Everyone's Favorite

Who doesn't love Chocolate Chip Cookies? Who doesn't love seeing a kid licking the beater? Everyone at my house loves them!


We often have discussions about how long they should be baked for...some like them softer, some like them crunchier!

I learned how to convert my recipe to make them Gluten Free, so we all can enjoy the same batch!

I'm pretty proud of them...if you know anything about GF baking it's not easy. It's not like you dump in 1c. of some other GF flour to replace all-purpose flour...oh, not that easy at all!!!

You have to add Xanthan gum to almost everything you bake! It's the 'glue' that holds it all together. I have had countless flops and MEGA epic fails! Sometimes, I get frustrated when things don't turn-out...but that is all part of the process..so I have learned to say..."it's not always going to work out!"

I thought I would publish my recipe so you can all try it out. I will print it as a normal and then put GF changes on bottom. Hope you enjoy!....

Chocolate Chip Cookies-

2 1/4 c. flour

1 t. soda

1c. butter/margarine (softened)

1/4 c. sugar

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 t. vanilla

1 small box vanilla instant pudding (the secret ingred.)

2 eggs

1 bag choc. chips

Mix flour & soda; set aside. Combine butter & sugars cream together. Add vanilla & pudding. Beat till smooth & creamy. Beat in eggs. Gradually add flour mix. Stir in chips. 375 for 8 min.

gluten free version....substitute in featherlight flour mix for 'flour' and add 1t. xanthan gum. Drop on sheet then smoosh cookie down with back of spoon dipped in water.

Featherlight Flour Mix...1c. Rice Flour, 1c. Cornstarch, 1c. Tapioca Flour & 1T. Potato Flour (not starch)

I'm thinking of submitting it to Allrecipes.com. I will keep you posted if they except it....

Couldn't Resist....

Don't ya just love Maxine!

Before & After

Troy was long over due for a haircut!!

Don't you agree!??
He likes his hair longer...We allow them to...as long as they keep it clean!
He gets up every morning and washes it and even blows it dry!

I'll have to admit, it has been a bit over due, but I've been busy!! I

started cutting it and he said..."can you make it a little shorter!"...seriously!!

This is one battle we have chosen not to fight about. This could be a real point of contention between teens and parents...my advice...don't make it one!

Tyler also wanted his hair grown out at this age....now he wears it short...go figure!

This is all I got!

A Video....

I wanted to post this video as a reminder for all of us! I had seen it a couple years ago and then recieved it again in an e-mail. Hope you enjoy it....

A Banquet....

Tyler attended the Algoma Christian School
Homecoming Banquet on Friday Night.





The Banquet was held at the Sparta Baptist Church.

It's a Christians schools equivalent to a Homecoming Dance.



Aren't they cute together!! Her name is Alisha...isn't she a doll?


They went going bowling after the banquet at Sparta Lanes.

What a fun night!! Oh, to remember those days!

ArenaCross '10....

Part of the boys Christmas Present was a ticket to the ArenaCross at the Van Andel Arena.

We went early to enjoy the 'track party'. We were able to walk the track , get the autographs of the riders and participate in a contest.



Here the boys are on the finish line hill






Examining the track!

Trent collecting the autographs of the riders. That flag only cost me $5!

more autographs!

Tyler was picked to participate in a contest. Object--to get on the riding gear first! Shirt, pants, helmet & gloves

In action...

almost finished! He came in second...it was very close!

Here we are waiting for the show! We were early...so no one was around us yet!

Right before we spent $50 on dinner at the Arena! Not a good idea to feed a family of 5 dinner! Cheeseburger $4.50, large pop $4.25, personal pizza $6.50, popcorn $5.25, 20oz MD $3.50, ice cream $3.75.....

I tried taking pictures but the riders just look like a smear! Look close and you can see some in the air! We had great seats we could see everything from our angle!

They also did some freestyle jumps..which was pretty cool! One guy did a back flip...two different times..it was pretty amazing!



They had an injury so they had to do a single file re-start...that's the best picture I could get of the drivers!

