Happy 3rd Birthday Anna.....
Wow it's hard to believe she is 3 years old already. She has been excited all day, but thinks the presents are all gone because we opened them all at Christmas. Poor little girl.

I had so much fun making this Blue's Clues cake for Anna and am very pleased in how it turned out. It is a white double layered cake with almond frosting.



Gabe enjoyed the yummy cake and ice cream just as much as his sister.

Just a few Christmas Pictures.....
Here are the two with there matching pj's.


Anna was so excited to get this Spiderman activity set, which is from Colby & Dusty. Thanks!

Here the kids are just ripping open there gifts. Gabe had a great time ripping on the paper, so cute to watch.

Gabe having a seat in his new Tonka truck from Shane & Jen. Thanks!

Well here is the big mess after all the gifts were opened, wow....

Renee's Kitchen:
Here is a great holiday or year round treat to make the kids or yourself. I usually make a double batch when I make this recipe.

Carmel Corn - Microwave Method

1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. karo syrup
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. baking soda
4 quarts popped corn

First pop 4 quarts of pop corn and put in a brown paper grocery bag. Then in glass dish cook on high the first 4 ingredients for 2 mins, stir & cook 2 more mins. Then add vanilla & soda and stir. Pour syrup mixture over the pop corn in the paper sack, fold sack & shake. Then place in the microwave on one side and cook for 30 seconds. Take out and shake and then put back in the microwave on the other side for another 30 seconds. Take out and shake well. Let it cool a bit and its ready to eat.

You can store it in the brown bag, which when its all gone you can throw the bag a way. That makes only one bowl to clean. I love easy clean up, since I don't really like to to dishes.

This caramel corn is so yummy... Enjoy:)

Merry Christmas to all our Friends and Family. We hope that you had a wonderful Christmas Day!

Also thank for all the wonderful gifts. The kids have been having so much fun playing with all there new toys.

In Christ,
Brandon & Renee

RENEE'S KITCHEN:
Here is a tasty soup recipe that I tried this last weekend and Brandon loved it... I added diced chicken to this soup and I also always thicken my soups with instant mash potato flakes instead of flour. This is a tip I learned from my mother-in-law.

Savory Cheese Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 2 tablespoon chopped onion
• 2 tablespoon chopped sweet red pepper
• 2 cups diced chicken ( optional)
  
• 4 teaspoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons cold water
• 1 package (6 ounces) cream cheese, cubed and softened
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup beer or additional chicken broth
• Croutons, crumbled cooked bacon and sliced green onions, optional

Directions:
In a 1-1/2-qt. slow cooker, combine the first seven ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours or you can prepare this on the stove top for faster results.
Combine the flour and water until smooth; stir into soup. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes or until thickened or just add a some potato flakes till desired thickness. Stir in cream cheese and cheddar cheese until blended. Stir in beer or additional broth.
Cover and cook on low for 10 minutes or until heated through. Top with croutons, bacon and green onions if desired. Yield: 4 servings.

Jesus is the Gift

Jesus is the gift that perfectly fits every heart
and it is with His love that all celebration starts.
We rejoice in Him as we remember His birth
and thank God for sending His only Son to earth.
His life led from a manger to a cross on a hill
where He faithfully followed His Father’s perfect will.
He freely laid down everything so that we could live,
and there is no greater treasure anyone could give.
Like a scarlet ribbon His love wrapped around the cross
and He offered it to us all at the greatest cost.
So each time that we give we remember what He’s done
and honor the perfect Gift God’s one and only Son.

— Holley Gerth

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God Not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8 & 9

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Romans 10:9 & 10

Renee's Kitchen:
Here is my new favorite cookie recipe. They are so yummy and will surprise anyone who bits into them. Also instead of Rolo's you could use Mini Snicker bars or Andie Mints or any other favorite candy bar that you think would work. These are even good if you just want a plan chocolate cookie. Just make sure that the piece of candy bar you use is not any bigger then a Rolo. These cookies are so yummy:)

Caramel-Filled Chocolate Cookies
INGREDIENTS :

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup baking cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 package (13 ounces) Rolo candies

DIRECTIONS:
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, 1 cup sugar and brown sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa and baking soda; gradually add to the creamed mixture, beating just until combined.
Shape a tablespoonful of dough around each candy, forming a ball. In a small bowl, use either regular sugar or colored Christmas sugar and dip each cookie halfway in. Place suager side up 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets.
Bake at 375° for 7-10 minutes or until tops are slightly cracked. Cool for 3 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Yield: about 5 dozen.

It's Almost Jesus' Birthday

It's almost Jesus' birthday...
So let us not forget.
To give to Him the present,
That He would like the best.
He doesn't want a stocking...
Hung upon the tree.
Or lots of toys or presents,
Like selfish you and me.

