Blue and Gold Dinner

Jaron is cub scouts now and one of the perks or fun pack meetings is the

BLUE and GOLD

dinner.

For the dinner Jaron had to make a cake with the help of a parent. I was excited to make a cake with Jaron. The theme for the cake was "Lewis and Clark Explores the West". we put our heads together and came up with and idea...

We made the cake, Jaron was excited to learn how to crack the eggs.

As a family we made the marshmallow people,

a tribe of people when we only needed three.

The finished project:

Lewis and Clark and Sacagawea: exploring the west

Jaron is pretending to eat the cake.

Heading down the Columbia River

The two of us with our finished project.

During the dinner each of the boys showed off their cakes, before they were each given awards. Jaron got the award for the most clever cake.

Next big pack meeting is in two weeks the pine wood derby.

*Side note*When we were showing Kyle the cake he said, did you put that on wax paper. I wonder why. It turns out that when he was in cub scouts they would auction off the cakes and people would take them home. Luckily that is not what they did with Jaron's. ( I put it on my good cookie sheet.)

Sunshine with Karlee

I was going through my email and deleting things. I came across these pictures of Karlee that my dad had taken while we were at Sunshine Pizza.

She was so excited to ride the horse.

It is like she is a rodeo princess in a parade waving.

Happy as can BEE !!!

This was taken end of July of 2010

Fudge Lover’s Strawberry Truffle Cake

Kallie is always wanting to cook dinner or make a dessert. I found this yummy cake recipe. So we gave it a try after school. It is a very chocolate yummy cake. We Loved It!!!

She is making the ganache.

Here is the recipe for the yummy Fudge Lover’s Strawberry Truffle Cake:

Cake

1	box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® chocolate fudge or Devil’s food cake mix
	Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box

Ganache Filling and Topping

2	packages (8 oz each) semisweet baking chocolate (or 2 full bags semi sweet chips), finely chopped
11/3	cups whipping cream
1/4	cup butter (do not use margarine)
2	cups cut-up fresh strawberries

Garnish

6	fresh strawberries, cut in half lengthwise through stem
1/4	cup white vanilla baking chips
1/2	teaspoon vegetable oil

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease bottom only of 13×9-inch pan with shortening or cooking spray. Make cake mix as directed on box, using water, oil and eggs.

1. Bake as directed on box for 13×9-inch pan. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, in large bowl, place chopped chocolate; set aside. In 2-quart saucepan, heat whipping cream and butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted and mixture comes to a boil. Pour cream mixture over chocolate; stir until smooth.
3. Line bottom of 9-inch springform pan with waxed paper round. Cut cake into 1-inch cubes. In large bowl, beat half of the cake cubes on low speed until cake is crumbly. Add remaining cake cubes and 1 3/4 cups of the ganache (reserve remaining ganache for topping). Beat on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed until well combined (mixture will look like fudge). Fold in 2 cups cut-up strawberries. Spoon mixture into springform pan; smooth top. Cover with plastic wrap; freeze 45 minutes or until firm enough to unmold.
4. Run knife around side of pan to loosen cake mixture. Place serving plate upside down on pan; turn pan and plate over. Frost side and top of cake with reserved ganache. Arrange strawberry halves on top of cake.
5. In small microwavable bowl, microwave baking chips and 1/2 teaspoon oil uncovered on High 45 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds, until melted. Place in small resealable food-storage plastic bag; cut off tiny corner of bag. Drizzle over top of cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Cake is best served the same day.

The blog where I got this recipe had way better pictures of the cake and process of making it, if you want to check them out go HERE.

*Bonus Picture - that has nothing to do with the cake. *

Jaron set up the farm and he is kept asking me to take a picture of it and put it on the blog. Here is Jaron on the farm.

Super Easy Church Themed Quiet Books

I was reading this blog that I like, she had a link to these SUPER EASY to make church themed quiet books. Turns out that this blog is also cute with cute ideas, there are so many out there. Any way I wanted to pass this onto any of you, my friends and family who might want to make these. It is SUPER EASY (I think, I might have already said that ) but I will tell how easy.

Go to Simply Fresh Design . On this page you scroll through and there are three quiet books (Book of Mormon stories, Prophets and Apostles, and We Believe) and also these really cute Article of Faith cards. You Click the texts that says for the download. Then you can go upload it to Costco.com or Walmart.com photo thingy. For theses four books it was a total of 87 pictures about $13.00. Then you can go to the dollar store and pick up a photo book to slide the pictures in. And it is ready to go. I plan on doing these ones for my kids so they can have something quiet to look at and read during church- my other methods are not working.

This is the images of the We Believe quiet book. Follow the link to see the others.

1 2 3 Ready or Not Here I Come...

After Kallie's violin lesson, Jaron and Kallie were playing in the back yard. Jaron came running and grab Kyle's coat and ran back outside. I went to look what they were doing, it was so funny they were playing hide and go seek and Jaron was the one hiding...

Can you spot him???

Kallie finally found him. I think it was his blue jeans that gave him away.

Valentine's Day

Today turned out to one FUN day, even though my Valentine was not with me for it. Alycia and Lulu came to be here while Kyle was gone. We went out to lunch with just the girls. It was a yummy lunch.

