Curly Sue's Transformation

Michael and I had talked about getting Christine's hair cut some time to donate to Locks of Love. She has gorgeous hair. It's thick, wavy, basically everything mine wasn't as a child. I envied girls with her kind of hair.
Mine was very fine - which translates into limp and flat. It would never hold curl, my mother even tried getting it permed a few times, and within weeks, it was back to it's former limp, blah self. Anyway, back to Christine.
One day I decided to tell her about Locks of Love, why it is needed, how they get the hair, etc. I asked if she wanted to do it, and without hesitation, she said yes. I told her that we would talk about it again later with her dad, thinking that she would change her mind. I talked with Michael some more about it and we decided that if she wanted to do it, she could. A few days later, I brought it up again, and she was still on board.
I asked if she wanted me to call Jackie (the magician for my hair) and get her an appointment, and she said she wanted it done before Christmas. I called and got it set up and let Christine know that if she changed her mind before the appointment, she didn't have to go through with it. Every day, the answer was still the same.
The big day came, my friend took the other kids, and Christine and I headed for the salon. Here's our girl's transformation.


In the waiting room, here is the front before the deed.


and the back


Jackie checked her hair to be sure that it was suitable for donation.


Measuring (this is where I thought I might change my mind!)


Because her hair is so thick, she had enough for two donations!


Look at all of that hair!


Christine has always had curly hair, but with it being so long, most of it was weighted down. It's back!


Again with thickness, this is how much of her hair was taken out for thinning (so it wouldn't look like a big bush on her cute face).


Jackie straightened it to be sure that she hadn't missed any stragglers.


Jackie the Master with the finished product.


Christine had a bath last night, and this was her hair in the morning, all over the place!


Cutie Pie

She loves her hair, and so do we. I think I'll miss some of the things I used to be able to do with her hair, but I am so proud that she wanted to do this. After all, for her, it's just hair, and it will grow back. For someone else, it's a way to help them feel good about themselves at such a difficult time in their life.

It's still about Emma

She seems to occupy most of our attention. This mark isn't anything new, in fact it is there quite regularly. The difference this time is that we have family pictures on Saturday. By now, it is a lovely shade of green with some yellow and a stripe down the middle. Hopefully someday she'll learn to run looking forward and not to the side.

A view from the front


and from the side, it got much bigger than this
This, by the way, is from running into the corner of a wall.

A Special Time to be Emma's Mom

One of the many reasons I have to be proud to be Emma's mom.

Last night, Michael and I were busily making dinner for the missionaries. We were running short on time and as a bonus to us, the girls were playing quietly in their room. We noticed how nice they were playing and how helpful it was to us to not have them in the kitchen. We should have known. We've been down this street before (not this particular street, but we are quite familiar with Emma's antics). Here is the play by play of what happened next.

Christine: (with a smirk on her face) Mom, Emma just peed in our trash can!
Michael and Michelle: What?!
Christine: She really peed in our trash can!
Michael: For real, or just pretending?
Christine: For real Dad, she really peed.
Michelle: Are you sure she really peed, she didn't just pretend?
Christine: She took her pants off and everything.

Side note: I have an awful habit of underestimating how much time things take. We were really cutting it short to get dinner on the table on time with both of us in the kitchen. I did not have time for this. Also at this time, Jacob decided that he couldn't wait any longer to eat. He had already finished a sippy cup of juice and was ready for his peas. NOW. Back to our story.

I ran back to their room to see if Christine was right. Sure enough. I don't know why I doubted her. At this point, I didn't know whether to beat Emma or laugh. It is kind of funny. I left their room in disgust while Michael handled the situation. I really have been blessed with a great husband.

In Emma's defense, she said Christine told her to do it. Christine said she didn't, and either scenario wouldn't surprise me much. I'm very excited to share this story again in about 13 years. We're very proud.

Christine's Party

Christine is turning six! I can't believe how fast time has flown. Since her birthday is on Thanksgiving this year, we did her party on Saturday. She wanted a holiday themed party. Happy birthday Christine we love you!!


The lighting isn't so great, but still a happy birthday to Christine.


Because she has so many more boy friends than girl friends, a simple game of tossing balloons turns into...


A balloon punching fight. Just remember, it's not wrong to hit if you do it with a balloon.


Pin the star on the tree.


The craft/party favor with our cute gingerbread friends.


Blowing out the candles on her pumpkin pie. She decided that she didn't want birthday cake, she wanted pie. Hey, I'd rather have pie too.


This was my most favorite of all of her gifts. Becky, you rock.


You see, she has already lost two pairs at school (with one being recovered). Although, now she wants to take both of her pairs to school, in case she loses one. Fat chance, love.

