Merry Christmas from the Austins

Make a photo collage

Mother/Daughter Merry Christmas

We wish you a merry Christmas!!

Little Piano Boy

Elijah making music at the piano while he waited for Sabbath school to start.  

Christmas Muesli

We love muesli!!  And when I made it last night I thought how perfectly it fit in with Christmas since it had red cranberries and green apples.

This is how it ended up when I added the rest of the fruit this morning.  Super yummy!!  Everyone was satisfied.

4 C rolled oats

dried cranberries

1-2 shredded granny smith apples

1 can crushed pineapple, juice and all

1 C apple juice (or favorite - orange would have been good!)

Mix the above together.  Cover and put in refrigerator overnight.

In the morning, just before serving, add:

1 C or more blueberries

1 large can mandarin oranges, cut in pieces

walnuts, pecans, or almonds, chopped

Christmas Pictures

It took lots of pictures to get these good ones!!!

Merry Christmas!!

Advent Activities

Day 21 - Make sugar cookies

This was our first time making sugar cookies so it was especially fun.

We opted for sugar and cinnamon on top.  We put it in a salt shaker and the kids were able to shake away.

Some of them got a bit crunchy, but they were scrumptious!! 

Homemade Peppermint Ice Cream

There is not much else to say except YUM!!

This is the best vegan ice cream that I've ever had.  The first time I put carob pieces in it.  This, I must say, was even better!  Either way, I add them when I serve the ice cream.

This is truly the creamiest homemade vegan ice cream I've ever made.  It was so good. You could even add a few drops of green food coloring if your mind likes it green!  :)

Ice Cream

1 14oz can light coconut milk

1 1/2 C almond milk (I used unsweetened soymilk)

3/4 C agave nectar

3 T canola oil

1 tsp pure peppermint extract

3/4 tsp xantham gum or guar gum

1/8 tsp salt

1 C vegan semisweet chocolate chips or carob chips

To make ice cream:  Clend coconut milk, almond milk, agave nectar, oil, peppermint, xanthum gum, and slat in blender until smooth.  Chill 2 hours or more.  

Chop chocolate or carob chips and set aside.  (the recipe actually said to melt them in a double boiler, freeze them thin, and then break them up again.  I skipped that)

Prepare Ice Cream base in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions.  Fold in chocolate or carob pieces. Freeze until firm.  

Lost

Finally this much anticipated day arrived for Dillon!  For some time now he has really been wanting to lose his first tooth.  Three days ago it finally happened.  He was extremely excited!!  

Advent Activities

Day 19 - Put your shoes under the Christmas tree tonight.

This may sound odd to some of you, but last year when we were studying other countries, we learned that the children in France but their shoes on the hearth so they will get filled with goodies.  We don't have a hearth so we used our tree instead.

December Carrot Harvest

Just a couple weeks ago, Chaeli and Dillon harvest the last of the carrots.  They had to dig and dig down until the snow, but it was worth it.  They are so sweet and crunchy and good!!

Advent Activities

Day 12 - Make Gifts for the Squirrels and Birds

Lots of peanut butter

Rolled in seeds 

Proud of his work! 

Tying them up outside 

Merry Christmas birds and squirrels! 

The Borrowed Ax

Just recently Dillon did a worship at the school about how NOTHING is too big for God.  He used Jeremiah 32:17 which says, "Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You." He dressed up like the boy whose ax head went flying off and told the story like it was him.  He did such a good job!  I'm pleased that my homeschooled kids are getting the experience of preparing a worship talk, practicing, and speaking up front.  

After the worship, Dillon planned an activity where the kids could test lots of different objects to see if they would sink or float.

Great job, Dillon!!

Brotherly Love

Dillon is such a good big brother!  Whenever Elijah is scared or uneasy, Dillon is there to hold his hand and make things easier for his brother!  Very precious in the sight of God!

Apple Cider Bible Labs

Our last Bible labs we attached a glow tract to an apple cider pack.  We also had a little tag on the front that said "Sharing the Warmth of God's Love."  We went to the mall to pass these out and had so much fun doing it.  People brighten right up when the kids walk up and give things like this to them.  It's so fun watching these kids share the love of Jesus.