Karlee giving Lulu a kiss.

After lunch we headed over to the kids school to check out their Valentine's party. Karlee was so excited that she ran all the way there- she loves going to visit Kelsie's class, especially when it means that she will get out of taking a nap. Karlee was also so excited to wear her Valentine dress. I think this is going to be the last year that she'll be able to wear it, getting pretty short.

We popped our heads into each of the kids classes, and was able to go in and hang out with Kelsie. She was so excited for all her Valentines and had to show them all to us. Then when she enjoyed the many treats they had at the party. I love all the Valentine colors in this picture. It was so much fun to be able to go to the parties.

After school the kids came home and enjoyed all their treats. Here Kelsie and Jaron are modeling the Valentines that they gave their classmates. ( They didn't mine this modeling- they got candy.)

Last year for Valentine's Day we did a fancy dinner with the kids, you can see it HERE. I thought that it would be fun to do it again this year. I gather all the kids together as we were finishing dinner and told them to go and get in their fanciest clothes. They got to pick out what they wanted to wear. So they all went in their room and got busy picking out the their clothes- it was fun to see how excited they got and how they were willing to help each other out.

Jaron was so cute, he was such a great helper to help Karlee to get ready. He helped get a pretty dress and even put her shoes on.

After they were all in their fanciest clothes ready for dinner, we had them come through the front door, like entering a restaurant. Don't they all look so cute.

Jaron was such the gentleman he pulled out all chairs for the girls and then served them their food. He is such a sweet boy.

Uncle Cody is in India and he is growing a mustache, we thought we would each wear mustache (that Alycia made) and try to be like him. It was so funny how everyone look, Lulu kept wanting to lick it off.

Here everyone is enjoying their fancy dinner.

This was our yummy dessert - heart brownies and strawberries.

Lulu turned 6 months old today. So we wanted to throw her a party. Here she is getting ready to enjoy yummy treat, not really it was just to get a picture with it. I love how she is grabbing for it and wanting to have it. We also made this fun felt crown for her to wear.

What would a party be without some balloons.

Happy Half Birthday Lulu!

Getting so big!!!

Home-made Valentines

This I wanted to do something different for kids school valentines. I thought it would be fun to make home-made ones and have the kids help me make them. I found these ideas on the internet, Alycia and the kids help put them together.

For Kallie we made these hip little ipods, these are the closest that she will get to ipod right now. The valentine ipods are supposed to have earpods with them but we didn't get around to them. Here is the Link where I got the idea.

For Kelsie and Jaron we did these fun lips and mustaches. They turned out really cute and the kids had fun eating them afterwards. Here is the link to this idea.

And you can't forget the teachers. I stayed up late into the night finishing these, because I forgot that I wanted to them. This one I have used I think every year since Kallie started school-( It is a good thing we have different teachers every year- Just kidding.) Once again Family Fun came through again. Here is the link to this idea.

It was fun to make the kids Valentines and have them help me, They were so excited about...Maybe we will make valentines again next year.

I (HEART) U

We HEART u!!!

Hope you have a very

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Love,

The Kenner's

Apparel Design

(photo from OSU website)

Tonight I went to a free lecture and open to the public at OSU, about "The Business Behind Fashion" by Dr. Leslie Davis Burns. Can I just tell you that I LOVED it, it made me want to go back to school and finish that Apparel Design degree that I want. Is that bad to want to go back to school when Kyle hasn't finished his yet? I would love to be able to go to OSU for it. I was looking at all the fun classes you take and what you can do. Maybe someday...maybe.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

When Alycia came for a visit at our house we made a couple recipes. There was on that I had been wanting to try since Thanksgiving and never got around to it. But was motivated to give it a try with her here to help. They turned out really good. I took pictures of hem after we got done making them but I can't get it to download right and so this is the picture from recipe where I got it from- ours looked close to this :0).

Red Velvet Cupcakes

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

1 bottle (1 ounce) Red Food Color

2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.

2. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk, food color and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not overbeat. Spoon batter into 30 paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup 2/3 full.

3. Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely. Frost with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting.

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened, 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened, 2 tablespoons sour cream and 2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in 1 box (16 ounces) confectioners' sugar until smooth.

Apple Pork Chops and Sauce

The other night we tried something new for dinner and it turned out really good. And it was a hit with the kids too. That is a plus.

Apple and Sage Pork Chops

1 tablespoon flour

2 teaspoons Sage, Rubbed

1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt

1 teaspoon Thyme Leaves

1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg, Ground

6 boneless pork chops, 3/4- to 1-inch thick (about 2 pounds)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 Gala apples, cut into thin wedges

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup apple juice

1. Mix flour, sage, seasoned salt, thyme and nutmeg in small bowl until well blended. Sprinkle both sides of pork chops with 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture.

2. Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add pork chops; brown on both sides. Remove from skillet. Add apples, onion, remaining seasoned flour and juice to skillet; stir until well mixed. Return pork chops to skillet.

3. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 5 minutes or until pork chops are desired doneness. Remove pork chops to serving platter; keep warm. Simmer sauce 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Serve sauce over pork chops.

The sauce was also really good as a gravy for the potatoes. The salad was good too... spinach & mardian orange salad with huckleberry vinaigrette and almond slivers.