Flaky Cream Cheese Pastry Dough

Cream cheese pastry is rich and tangy, and it seems to turn out tender and flaky no matter what. This recipe can be doubled and used to make a covered or lattice-top pie.

1 cup plus 2 tbs all-purpose flour
1 tbs white sugar or 2 tbs powdered sugar
¼ tsp salt
6 tbs cold unsalted butter
3 oz cold cream cheese
2-3 tbs cold heavy cream

Whisk flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Cut butter and cream cheese into ¼-inch pieces and add to flour mix. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut the butter and cream cheese into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces. Drizzle the cream over the top. Cut with blade side of a rubber spatula or stir with a fork until the dough begins to gather into moist clumps. Press the dough into a flat disk, wrap rightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least one hour or up to two days.

Deluxe Butter Pastry Dough

This dough is richer in fat than ordinary flaky pastry and so, is softer and more difficult to handle, but it yields a tender, flaky crust with great butter flavor. While it is possible to make this dough with butter only, a small amount of shortening makes it flakier without interfering with the buttery taste. When you’re working with the butter, work quickly or the dough will become greasy. If you notice the butter starting to melt, chill the dough until the butter becomes firm again. Since this dough tends to puff out of shape during baking, you should not use it to make a crust with a tightly fluted or braided edge or a lattice top (I do a simple finger crimped edge). If you need only a single pie or tart crust, decrease all ingredients by half or freeze half the dough for another pie.

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
¼ cup solid vegetable shortening
⅓ cup plus 3 tablespoon ice water; divided

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the flour sugar and salt with a rubber spatula. Working quickly to prevent softening, cut butter into ¼-inch pieces. Add the butter to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry blender or two knives, chop the butter into pea-sized pieces. With a few quick swipes of the pastry blender, cut the shortening into large chunks and distribute throughout the bowl. Continue to chop with the pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces. Do not let the mixture soften and begin to clump; it must remain dry and powdery. Drizzle ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon of the ice water over the flour and fat mixture. Cut with the blade side of the rubber spatula until the mixture looks evenly moistened and begins to form small balls. Press down on the dough with the flat side of the spatula. If the balls of dough stick together, you have added enough water; if they do not, drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons of ice water over the top. Cut in the water, then press with your hands until the dough coheres. The dough should look rough, not smooth. Divide the dough in half, press each half into a round flat disk, and wrap tightly in plastic. Refrigerate for at least one hour, preferably for several hours, or for up to 2 days before rolling. The dough can also be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 6 months; thaw completely before rolling.

Blueberry Pie

If you are making a lattice top, use the greater amount of cornstarch suggested to prevent a watery filling from bubbling over the strips. Taste the berries before beginning to determine how much sugar to use.

Pastry Dough (I used flaky cream cheese pastry dough, doubled)
5 cups blueberries, picked over
¾ to 1 cup sugar
3 ½-4 tbs quick-cooking tapioca or cornstarch (use cornstarch for lattice pie)
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
⅛ tsp salt
1-2 tbs unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Roll half the dough into a 13-inch round, fit it into a 9-inch pie pan, and trim the overhanging dough to ¾ inch all around. Refrigerate. Roll the other half of the dough into a 12-inch round for the top crust and refrigerate it. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425. Combine the berries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, zest, and salt in a large bowl. Let stand for 15 minutes, occasionally stirring gently. Pour the mixture into the bottom crust and dot with butter. Brush the overhanging edge of the bottom crust with cold water. Cover with the top crust or lattice, then seal the edge, trim, and crimp or flute. If using a closed top crust, cut steam vents. Bake the pie for 30 minutes. Slip a baking sheet beneath it, reduce the oven temperature to 350, and bake until thick juices bubble through the vents, 25-35 minutes more. Let cool completely on a rack. The pie is best the day it is baked, but it can be stored at room temperature for up to one day.

If using frozen berries, be sure that they are individually frozen or dry-packed, meaning that they have been processed without sugar and come in loose pieces rather than a block. Before measuring, be sure to knock off any clinging ice, but do not thaw. Toss the still-frozen fruit with the other ingredients, using the maximum amount of thickening called for, and spoon the filling into the crust at once, without the usual 15-minute standing time. If the fruit is allowed to thaw, it will release a flood of juice and make the crust soggy. Do not glaze the top crust with sugar or egg. Bake the pie at 400 for 50 minutes; then slip a baking sheet beneath it and bake at 350 until thick juices bubble through the vents, 25 to 40 minutes more. The pie I brought hadn’t baked for long enough (hence the blueberry syrup instead of gel). I baked it for 30 minutes (after the initial 50 minutes). When I baked the second pie, I let it bake for the full 40 minutes (plus the initial 50 minutes), and the juices set much better.