Homemade Rootbeer

Jeff has carried on the tradition of making homemade rootbeer from his childhood.  Our kids love doing it each holiday season.  Everyone has their own special job.  Kelsie and Dillon fill the jars, Cade carries the jar to Jeff to be capped, Brooke rinses off the bottle, and then Paige dries it and puts it on the table.  We usually make it right before Thanksgiving so that it can "brew" for a week or so and then we can enjoy it for the month of December.  I think I am the only one that has not converted to the yeast taste, but everyone else loves it.

There's a Monster in My Closet

Brooke played the "Dream  Queen" in her play and did a great job portraying a crazy, bipolar  queen.  We enjoyed watching her at her best.

Halloween Candy 2008

Well, we hit another record trick or treating last night.  Jeff stayed out until 9:30 trick or treating with four of the kids and collected 32 lbs of candy.  Then Kelsie came home from her friend's house this morning with over 18 lbs of candy.  That totals 50 lbs.  Well, we couldn't stop there.  Columbine High School had their annual "Trick or Treat Street" the day after Halloween this year and so candy donations hit a record high.  Four of our kids went and that run totaled another 18 lbs.  So we now have candy, candy, and more candy. . . 68 lbs.!!!  We gave away two big bags, filled  a big bowl and then bagged the rest in gallon ziplocks and filled the freezer.  Jeff says that if he doesn't get a job, we can live off candy.  I'm already sick of it.  I shouldn't have eaten any and now have eaten more than my share.  Hershey's chocolate and Swedish fish are my weakness.  Here are some photos of Jeff in his glory.  Good grief.  You can see we had to "sort" the candy.  That is the fun part.