December's Advent Calendar Activities

We always look forward to December because we love doing a homemade Advent Calendar.  Every year I make one.  Each is constructed differently, but each similarly contains activities of service and of fun! 

This year there is a Bible text on each day also.  Each gives another name for Jesus.

Day 2 - We read this book and then started the process of deciding what to do with our money jar.

Day 3 - We decorated the Christmas tree!

Day 4 - We made scrabble tile ornaments.  Big hit!  We love these on the tree!

Day 5 - Making paper snowflakes to hang at the window behind the Christmas tree.  Chaeli is the best snowflake maker in the house!

Day 6 of our Advent Calendar was to figure out 5 Random Acts of Christmas Kindness and do them. We packed apple cider and mints in baggies and passed them out and stuck them in all sorts of places - cars, atm, blue mailbox, cashiers, shopping carts.  It was pretty fun!  

Day 7 - Making a hot drink 

Day 10 - We played one of our favorite Christmas games - Journey to Bethlehem.  It's not a Bible knowledge game or even a learning game.  It's more about family togetherness, communication, fun, and bit of silliness!   

A towel over his head like a shepherd

Singing a Christmas carol in order for the other travelers to pay him a shekel. 

The space said it got cold.  She had to wear socks on her hands until she spun a 6. 

Shekels came and went as the game progressed.

Day - We made Christmas colored playdoh 

 13 more days of Advent activities to go...

Triple Carob Mint Cookies

I have finally found a cookie that satisfy my taste bud for mint chocolate!!!

Triple Carob Mint Cookies

Makes 36 cookies

2 C all-purpose flour (or unbleached, I think I put 1/2 C whole wheat)

1/2 C unsweetened cocoa powder (I substituted carob powder)

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 C plus 1/2 C vegan chocolate chips, divided (carob here also!)

4 oz Earth Balance margarine, softened (1 stick)

1/2 C evaporated cane sugar

1/2 C light brown sugar (I used sucanat)

1/3 C vegetable or canola oil

1/4 C plain soymilk

1 tsp peppermint extract

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1.  Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into large bowl.  Stir in 1/3 C chocolate chips, and set aside.

2.  Cream margarine, cane sugar, and brown sugar with electric mixer 2 or 3 minutes.  Beat in oil, soymilk, peppermint, and vanilla until smooth.  Beat in flour mixture.  (works by hand also)

3.  Roll dough into 12-inch log, 3 inches in diameter.  Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

4.  Preheat oven to 350, and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  

5.  Slice dough log into 1/2-inch-thick rounds (it started to crumble on me so I just mashed some in my hands and made small discs).  Return log to refrigerator between batches to keep it firm (didn't do this since I ended up mashing them in my hands).  Place rounds 2 or 3 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.  Bake 9-11 minutes, or until tops are crackly.  Cool on baking sheets.  

6.  Melt remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips in microwave on low power or in double boiler.  Dip fork into melted chocolate, and shake over cookies to make lines of chocolate.  Let chocolate set, then store in airtight container.  (I just used pinto carob fudge that I already had in the freeezer for this)   

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies

Yummy!!

I must say that these are pretty good and I don't even like pumpkin pie spices that much.

3 3/4 C unbleached flour (can substitute a little whole wheat flour)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cloves

1 C margarine, softened

1 C cane juice crystals, or white sugar

1/2 C sucanat, or brown sugar

3/4 C pumpkin puree

1 T flaxmeal + 3 T water (shake it for 1 minute in a jar)

2 tsp vanilla

Coating:

1/2 C cane juice crystals

1 tsp cinnamon

In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.  In a separate bowl with an electric mixer (I did it with a whisk), beat together the butter and sugars on medium high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.  Beat in the pumpkin puree, the egg and then the vanilla until incorporated.  With the mixer on low speed add in the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated.  Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 350.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.  Mix together the sugar and spices for coating.  Roll the dough into balls and coat in the sugar mixture.  Place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing the dough balls 2-3 inches apart.  Dip the bottom of  a flat, heavy bottomed drinking glass in water, then in the sugar-spice mixture, and use the bottom to flatten the dough balls slightly.  

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until just set and baked through.  Let cool on the baking sheets about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Repeat with the remaining dough.  Store in an airtight container.