Party Prep...

Tonight we are kicking off the New Year with a party...and what is a party without my grandmother's self-filled cupcakes...
(I am sure I have put these on the blog before, but I couldn't find them, so here we go again...maybe in the new year I should label my posts?)

Thankfully for me I have a helper...the above photo is Abby putting a dollop of the cream cheese-chocolate mixture into the batter and below is what it looks right before you put them in the oven

Levi comes in just in time to lick the bowl...
Here is the recipe:

1- Box Devil's Food Cake Mix
1- 8 ounce package of cream cheese
1/3 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 cup of chocolate chips

Prepare the cake mix according to directions on the box. Cream the cream cheese, sugar and egg together. Next add the chocolate chips. Now drop a rounded teaspoon (or a dollop) of the mixture in each cup cake. Bake as package directs.

Here is the yummy finished product! Wishing you a "Happy New Year "or "Guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr"...which translates to good slide into the New Year!

Joy found in the mailbox..

Most days there is little to find in our mailbox...

but today there was a HUGE stack of cards and letters sharing the events of this last year, and pictures of how many have grown or gotten grayer. :)

I don't know if I can describe the joy it brings, to know that we are not forgotten even though we no longer live close.  I understand the extra time and money it takes to send a card overseas, so thank you.  Many of you also took the time to hand write notes, telling us of how you are praying for our family.  We have felt your prayers and have been blessed!  Thank you from the bottom of our joy-filled hearts!

Puppy Love...

Taste of Home...

Every year at Christmastime my mom makes her sausage bread...

Not only am I missing her terribly, but I am missing this taste of home.

Fortunately for me, tonight we experimented and figured out our own version that actually was pretty darn close...we just rolled out ready made pizza crust, added our cheeses and sausage and Ta-Da...sausage bread! Sometimes, it's just the little things that can make a big deal when you are missing the place you used to call home...

Bringing the Family Together...

Santa brought us the Wii for Christmas...who knew you could have so much fun bowling in your living room? Luke actually won this game, but Brad was proud of his 3 strikes in a row.

Merry Christmas!

I should be wrapping the rest of my presents as I write this...but wanted to say Merry Christmas to all of those folks we miss dearly during the Holiday Season!  It has been a busy few days getting Jeff and Jodie settled...but now they are moved into an apartment within walking distance from us, after just arriving 9 days ago.  We all are thrilled and have sensed that God had kept this place just for them! Photos will come once the dust settles, but it is great having them here for Christmas. So from our home to yours...wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and God's richest blessings for the New Year!

Sugar High...

Tonight we celebrated Dali's 22nd birthday and made gingerbread houses!  Nothing but sugar...sugar...sugar...sugar!





Liesl wasn't too interested in actually making the houses, just eating the sugar!  My kind of girl:)

Little Liesl...

This little girl knows how to melt my heart already!  She walks into our house and says "i want to put jewree on" and proceeds to head down to Abby's room and make herself all pretty.  She also likes to play with the dress-up clothes...how cute is she!  

Guess Who...

is excited to hit the slopes!!!!!

Scenes from tonight's family worship...

During our time of family worship tonight...there was so much to be thankful for...

music, laughter, the message from Max Lucado's book "The Crippled Lamb", only a MILD case of the chicken pox with Abby and a warm and cozy place where our family can worship and pray together.

Get your booster...

Abby had been complaining of a tummy ache for 2 days. No vomiting, no diarrhea...just overall not feeling well. I thought maybe she just wanted to stay home from school since it was exciting to finally hang out with Ewan and Liesl...who knew it would turn out to be chicken pox.

Last night AFTER her Christmas program at school, is when we noticed the bumps on her back...so yes, we exposed her class right before Christmas. Puts us in the running for parents of the year.

Moral of the story is...if you don't want chicken pox, get your booster, as Luke and Abby both were immunized in the States and now both have gotten them. (Luke had a mild case when we first moved here)

Christmas Programs

Luke and Abby both had Christmas programs at school yesterday! The pictures aren't the best-they stink really- but Luke had fun being a wizard and Abby was a star!
Liesl and Ewan got to enjoy the show too!

The McMullen's have arrived...

Jeff, Jodie, Ewan and Liesl arrived safe and sound on Monday.  Years of planning, preparing and much praying have finally come into fruition.  We are so happy to finally have them in Vienna! 

***team bonding moments thus far***

1) exposure to a stomach virus

2) all nine of us riding together in one vehicle and last but not least...

3) believing that Abby now has chicken pox!

(team living at it's finest;)

 

The Party Scene...

Yesterday, we had lots of food, fun and fellowship at our Christmas Party!
Here Brad is explaining the game "Apples to Apples" in German and English
The feast...
The girls talking "girl" stuff and below the boys are all entranced by their video games!

We have had a great time getting to know everyone better over these past six weeks as we studied the Book of Luke. In January, we hope to continue to meet weekly, with a few "question and answer nights" about the Bible, a service project with refugee children, and a family outing of bowling!

Friday Favorites-Christmas Cookies

It is that time of year again.  Christmas Cookie Baking!  It has taken me a little while to get motivated, but with our Christmas Party on Sunday...I thought I better get a move on.  Here is my favorite kitchen helper Levi...

And here are a few of my favorite tried and true recipes:

Cracked Sugar Cookies

Gingersnaps

Here are a few new recipes that I tried,

Lemon Hearts

Oatmeal Craisin Cookies (Adapted from All recipes.com)

3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 and 3/4 cups rolled oats 

1 cup Craisins

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Bake at 350 for 7-10 minutes

No wonder we all are tired...

The day started with Show and Tell at Abby's class...then Luke's friend Walter came over

We did crafts and played some monopoly...


Then we were off to Judo...

Then Luke was finally brave enough to pull out his molar...look how big that is!
Finally the kiddos and Milka were off to bed...yes, Milka has her own bed and DOES NOT usually sleep with us humans, but Luke was having Walter spend the night, so I let Abby start out with Milka...                              How sweet are my girls!!!