Playdough

2 c. flour
1 c. salt
2 pkg kool-aid
2 c. boiling water
1 tbs cream of tartar
2 tbs veg. oil

Mix dry ingredients, pour in liquid ingredients. Knead together.

Peanut butter cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated white sugar
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs
1 tb pure vanilla extract
1 cup peanut butter, creamy or chunky
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
dash salt
vanilla sugar or granulated sugar to roll cookies in

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets and set aside. Cream together the butter and sugars. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Add the peanut butter and mix until well blended. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add to the creamed mixture and mix until blended well. Roll dough into one-inch balls. At this time roll balls in sugar if desired. Place on cookie sheets, 12 to a sheet. Using a fork flatten the cookies with a crisscross pattern. Put two pans in the oven at a time. Bake for 8 minutes for chewy cookies or 10 minutes for crispy cookies, switching the pans, top to bottom-bottom to top after half of the baking time.

Makes 6 dozen. Copied from Penzeys Spices magazine Fall 2002.

Mom made these yummy cookies for our Birthday BBQ. They were delicious!

Not your usual picnic...

Yesterday we decided to get out of the house. We have been on vacation at my folks place in Grangeville for about a week now and haven't left the house much - except for the daily run to the grocery store. We have had plenty to do out here on the prairie - the kids are entertaining enough. It is about all we can do to keep up with them. But yesterday we had a picnic...

First of all, it wasn't going to start off like a usual picnic. Instead of packing a picnic basket, we packed the camper. Our intention was to have an outing for the whole day including lunch and dinner. Grandpa thought that we needed to have a place for the little ones to nap and volunteered to pull the big camper up to Fish Creek. As we were packing the camper for the day, Lily was so excited saying "We are going adventuring!"

Lily and Katie rode up to Fish Creek in Papa's big truck. As we found our picnic spot, Lily became concerned. "Who packed the food?" she asked. Yes, we can't go anywhere without food. Before Papa even had the truck unhooked from the trailer we were hiking up the trail, running through the trees, finding bugs, and looking at all of the beargrass in bloom. The nearby creek became the highlight - which included crossing the bridge made of sticks, watching the fish dart about, and jumping across. It wasn't long before we had wet shoes and hungry tummies.

After a lunch of sandwiches and cookies, chips and juice boxes - Papa decided to find some firewood for our campfire. He loaded up his truck with the chainsaw, ax, and some helpers (Charlie and Lily). After a short time (and about the time that we had just laid Elsie to sleep), Charlie and Lily arrived back at the camper after a mile hike to inform us that Grandpa had a flat tire and needed some additional help because the tire wouldn't come off due to a very tight bolt. Chalie left with the van to run Papa back to town for some additional tools. He also left with the dog's leash and Lily's shoes (which made it very difficult to leave the camper!). To complete the tire story - it took someone from Les Schwabs to come up and use their high-tech power tools to remove the bolt on the tire.
Even though we had a few setbacks we still had our campfire and roasted hot dogs for an early supper and were back at the house in time for baths and bed! It was a busy day and we were all tired by the end of it.