He only wants our love for Him,
To shine out to the earth.
He wants us to tell others,
About His miracle birth.
He wants us to bring all we know,
To church to worship Him.
He wants us to remember...
He died for all our sins.

Please focus on His birthday...
The sacrifice God made.
To send His Son to live and die,
So we could all be saved.
This tiny baby Jesus...
Born in a lowly stall.
He came to bring salvation...
To save us one and all.

This Christmas has more meaning...
I'm calm and have such peace.
So let us bow before Him,
And worship at His feet.
The church bells now are ringing,
For you and I to bring...
Our gifts of praise and worship...
To our Savior and our King.

Written By Valerie Rousseau
Copyright © 2000

Christmas Questions.....

A blog that I read had these Christmas questions posted and so I thought I'd join in too.

Wrapping paper or gift bags?
For the kids I like to use wrapping paper because they enjoy ripping the paper, but I don't mind using gift bags for the adults. If I am in a hurry I will also us a gift bag or if I don't happen to have a box to wrap the item in.

Real tree or artificial?
I would love to have a real tree, but it is artificial for our family. Brandon has allergies and so the pine scent would probably bother him.

When do you put up the tree?
Usually as soon as I can after Thanksgiving

When do you take the tree down?
Usually sometime soon after New Years

Favorite holiday theme?
I like snowmen and have collected quite a few over the last few years. I also have a nice nativity set that I put up each year. I don't have to much space or should I say shelf space to put item on because with the kids they would just get into it.

Favorite gift received as a child?
I got these dolls called Hot Looks and over a few Christmas's I got a total of three dolls and lots of clothes and accessories. I played with them a lot and still have them for when Anna gets old enough.

Do you have a nativity scene?
Yes, my mother gave me a nice one a few years back and I usually set it up on top of my microwave, which is in the dining room.

Hardest person to buy for?
The men in the family

Easiest person to buy for?
kids.

Mail or email cards?
Usually the mail, but this year I don't think I am going many cards out. So I am probably going to just use my blog site.

Favorite Christmas movie?
Home Alone

When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Though out the year. If I see something I know a family member would like I pick it up then I don't spend to much money at one time.

Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Caramel corn

White lights or colored on the tree?
Last year I used colored lights on the tree and this year I used white. I guess it depends on what kind of look I want.

Favorite Christmas song?
Silent Night, Oh Holy Night, The Christmas Song and so many more.

Travel for Christmas or stay at home?
We usually travel to Nebraska and Iowa, but with being pregnant this year and due Jan 24 we are staying home, which will be nice for a change.

Angel on the tree top or a star?
A angel.

Open the presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day
We may open one on Christmas Eve and then the rest of the gifts on Christmas morning.

Most annoying thing about this time of year?
How people miss the true meaning of Christmas and how they spend so much money.

What I love most about Christmas?
Decorating the house & Celebrating Jesus's birth.

I would love to hear what you love most about Christmas??????

Snow Fun.....
Well we finally got the kids all bundled up and let them head out to play in the snow.

Daddy joined them to help them make there way through the snow. They probably were only out for about 20 minutes before they were ready to come in, but that was 20 minutes of great fun.

You can see in the pictures that there was some light snow falling, but didn't accumulate to much, which is nice. We have gotten so much in the last week.

The kids when down the slide that had lots of snow on it and ended up in a big snow pile.


It was a nice Saturday of just enjoying time at home. I made some yummy Chicken Cheddar Soup for supper and am planning on sitting down here a little later to enjoy a yummy Chai Tea. Along with the tea I am going to look through my new cooking magazine. Hope you all had a nice Saturday.

The Big Box....
This is the big box that Grandma Kostman used to send the rest of our Christmas presents. The kids have had a lot of fun with it today. Anna put all her blankets and her pillow and then managed to fit herself in too. Wow... it's a lot of fun to be small! The only problem is when Gabe thinks that he can fit himself in the box too. It's so much fun to watch the two at play and to see Gabe watching his sister so closely and trying to immitate her

Anna also has been playing in the laundry basket and even took a nap in it today. It was so peaceful between 2:00 and 4:00. I even managed to get a nice nap, which was much needed as I seem to be fighting a cold.

Gabe Wearing Daddy's Hats.....

Gabe has been having a good time wearing daddy's hat's around the house. Whatever keeps him occupied and happy is a good thing these days.



Gabe has been a accident waiting to happen. He has been running into things, tripping on his own feet and the most dangerous of all is his sister.

Renee's Kitchen:
Here's a recipe I found in Quick Cooking that turned out really good so I thought I would share it with you all. It's just a variation from the regular lasagna recipe. Enjoy!

