This is Abby's submission to the Junior Duck Stamp competition. This is a
Northern Pin tail.


This is Libby's submission. Our beloved Mallard.


Tenacious
Abby's submission to HSLDA'S art competition.

Libby and Abby were the two Ymkers that submitted entries to the national Junior Duck Stamp competition this year. These are their submissions. The competition starts within each state and the best of show moves to compete nationally. We were introduced to this competition by Kim Nisbett. She, for the last couple of years, has given the interested Ymker kids art lessons and encouraged them to participate in this competition. This is the last year that Abby may enter. She has placed second the two previous years that she has entered. This year she's hoping for 1st! Libby,who is 6 years old, has many years ahead of her to participate and she likes doing it. Last year she received honorable mention in her age group.
The last posted picture is Abby's submission to Home School Legal Defense's competition. Last year Abby received honorable mention for her submission and this year she again is hoping to improve her success!:) This art competition is a little unique in the fact that you are required to draw something that goes along with a particular word or theme that they have chosen for your age group. The word that Abby had to work around was tenacious. I think she accomplished that. :) It's been a real joy for me to see what Kim has encouraged and taught my kids on how to perceive a subject and then how to start drawing it. It truly is amazing to me what kids can do with a little direction and exposure to the right tools etc.... We are really grateful to Kim for getting them started. They have had a lot of enjoyment with it all.

Kelly's Gul - Freaking OUT!!

There is the picture.... Now here is the story....

Kelly was ruthlessly going through a pile of paper on the table the other day giving each piece a quick scribble and then throwing it on the floor to be put in the burn box. Mom noticed and explained that basically, paper cost money and she needed to really think about what she was going to draw and draw just a few NICE pictures...
Well, Kelly took her seriously and after a few minutes she came back to Mom with the above picture and says, " Mom, I REALLY thought about this one!"....
Mom looked at it and said, "You did Kelly? That's a good girl, I can see how you took your time with that one!"....
Kelly said, "Yes, I did. (pointing at the hair) it's a 'gul' (girl) freaking out..."

We love her! :-D

Brady's Quote of the Day...

(Said dramatically) :

"And beads of preparation were on his forehead!"


.... He's a good kid...and he makes us laugh daily...

There Once Was A Little Snowman...

Kayla and Libby made this snowman with some of all that snow we've been getting over the past month or so. (Lots for MO anyways!) I thought he was cute enough to deserve a post on the blog. :)

Kayla's 10th Birthday! :)

Kayla celebrated her 10th birthday January 17! She got some cool stuff and had a really fun day!

Her cute little puppy she can use with her "American Doll" look alike". :)
She picked Mrs. Krause's Chocolate Truffle Cake for her dessert... Oh my. It's the BEST homemade chocolate cake you will EVER have. Really.


Happy Birthday Kayla! :)

Hot Cross Buns

We've heard the song many, many, many times on Kelly's nursery rhyme CD's and so I finally decided that we needed to actually find out what a "Hot Cross Bun" was... and I am sure glad I did! Yummy!
Here's the recipe:

HOT CROSS BUNS

Yield: 2 dozen buns
Baking Temp: 350*
Baking Time: 25min

Dough:
2 (or more) cups raisins moistened in 2TBL (or more if you do more raisens) or water, rum, or we used peach schnapps we had sitting around).
2/3 cup lukewarm water
1/3 cup orange juice
2 lg eggs
1 stick unsalted butter cut into 12 pieces
2 1/4 cup traditional whole wheat flour
2 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup nonfat powered milk
1 1/2 tsp salt
At least 1TBL vanilla -- or more!
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1tsp or slightly more cinnamon
1/8 - 1/4tsp ground cloves
2tsp baking powder
2 1/4 tsp instant yeast

ICING:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1tsp clear vanilla
Pinch of salt
4-5TBL milk or cream

DIRECTIONS:
Set aside raisins whetted with the peach schnapps (or rum 0r water...) in a non-reactive bowl.

Mix all dough ingredients besides the raisins together and knead by hand, bread machine or mixer until you have a medium-soft dough. Let rise until puffy though not quite doubled.

Lightly grease two 9 x 2-inch cake pans. Deflate the dough gently and knead in raisins. Divide into 24 pieces make bun shape by stuffing the piece of dough through an "O" shaped by your pointer and thumb -- place 3/4" apart in prepared cake pans.
Let rise until just touching -- preheating your oven to 350* near end of rise.
Bake for 25min until lightly browned. Let sit 15min before applying icing.

While buns are cooling, put all icing ingredients into a quart size ziplock bag. Knead bag until combined. After buns have cooled* for 15min snip corner off of the bag and make the traditional X shape on each bun. Serve warm. (8 sec in the microwave does wonders for leftovers!)

*If buns are too hot, the icing will melt off... if buns are cooled, the icing will not adhere properly.

Finally! Snow in January!

♥Allie and Tiptoes « Best Friends♥

Miss Libby

Brady the Russian

Kayla sweeping her "house" (bare area) on the pond ice!

The kids have been waiting for snow all winter and now finally they got some during this cold snap and every minute has been spent outside!