Using Movie Maker to Preserve Memories

As high school teachers, my husband and I knew the first day of school can get really boring for a student listening to the same rules and reading the same syllabus for each of their eight classes.  We tried to make our first day stand out.  I would infuse the rules with leadership initiatives and life and career skills, keeping the students on their feet and moving the entire 85 minute block.  Teaching an elective class to 8-12 graders, I would have many students stay in my courses for five years.  You can build some pretty intense relationships with a person in half a decade, so I knew it was important that I got to know them and they got to know me.  That first day of class each August, we would also show a video highlighting what we did over our summer vacation and an introduction to our adorable family.  My kids came to many school activities and also became close with several students. 

Students would talk about the videos and feel as if they knew my kids when they saw them at football games or FFA activities.  Check out our Summer 2011 video here, Jonas dubbed it “Our Big Bucation”.  This was a huge undertaking for us, and my husband and I took off with a 3 year old and 2 year old traveling 5,344 miles in 17 days, through 11 states, hitting 9 National Parks (that is 115 hours in the car!)  While I will never forget that trip, hopefully this video will help spark the memory of Jonas and Russell as they grow older.

As we both no longer teach high school, I was sad that we did not make our annual summer video for 2012.  With baby #3 on the way I got to thinking about the need to purchase a baby book.  However if it is anything like baby book 1 and 2 it will go unfilled, uncharted and picture-less.  So instead, why not continue the tradition and make the videos anyway?  This time it’s not for students to get to know us, but as a way to document precious memories and childhoods.   Of course, if anybody reads this blog, perhaps I will get some new followers to build relationships with.  As 2012 has just come to an end, it was the perfect opportunity to create a video.  Check out “Our 2012” highlighting a move, new house, country living adventures and a few fun trips!

 

Want to make your own video?  We use Movie Maker – a free windows download.  Need a tutorial?  A good one can be found here.

Apple Fritters - A New Year's Day Tradition!

New Year's Cookies, or Portselkje, are a German Mennonite tradition to help ring in the New Year.  The traditional version includes raisins and are either rolled in sugar or glazed.  Never a fan of raisins, my recipe is without.

In Mennonite Foods and Folkways from South Russia by Norma Jost Voth, tradition states Mennonites gave their Russian neighbors Portselkie when they came and sang for them on New Year's Day.  Not really cookies, the dough puffs up when dropped in hot oil and tumbles over, which is where they get their High German name. 

Ingredients:
1/2 cup lukewarm Water
2 Tablespoons Yeast
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Tablespoon melted Shortening
1 Beaten Egg
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 Cup Flour
1 Cup Chopped Apples

Soften yeast in water.  Add sugar, salt, shortening, and egg.

Add flour.

Let rise 40 min.

Add coarsely cut apples, stir in.

Drop by rounding into teaspoon and then into hot oil at 370-375 degrees.  Fry to golden brown.

Sprinkle with sugar.

Makes about a dozen!

So here's to a new year, the "cookies" are a symbol of affluence and luxury and carry with them a wish for an abundant year.

My favorite food critics approve!