Lasagna Casserole

1 lb. ground beef
1/4 c. chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper(divided)
1 lb small penne pasta( or any pasta of choice would work) cooked
1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 c. small curd cottage cheese
1 egg
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
1 jar spaghetti sauce

Brown the beef & onions & sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside. In a large bowl combine cooked pasta, mozzarella cheese, cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, egg, & pepper. Stir together & pour into 13x9 inch pan. Top with the onions & beef mixture and spaghetti sauce. Sprinkle with some mozzarella cheese. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 mins. and 15 mins. uncovered. Serve with a salad and garlic bread.

Kostman Christmas Tree.....

Promised Pictures.....
Gabe had a good time snuggling with Katie one day while visiting Grandpa and Grandma Kostman in Nebraska.

Hello Everyone......

Here are a couple pictures of the kids sleeping in the car at the same time, which did not happen very much on this trip.


Pictures of the kids one Sunday morning. It's so hard to get any really good pictures. Those out there with kids can relate.

Back from Nebraska...
The time has flown by so quickly the last few weeks. We have been back from Nebraska for almost a week now. We had a wonderful time visiting family. The kids did a pretty good job riding in the car. Anna was more content traveling then Gabe, but the little guy still did pretty good for not napping very long while on the road. Thank the Lord for pretzels & animal crackers, which helped calm the fusses.

The trunk of the car and the front was pretty full going out, but coming home we were over flowing. We had to fit Christmas present in the trunk along with all of our stuff. We managed to fit it all in without having to have Brandon's mom mail us anything, except for Brandon's presents. It sure will be nice when we are able to get a mini van. The next trip will be a little more crazy with three car seats in the back seat of our Buick.

This past week I have been busy unpacking, cleaning, and decorating the house for Christmas. I have only a couple more things to put up and then I am all done. Then it's on to Christmas cookie baking and planning the menu for when my family comes. I am looking forward to having everyone over to my house for Christmas. It will be nice not to travel especially since I will be 36 weeks along at the time.

I went in yesterday for a OB appointment and everything is fine. I have gained 24 lbs so far, which is pretty good. I am still hoping that maybe they are off a month and the baby will come at the end of December, but I'm sure it's just wishful thinking. I am also done working at Victor Allen's now, which is wonderful and will make things easier on my legs and back.

Well that is enough for now. I will post some new pictures in the next couple of days.

Yogurt Fun......
This is what happens when daddy watches the little guy on mommy's work night. Well actually it happens to mommy quite often too. Watch out if we ever have to come over to your house. No yogurt or pudding:)



Bubble bath time with daddy after the big mess. Wow.. daddy is so much fun:)

Big Bump.....
Just a couple days ago Gabe tripped over my foot in the kitchen and hit the cupboard really hard. Poor little guy. I felt so bad and I don't think he has ever gotten a bump like this one. It looks better today, but it is going to take a good week to really look better or even go away.



Here's a couple cute pictures of Gabe trying daddy's hat on. What a cutie pie:)

Thanksgiving Plans.....
It was just a week ago that Brandon realized how much time he could get off around Thanksgiving (six days), so we have decided to drive to Nebraska to see his family. We're really looking forward to the visit. I know Grandpa & Grandma Kostman are excited to see the kids. It was such a pleasant surprise because we didn't think we'd have another opportunity to see his family until Summer 2008.

The days are counting down fast and we will be at Brandon's sister's house in Omaha two weeks from today. It's such a blessing that Jen lives in Omaha. It's about a 7 1/2 hour drive from DeForest to Omaha and then from Omaha to his parents house outside of Hershey it's another 4 hours. So, Omaha makes a nice stopping point on the trip. We're planning on leaving after Brandon gets done with class on the Monday of Thanksgiving week. We'll get there about midnight. We actually like making the trip in the late afternoon & evening because the kids will sleep most of the way. Oh, the sweet peace and quiet! Brandon doesn't have class on Tuesdays and most students skip Wednesday of Thanksgiving week anyway, so we've got off from late Monday afternoon through the following Sunday night.

It will be such a nice week, but I will have to remind Brandon to work on homework, since he will have plenty he will need to get done. The semester is coming to a close so quickly. See you all soon and for those we will not see I hope you have exciting Thanksgiving plans to look forward to...

Puppy Pictures.....
Here are some cute pictures of Anna and a little cocker spaniel puppy from my parents house. Anna had so much fun the last time we went to visit Grandpa & Grandma. She just loves puppies and this one was just her size. To bad they don't say this size.

Here is just a cute little smile from my little girl. She is growing up so fast.

Sunday Morning....
We tried to take some family pictures yesterday with the kids all dressed up, but it's so hard to get them to sit still, look at the camera and smile all at the same time. Here is our attempt. I guess we will have to try again next week.

This picture of Gabe is so cute.