Jello Bean Craziness

For the past few years I have been making Jello Jiggler jellly beans for Easter. In order to make them, I have three molds from Jello that I found at yard sales. Every year when I am in the middle of the extensive process I ask myself: Do I really want to do this next year? But somehow it always seems that I am at the Country Store (a local store that has bulk foods in smaller packages) in February or March and all the many flavors of gelatin sitting on the shelves seem to call to me to make them into Jello beans. So I pick out six colors/flavors and make them the day before Jordan's school party or before we go to my parents' to celebrate Easter.

This is the mold that I fill with a liquid gelatin mix. The first few years that I made them I struggled with how to fill the tiny molds without getting gelatin everywhere. I now fill them with a turkey baster. I got the baster for a Christmas (or birthday) present from Stefan and Jordan. I have never (and probably will never) basted a turkey, the baster's only purpose and reason it was purchased was to be used for the Jello beans. I have three molds so I can make two colored batches at a time. With six colors that means that I have to fill and empty the molds three times (after several hours for each batch to set). When the Jello is set, you have to take your finger and break the suction that holds each bean in its mold. It is not a pleasant thing.

I do love the look of the finished product and they are very yummy. I think it is like childbirth--I forget every year how long (not too painful) it takes, but I still do it anyway.

Grandparents' Day

Last Friday was Grandparents' Day at Jordan's school. He was blessed to be able to be joined by both sets of grandparents as well as two great-grandmas (my grandmas). There was a short program followed by a yummy lunch.

My parents

Stefan's parents

My grandmas

Wordless Wednesday

1st Day of Spring at Ritas

On Saturday we enjoyed the beautiful weather and visited Ritas for our free Italian Ice. Jordan got a combo of Swedish fish and mango (I like the Swedish fish mixed with Alex's lemonade).


Taylor was all decked out in her first day of spring attire.

She loved eating mango.

She decided that halfway through eating her ice she would shiver after each bite.

She is a very silly girl.

More 1/2 Birthday Pics

1/2 Birthday Party

On Friday night we were able to get together with C. and D. to celebrate Ella and Taylor's 1/2 birthdays. We missed their 1st (Ella) and 2nd (Taylor) birthdays in September (stupid LOA wait) so we celebrated their 1/2 birthdays. It was fun being able to have a princess birthday party. My mom was down for Grandparents' Day at Jordan's school so she got to see Ella for the first time since leaving China.

This first picture was taken at their mini-birthday party in China a few days after we got them. Wow! What a difference almost four months makes.

Happy St. Patrick's Day (and I'm 2 1/2 today)

Last Week

I haven't done a very good job lately of updating my blog. Here is what our last week was like.

Sunday: Stefan, Jordan, and I had the opportunity to attend a Casting Crowns concert at the Giant Center. The opening act was Caleb and Will Chapman (Stephen Curtis Chapman's sons). The announcer said that they would be signing autographs at intermission so Jordan and I went out to try to meet them. The Chapmans have adopted three girls from China. Their dear Maria was killed in a tragic accident two years ago. Jordan was able to tell Caleb and Will that he also had a sister from China. They signed his ticket, but unfortunately his bad mommy forgot to ask Stefan for his phone in order to get a picture.

Monday: This night was the closing banquet for Upwards basketball. Jordan had a lot of fun playing and Stefan enjoyed coaching. We had a yummy spaghetti dinner and then watched a great juggler named Chris Ivey. Here are some pictures from the last game.

On Tuesday Taylor's babysitter told me that she didn't get a very good nap. When we got home, she was upstairs with Jordan (who was on the computer). I kind of heard her while I was fixing supper, but she wasn't crying so I just let her play. When Stefan came home he asked where the kids were. I told him they were upstairs. As he started up the steps he told me that I needed to come look and this is what was at the top of the steps.

Wednesday: Taylor had not been feeling well since Saturday. She had a cold and had been sort of mopey. The babysitter called on Wednesday and said she had a fever of 102. Stefan got a doctor's appt. and took her in the afternoon. Turns out that she had an ear infection. The doctor wondered about pneumonia because she had some wheezing, but after a breathing treatment she sounded better. She was put on Azithromycin (sp?) which the doctor said will help the ear infection and help if she had pneumonia. She also gave us a prescribtion for Albuterol for the nebulizer.

This is Taylor getting a breathing treatment.

Thursday: There was a State of the School address at night so Jordan's teacher and the other 1st grade teacher (who live far away from the school) were looking for somewhere to eat supper. I happened to visit at Jordan' s lunch period that day (my lunch period is after his) and told them about the Chinese buffet in our town. We ended up joining them for supper and Jordan was thrilled to be eating with his teachers. He made both of them sit on either side of him.


Saturday: We went to New Holland to see our niece and the daughter of one of Stefan's childhood friends play each other in an Upward basketball game. The game didn't start until 11:30 so we went early to go to Shady Maple Smorgesboard (sp?) for breakfast. It is so yummy there.

Stefan's friend Shawn lived a few houses down from him growing up. Shawn was in our wedding. Shawn, his wife, Shelby, and their 8 year old daughter Kassidy have been waiting for 4 years to adopt a baby from China. In January they were able to travel to China to get their almost two year old daughter, Tia. We hadn't met her yet so it was nice to she her on Saturday. She is so cute. We hope that Tia and Taylor can become friends.

After the game we spent time with Stefan's brother, Dave, his wife, Stacy, and their daughter, Amanda at their house. We found out that the New Holland Rec Center was having an open house with lots of vendors so we went up to check it out. We got lots of samples and Taylor got her fingernails painted for the first time. I was going to get a picture on Sunday, but she must have bitten her nails and took some of the polish off so no pics.


Her is Taylor, Tia, and Kassidy.