Ward Family: December 2011

BSU vs. ASU

For Christmas, Todd and Joslyn, got Laura and Clay tickets to the BSU vs ASU football game. It has been a long time...since Clay and Laura have been to a football game, so boy were they excited!!! We painted our faces, got BSU colors on...and we were ready to go. When CJ saw Laura's face..and it said BSU...he thought that she needed a sign to hold up and cheer with, so he made her a BUS sign!!!! (I think CJ thought Laura didn't know how to spell it correctly, so he was helping her out!!!) Laura took it to the game, and used it to cheer on the team, and it worked perfect! We had a great time cheering, talking with John (Todd's sister's husband), and being good BSU fans.

Yes..there is Snow in Vegas

Vegas is amazing...it has the warm hot sunshine in the Summer to go swimming and warm sunshine in the winter for playing in the Snow!!! We took the kids up to Mt. Charleston, about a 45 minute drive, and went sledding...it was so much fun! Preston was our trooper snow sledder. We couldn't get him off the mountain...he kept going and going and going. He loved going fast down the hill with Mom and Dad....so Laura and Clay took turns watching the kids at the car, who were tired, and going down the hill with Preston. Clay, who loves his snow and hot chocolate, made us all hot chocolate on the tailgate of the truck...and we all loved it!!! It warmed us right up....

Shootin' Good Time

CJ was our star shooter on this trip. Preston was interested in a few shots, but then lost interest - he loves the dirt and throwing "dirt bombs", exploring the desert, and looking at all the plants; Aparri took a shot with the pink Daisy...looked at the target, got excited..then she was back to exploring with Preston and eating chocolates with Mom! Laura always likes to shoot her pink gun...and took a turn with the other rifles, but spent most of the time chasing the exlorers around so CJ could get a good gun safety and handling lesson with Dad.... by the end, CJ and Dad were shooting water bottles and targets together like a pro. CJ can't wait to go again!!!

Cookies...Cookies...Cookies....

This has been the year of the Christmas Cookie!!! Clay makes a wicked Peanut Butter Cookie...and I mean so wicked that you can't stop...and he can't stop making them!!! We also discoved an unbelievably good almond cookie this year that Laura made....oh wow. Two amazing cookie recipes = disaster for the wasteline but yum yum for the tummy.... yes, they are that good! I would share the peanut butter blossom cookie recipe but Clay says the way they are soo good is to not follow the recipe...so there ya go...but here is the almond cookie recipe for you to try if you dare!!!

Berry Shortbread Dreams
1 c. butter
2/3 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 c. flour
1/3- 1/2 c. seedless raspberry jam

Glaze:
1 c. powdered sugar
2-3 tsp water
1/2 tsp. almond extract

In a bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in extract, gradually add flour until dough forms a ball. Cover and refridgerate 1 hour until easy to handle. Roll into 1'' balls. Place on cookie sheet. Using end of wooden spoon handle, make indention in center of each ball. Fill with jam. (It helps to use a kids medicine dropper for the jam and glaze). Bake 350 14-18 minutes until lightly brown. Wire rake to cool. Combine glaze ingredients; drizzle over cookies.

Happy Birthday Clayboy

Another year has come and gone...and Clay is another year older and wiser!!! However, as you can see Clay still needs help blowing out his candles!!! As part of the birthday celebrations, the boys thought a campout would be in order!! So, we all slept out in the living room together - Family Campout at Home!!! Happy Birthday....We love you Clayboy....