Thursday, November 27, 2008

Thanksgiving-Peppernut Making

Happy Thanksgiving! We hope everyone had a wonderful day
giving thanks to the Lord for His bountiful blessings.
We remember Psalm 100 today;it is certainly a thankful psalm!

PSALM 100
A Psalm for giving thanks.

1 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
2 Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!
3 Know that the Lord, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
5 For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.

Susanna dressed up as a Pilgrim first



Then she dressed up as an Indian!


Pretty cute Indian!


Paradise Pumpkin Pie


Harvest Pie


This evening our Grandparents, affectionately called Memaw and Papa,
came over to enjoy a meal and then make an annual holiday treat.
Peppernuts!

What are peppernuts??
Peppernuts may taste like cookies, but they are smaller-much smaller-
about the size of a hazelnut or dime. Ladies used to take pride in how
small they could make them. Grandmothers rivaled the size of large peas.
Others painstakingly cut theirs in perfect little circle using a sewing
thimble for a cutter.
-Peppernuts, Plain and Fancy
A Christmas Tradition from Grandmother's Oven
by Norma Jost Voth

First we make the dough.....A total of 20 c. of flour,
as well as various spices such as cinnamon, allspice, ginger,
and real pepper! Our recipe also includes anise oil.
Other variations include gumdrops, nuts, coconut, dried fruit, etc.


Then we roll the dough out in to long ropes, "snakes!"




Susanna and Caroline helping


Our "snakes"



Dad enthusiastically cutting the peppernuts!


Papa is our best cutter!


Good thing we have a double oven...
We can get 6 pans in there at one time!


Precisely cut and uniform!


The finished product! Almost 3 gallons...Stop by and try one! (or two)


We also got to sing some hymns!

Friday, November 21, 2008

Random Shots

Here are a few random shots from around the house.....We have all been busy with school and Thanksgiving preparation (Mom is doing our church Thanksgiving meal on Sunday) plus a few coughs and runny noses. The weather has been pretty chilly, although, we did have a beautiful 60+ degree day this week!!


Susanna trying on some BIG shoes!

Loving those warm fires

Caroline ready for her violin concert

Girl Fun

Last weekend Caroline and I had a super time having our good friends, Kelsey and Katy, over to hang out, dress up, and have fun together.

Shoes!


Makeup!


Susanna trying on my shades!


Elizabeth


Kelsey dressin'up


On Friday night, we all got to go to the play "OKLAHOMA", which our high school was putting on. After the first scene we thought it was time for intermission already! Talk about a long play!

The four girls-2 sets of sisters!

Monday, November 10, 2008

State Piano Competition-Lawerence, KS

This past Saturday, November 8, we got to go to Lawerence, KS to participate in KMEA State Piano Auditions at the University of Kansas. Caroline and Elizabeth both played and received I ratings (basically 4th place).
We also enjoyed a lovely time of food and fellowship when we met a dear friend for lunch at Panera Bread. Yum!!

It was a fun day overall and we were so glad to have attended it!

The University of Kansas! (sorry it is so blurry)


The children with our friend Morris Talbert


KANSAS!


Eric and Miles in front of Allen Field House


Caroline with her result sign (her name is towards the bottom)


Caroline's Certificate


Elizabeth's Certificate