We began with a Sugar Plum Tea Party. Callista danced with the the ballerina's...
... and cowered from the Nutcracker.
Ellery posed proudly with the Mouse Soldier...
and Nutcracker...but was far too shy to dance...go figure.
Callista kept a running dialogue during the entire performance. She loved to call out "passe," "arabesque" and of course "pas de chat" mommy!
by the President of the United States of America
In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign states to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere, except in the theater of military conflict, while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.
Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the field of peaceful industry to the national defense have not arrested the plow, the shuttle, or the ship; the ax has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than theretofore. Population has steadily increased notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and the battlefield, and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.
No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.
It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverance's and blessings they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.
In testimony wherof I have herunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
[Signed]
A. Lincoln
The real plus... Make them now and freeze them uncooked with some greased plastic wrap on top. Just take them out a few hours before and cook to perfection. The photo below is the uncooked version. They rise beautifully.
Turkey Rolls...Really Not as Hard as they are Cute...
Flatten large piece slightly and cut about 10 long slits to form feathers. Place next to body. Roll narrow piece into a rope shape and place on the other side forming a slight curve.
Brush with egg. Place peppercorn on head for eye and use a slivered almond for a beak. Decorate body and tail with seeds and nuts.
Let rise 15 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown. After baking, insert pretzels for legs.
Because these are an intense project, I just make one per person.
The rest of the rolls I make into crescents. Easy and pretty. Roll your dough into a big circle and brush with butter.
Use a pizza cutter to cut as shown below. Roll into crescents. Let rise.
I cook these ahead of time and then freeze. When feast time arrives we place the turkey rolls on everyone's plates, and then fill a basket to brimming to pass with the crescents.
This might be the last Turkey themed post, but I won't make any promises. Ellery and I had to come up with something to bring to her class feast today. I am confident the kindergarten feast will be sugar and refined flour laden. I had to fight back.
So we varied our Halloween Candy Turkeys, into something I actually wanted my kids to eat. Isn't it amazing all the variations we can create on a theme. Enter the "Appletizer Turkeys."
My kids aren't bored with this yet. Astonishing. I think for the big feast day we will make some "wings" with olives and pickles and maybe even some broccoli!
....And isn't that a cute little Indian with those delicious Turkeys?
I try to have no refined sugar around the house. I can't hope to control what happens at school, church and with friends, but I can control what happens in my house. To some degree anyway.
Today we made 3 varieties. Peppermint, chocolate, and a twist.
Remove from heat and add vanilla (and peppermint oil and food coloring if desired). I get my peppermint oil at the health food store, so it contains no alcohol.
If making chocolate, mix the powdered milk and cocoa together. Then add to the honey and vanilla mixture. Stir well
Pour out onto a greased surface and let cool.
After 15 minutes, it should be cool enough to handle. Put a little butter on your hands and pull the candy for a few minutes. Pull and roll into long snakes. Cut with scissors into bite size pieces or twist 2 different flavors together.We were feeling the Christmas spirit so we made a few candy canes.
I had 7 little helpers today with the children's friends over. And even with all those little hands we still ended up with over 200 candies. (1 batch peppermint, one batch chocolate)
Don't be fooled by the carrots. Yes, she was eating carrots at this particular moment, but only after she had eaten herself silly with tootsie rolls!
The Awakening
Ellery cried every day when it was time for dance. But as the oldest in the class, she was the star. At least she had that going for her. I think she got all my natural ability though.
A little family photo after the recital.
I know this picture is gross, but it is proof of me performing my civic duty this morning. The wait wasn't too bad. An hour and fifteen. Who did I vote for you ask? I have to admit, I wrote in a candidate for president.
Me: It is so pretty. I saw it too. (It has chandeliers. Can we say over-the-top? In all honesty, I would have adored it when I was little.)
This had to be a stroke of brilliance on my part. Usually a couple weeks before Thanksgiving I buy some gum drops or colored mini marshmallows and we make these fun turkeys. But this morning while pondering what to do with all the Halloween candy, I thought why buy candy in a week or so, when we have candy coming out of our ears right now. The girls loved cutting up the candy bars and squishing them on toothpicks to make feathers. We also used the skittles, dots, licorice, suckers, airheads...anything we could squish and maneuver onto a toothpick or stick to the apple. Girls had a great time. The vast majority of the candy is gone.
Because I am such a nice mom, they get to eat a feather a day. Snicker, snicker. Three skittles is a whole lot better than a whole bag full.
Their favorite move: Rolling Like a Ball. They have also been seen attempting the Seal Puppy at times (always a treat).