We met the driver we rooted for down on the track...Kevin Johnson #115. He road for Team Faith. He won one of his heats and he even thanked God...cool! We thought that was impressive!

Next event we would like to go to Thunder Nationals...that would be the Monster Trucks! Talk about testosterone! If we go, we will have to eat before coming!! I was hoping the boys would want to go to the Bull Riding...no go!

It was a fun family event! We don't go to these venues often but it is fun once in awhile....a good Christmas Present!

Last Party...

We had our Pastors, Deacons & Wives Christmas Party last night. After a few delays...we meet at Arnies in Rockford. Almost everyone was able to attend!






Ray & Steve are off the Board for this year. In the pictures, Ray & Steve are reading letters and opening a small gift from Pastor Chris.









My meal...Chicken Pot Pie and a Rivera Salad







The group









the rest of the group

more of the group

We have had a tradition of bringing White Elephants. It always brings a good laugh. The hot items this year were...a tin of VHS movies, screwdriver set and a re-elect Jennifer Granholm shirt!

The non-hot items were the set of place mats, Encyclopedia set & Pedro the marionette doll. Pedro has made it to three parties to date...he may make an appearance next year???

Oh and another hot or maybe not-so-hot item, the sculptured head that Dan Spoelstra had crafted with his own two hands! He crafted this head not last week but oh so many years ago! He thought it dated back to the 70's! I wondered what made him hang on to it for so long?

I wish now I had a picture of that beauty...kind of resembled a Chia head! If you are dying to get a look at it...Pastor Chris did his pastoral duty and took it home with him...it may appear on his desk?

Another Christmas Season to an end...

Grand Traverse Resort...

I will let the pictures speak for themselves.....



Renee, Kristi, Danielle & Karen







Jim, Aaron, Craig, Steve, Florin, Neil & Mike









Troy








Trent








Nic, Troy & Trent









Trent & Troy








Troy, Nic & Trent








Trent

Boy's Basketball

Danielle, Austin, Carrie, Madison, Kelly, Joanne & Renee

Boy's Basketball...Young & Old

Jared & Trent
Xbox 360

The whole gang..skit/family night

Family Night...

Craig, Mike, Courtney, Jimmy & Jim

This was our 10th Annual Family Fun Get Away. This year it took place at the Grand Traverse Resort in Traverse City. It is a beautiful hotel!! We felt a little bit like the Clampetts! We enjoyed a large conference room where we hung out a lot of the day! We arrived on New Years Eve Day...so that night we had Pizza together and then had a skit night.

Our assignment....we divided into 4 teams, young and old mixed. Each team was given 2 props and a 1/2 hour to come up with a skit. Oh the laughs! Ours was centered around a terrorists on a plane and realizing God was in control! Others were a dysfunctional family and the pizza delivery guy inviting the family to church...another was Crocodile Evangelism...and on the lamer side "that's all folks!" It was fun watching and seeing the generations working together!

Craig has also done a great job of making a movie every year (then we watch it the following year!) so we watched that and he had put together some slides of G-pa & G-ma Austin. Thanks Craig! What a fun time!!...and lots of laughs!

We relaxed and swam the rest of the time. We love games too..so we enjoyed them! A little Golf, a little Skip-Bo, a little Euchre, a little Rack-O and oh, the best for last....Imaginiff! What a fun game. We loved it! It's a great group game and not too competitive.

We were checking out on Saturday. Tyler left early that morning to drive over to Lake Ann to see some of his friends from this summer. All was good till he phoned Steve to say he had gone in the ditch...Ummmm! He was okay and so was the van..so that is what is important. Now, how to get it out....long story short...they flagged down an end loader and he pulled it out with ease! Nothing like eating a little humble pie!

Our trip home was loooong...it normally would take a little over 2 hours to get home...this trip...4 hours! It was slow going in the TC area....like 45 max speed! And cold cold cold.....4 degrees...burrrh!

We had a fun time and are looking forward to next year!

New Years Eve....

Uploading pictures...check back tomorrow!