Cow Milking Lesson

A trip to the doctor and an attempt to keep Christian entertained there while Elle was being tended to produced this... a blown up latex glove.... which then, once home, turned into a "milking lesson" Elle wanted to show me how to milk "her raw Jersey cow"...

She was actually quite good at it!

Look at that face! HA! This whole thing led into a long lesson (Elle was the teacher, I was the student...of course...) on Raw Jersey milk and properly cleaning her "boobs" (Try as I might, I can't get her to call it an udder!) and making sure she (the cow) doesn't kick over the bucket (the white board on the table) of milk or else she'll (Elle) "never milk her again".... I hope that cow listens to her...she means business...

Another video of Elle's box violin

So apparently I can't load more than one video into a post, so here is another of Elle's violin concert. She is shaking the jingle bells in this one. Again... sorry for the horrible filming...15 month old in arms...Enjoy!

Elle and her box violin

Elle started taking violin lessons about a month ago. She is doing the Suzuki Method that has her start with a "box violin" (made from a ruler and a klenex box). This post is really for family to see her first concert... be ready for a bit of motion sickness! I was having to hold and watch squirmy wormy Christian (the one year old) at the same time I was video taping... =)

Notice her "shoes" I couldn't find her dress shoes that fit and so she just wore black ballet slippers- whatever works! =)

The other video I was downloading here stopped working... I will try again tomorrow... it was the cutest. =)

Her teacher is great and Elle really enjoys going to her home for lessons... partly too because she has cats and Elle LOVES to see the cats. The first thing she asked when we got the concert this afternoon (which was held at a local church) was "Where are her cats? Are they coming?" =)

Christmas Cookies

Elle rolled out the dough all by herself! Not to shabby! We made this dough with the lard we made instead of the shortening the recipe called for. We used the 2nd draining of the lard, (see that post HERE) I am still saving the first for the pie I keep meaning to make... and the cookies turned out GREAT! (How could anything frosted with candies on top not?!)

Thank you mom for the great cookie cutters!

That's my daughter... certainly not skimping on the candies...

Merry Christmas!

The looking glass

I just couldn't help but share these crazy photo's of the kids playing out on the veranda. =)