Nine years Old - Part 2

The birthday girl celebrating at home!

Breakfast dessert - pineapple tapioca.  This is becoming her tradition!  

Decorations by Dillon 

Supper dessert - mint chip ice cream (minus the green)

This is the BEST homemade vegan ice cream I have every had!  Creamy, minty, yummy!  Thank you, Vegetarian Times!! 

Her theme this year was about being a princess. We focused on being a child of the King! Papers like this were all over the house when she woke up.

Her new Bible. The tag on the top of the wrapping said, "Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin again you." Ps 119:11. A precious gift and vital tool for a princess.

Nine Years Old - Part 1

We were back at Camp Au Sable on Chaeli's birthday.  That made the day special!  She woke up to a decorated room and some special activities.

She got to ride a horse! 

A scarf 

With a Bible text to go with it.  Proverbs 3:3 says, "Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablets of your heart." 

Family Camp

What a privilege to spend a week at Camp Au Sable's Family Camp.  David was the pastor for the week which enabled us to all have loads of fun!!

David is the one in the air... 

Our first black eye of the family... 

There is a slice of raw potato under there.  We learned that raw potato helps with inflammation. 

It still got pretty colorful, but the potato did help with inflammation. 

Snakes, Worms, and Things that Squirm

More of our summer science program:  River Rats!!

We learned all sorts of things about snakes and worms, how they live, and how they hear.  We observed them and touched them.  They boys thought it was pretty fun.  Chaeli skipped out on this event.  :)

Checking out a worm up close! 

Meal worm races... 

Hearing vibrations like worm or snake hears....because they have no ears. 

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Some of the biggest and yummiest oatmeal raisin cookies.....

mmmm....mmmm....good!

These cookies were adapted from this site:  http://www.vegandlites.blogspot.com/

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable shortening (I used canola oil here)

1/2 cup margarine

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar (I used cane juice crystals)

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp coriander 

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

6 Tblsp. Chia gel (or egg replacer equivalent for 2 eggs)

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour (I used half whole wheat)

2 1/2 cups rolled oats

1 1/2 cups raisins

Instructions:

Grease a cookie sheet or lay down parchment paper; set aside. 

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and shortening with electric mixer for 30 secs. Add brown sugar, white sugar, spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat until fluffy. Add egg replacer and vanilla and beat thoroughly. Beat in flour. Stir in oats, dried cherries, and orange zest. 

Fill a 1/3 cup measure with dough and drop onto greased cookie sheet. Press into a 4 in. circle (or smaller if you choose). Repeat with the rest of the dough, placing cookies about 3 inches apart.

Bake at 375* for 8-10 minutes or until edges are golden (Change time depending on size of cookies). Let stand for a minute then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Optional:  Can replace the raisins with 1 1/2 cups snipped dried tart cherries

and 1 tsp orange zest

Fruit Popsicles

These were perfect for a hot summer day!  

First we loaded the popsicle containers with fresh fruit.  We chose bluberries, nectarines, and cherries.  Then we poured juice over top of.  Our juice was apple with half a nectarine blended up in it.  So yummy!!  They turned out really well.

All Tuckered Out

He was having quiet time on the sofa "reading" books.  It didn't take too long before he succumbed to exhaustion!  We were up early this particular morning!