We're In!

Many boxes are unpacked, drawers are filled, it's feeling like home...
and sometime soon I'm going to have reliable internet service and I will post pictures of our new house and our big girl who is practically NINE months old already!

But first I have to unpack the linen closet, wrap one last Christmas gift, unload the dishwasher, sneak down into the cellar to throw in a load of dirty bibs (yes, I now get to do laundry in a cellar with an outside entrance...more about that topic later), get Grace up from her nap, try to find Steve's famous Christmas sweatshirt (worthy of a picture; more about that topic later), charge the camera for Deterding/Parkinson family Christmas tonight, and brush my teeth.

We're Moving!

We're moving on Saturday to a 160-year-old farm house in Annapolis, right behind Annapolis Area Christian School's middle school campus. We're so thankful for God's provision of a larger home closer to the place where our social life is! The house needs some touch-ups and new paint, but we're planning on being settled in for Christmas! Here's a quick pictoral tour~

Back to packing...I'll be sure to document the move if I have a free hand to hold the camera...

Sibs

I had a mini photo session this weekend with these two and their parents...fun! It was for a family Christmas card, but why not nab a picture of some sibling love and silliness while we were at it?

Dee's Christmas Sugar Cookies

My late grandmother, Dee, had a great crispy sugar cookie recipe that was passed down to my recipe box. I'm making some tonight while listening to Nat King Cole's Christmas album, and it really feels like Christmas at the Deterding house.

I thought I'd share the feeling!

The recipe, short and oh, so sweet:

2 1/2 cups sifted flour

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla to the shortening mixture; mix well. Add the sifted dry ingredients and mix well. Chill. Roll out on a floured surface. Cut with 2" cookie cutters then sprinkle with sugar.

Bake on greased cookie sheets in 375 degree oven for about 10 minutes.

The Hunt

We went on our second annual Christmas tree outing with friends from our Bible Study and their kiddies! Here are some scenes from the tree hunt.



(don't even THINK about cutting down a tree behind this fence)

Thanksgiving

We kicked dessert up a notch this year: A little decadent chocolate-pumpkin tart a la Martha Stewart. If you want the recipe, I'd be happy to pass it along.

My girl's got the pose down to a science!

Reading with her great-grandfather. Yes, Grace can read.

The life of the party. Boy can she work a room. Look at that "come hither" stare.

We surprised these two with a 25th Anniversary trip to England!! I hope they take a picture of Pemberley for me.

...just in case you've all forgotten what I look like, since I'm usually the one behind the camera.

Grace and her Mom Mom Wilson sharing a laugh.

naptime + camera =