now sitting in my closet until I hopefully remember it in 4 more years. I loved the idea because 4 years is just about right in the life of a kid. Enough will have changed in those short years that it will be fun for them to open and update for the next leap year. We kept it pretty simple. There's a newspaper from that day. Luckily it fell on a Wednesday this year which is the only day of the week we can even get a paper, so I did. We measured and weighed everyone and made foot and hand prints. We asked the boys all of their favorite things and had them draw a picture. Then, into the envelop they went. That was it. But the kids loved it.

Rainbow Treats

In March this year we did lots of rainbow themed activities. We water colored rainbows and made a couple new color sorting games. The pom-poms ended up in a snow ball fight and the tongs for sorting with got confiscated but it was fun while it lasted. We also colored Irish maps and talked about where their Lacey ancestors came from. It's a tiny island off the west coast of Ireland. It's called Inishboffin which is pretty cool, but the boys prefer the neighboring island called Inishshark. Who wouldn't really.

Traditionally, my mom cooks green dinner every St. Patrick's Day. I think her record was 22 individual green items. That's a lot of green things to come up with in our little town so we made do and had ourselves a regular Leprechaun feast.

 

The Menu

• Alfredo Sauce
• Green and White Noodles (we pulled out all the red and orange ones)
• Green Salad
• Gold Coin Roasted Carrots
• Peas
• Bread Sticks sprinkled with parsley and garlic salt
• Green Sherbet and Sprite Frappe
• Rainbow Fruit Tray
• Rainbow Jell-o

 We had some of our lovely neighbors over. They take such good care of our family. My boys love them and beg to go visit them. We're happy they braved dinner at the Lacey's so we could have our feast. Notice the napkin rings. Absolutely the only reason we use real napkins is so I can make napkin rings!

Rainbow Jell-o

 

 

 

 

 

 

 My mom makes this jell-o for Thanksgiving and Christmas. At Christmas she puts the red and green layers at the top. This was supposed to have red on top, just like a real rainbow, but the pan got too full. The cool whip cloud finishes it just fine. I think this is the recipe.

Layered Jello

• Boil 1 Cup Water
• Mix in a small box of jello
• Remove 1/2 Cup liquid jello to a separate bowl. Add 1/2 cup sour cream and stir until combined.
• Add 1/2 Cup cold water to the remaining jello in the pan. Ice cubes speed up this process.
• Pour the clear jello into a 9x9 or 9x13 dish, depending on how many layers you're making and how thin you want them. Those in the picture are pretty thick.
• Chill until well set.
• Pour COOL jello-sour cream mixture gently over the clear layer. If this has already set, microwave for a few seconds and stir till it's smooth.
• Chill until set.
• Repeat with remaining colors!

And just so Robert doesn't forget how lucky he is, I sent him a little treat to school ;)

Necklace Shelf

We had a week off for Spring Break this year. We were going to visit family but decided to stay home an extra day and do some of the chores that had been stacking up. In that one day we or mostly Robert fixed my ironing board hanger upper, washed loads of dishes, fixed a drawer, scrubbed the walls behind the fridge and stove, set up our "summer house", glued things back together, did taxes and made me this sweet little necklace rack. 

Maybe I should wear my ACE shirt more often. It's his favorite. 

Maybe it gets the hardware store, fix-it man juices flowing. 

Whatever the case, it was a good day.

Easter Eggs

 My mother-in-law got us a Family Fun subscription for Christmas. We have used lots of ideas from it and have had a lot of fun. We may have gotten a little out of hand with the Easter Eggs but having both my parents and all of my siblings put these eggs together was really, quite memorable. I suppose the main reason we craft is so we can still do the fun things we love! My dad hid them in the perfect places so it was fun to go hunting with the camera.

Lots of pirates so everyone could have one.

Mrs. E.G.G. White

Egg-in-the-Hood

The sandbox was perfect!

 

The Life and Times

It seems fitting to give an introduction to the name of this blog. I studied family history (and folk dance) in college, German and the Midwest, to be specific. Back in the olden days people wrote giant histories of their cities and gave them giant names to match. For example, "

Early history of Omaha : or Walks and talks among the old settlers; a series of sketches in the shape of a connected narrative of the events and incidents of early times in Omaha together with a brief mention of the most important events of later years."

They were called Vanity Books.
And were probably a lot like this blog.
I'll probably only tell you the great things. And exaggerate them. Though not too much. If I had made a blog before I was a Lacey it would have been called - My Life Is Good. Because it is. And I am grateful.
Back to the story. I suppose because of my crazy, whirl-wind college life, the professor I worked for, Dr. Minert, always said someday I should write a book called "The Life and Times of Emily Gann." I don't really have time to write a book. I don't really have time to write a blog. But since so many of you are far away, I will diligently try to provide a series of sketches in the shape of a connected narrative of the events and incidents that make my life so wonderful. I might even throw in a picture or two. So here it is: Lacey Life and Times. Enjoy!