December Sleepover

The week before the sleepover many of you went to the WINTER FAIR! GREAT JOB everyone. Here Eliza is working to turn her FISHY cross stitch into a big pillow just in time to take it to the fair!
Really Nice Job ELIZA! Be sure and keep it neat and tidy for the Schagitoke Fair in August!

OK - so after way too much flu and several cancellations and postponements we FINALLY had a major outing this Fall! After working to start cinnamon rolls (for breakfast) as soon as everyone got there - we had tacos. We're VERY sorry that Brianna couldn't be there. This great menu choice was hers - and everyone really enjoyed them.... We also missed Alyssa - Amanda - Kathleen and - Ruby!

Once we finished up dinner - we shifted gears into our 2nd project of the night - SOUP JARS! We made 37 of them - everyone got to take some home for gifts! NICE JOB EVERYONE! Remember - no family members get these - an ACQUAINTENCE - not even good friends - an ACQUAINTENCE!

....... Count - measure - 1/2 cup of beans - watch out not too many on the floor - 2t of minced onion, 2t of boullion, 1 t of this, 1/2 t of that and 1/4 c of brown sugar! Nice job with all the measurements kids - - - It was a bit intense for awhile -

and then we had to seal them up and decorate them with special tags Mrs. Winckler made! Thanks to everyone for getting us your ingredients - even if you couldn't be here. We really appreciate the follow thru! I'm sure everyone will rave about the Thrills & Skills Bean Soup Mix!

Then it was time to punch down our yeast dough. NICE JOB - it worked. It was a bit delayed because SOMEONE was late and we didn't have a toasty fire going early on - but the dough eventually warmed up and doubled like it was supposed to!

Then after it was punched down and rolled out - - it was time to smear butter, sugar, cinnamon, raisins and pecans all over! NOW - this is cookin' folks!

Then we had dessert (thank-you Hannah - it was perfect!) and settled down to listen to Mrs Donlon. She taught us how to weave coasters on home-made cardboard weaving boards! They are awesome! Don't forget to bring these to meetings to finish up!

Everyone started to settle into their night-spots around 10pm - - and slept until almost 8am. All of you were GREAT guests - I'd host you all again real soon! In the morning we enjoyed our cinnamon rolls for breakfast and then made home-made French Knitters! Mrs. M has nick-named them RED NECK KNITTERS - as they are made from a $1 piece of PVC pipe - the name seems fitting. Here Mrs. Johnson and Eliza struggle to find those stitches! Don't worry gals - you'll get the hang of this.

Sleepover Postponed

The results are in. Please don't mistake my "funny" tone as being excited
about this postponement. We have really labored about this and I know everyone
including us, is very sad to not have this event tonight.

While our ailments definately improving - I asked a couple of you if you would be
comfortable here tonight - and the answer was NO! I TOTALLY understand.

The POLL results are a tie between Fridays: 11/27 & 12/4.
I know many are travelling Thanksgiving weekend - so perhaps with 2 weeks notice we can get the majority of kids here for December 4th. Same plan - same list for Tacos & Soup Jars.

If you find that you can't make it - please let me know. Please make arrangements to drop off your soup ingredients. We'll see that you get 2 jars of soup to give as gifts.

Thanks for your understand - and enjoy a night with one less thing on your agendas!

Meeting Reminder - -

OK folks - - the meeting reminder is BELOW another GREAT set of pictures from Mrs. Judy! THANKS - - - This is the Pancake and Scrunchie meeting - - you remember, the one that went REALLY LATE! We're trying very hard NOT to do that this Friday! thanks. Mrs. M!

MEETIING REMINDER

Check the side-bar for items to bring to the meeting on Friday!

We'll be making something with Mrs. Winckler out of our dried flowers. DON'T forget to bring them!

Pics from September 25 Meeting

We did all kinds of great stuff last Friday. We completed Hiking Journals, worked a little bit on cross-stitch, made record book covers, had SHOW & SHARE, ate birthday cake and laughed a lot. Here are some great pictures from Judy! THANKS!

September GeoCache in PTown Forest

We had a GREAT day in PTown Forest. The day started with everyone making a great Hiking Journal. If you missed this - be sure and come at 6:30 Friday. Mrs. W will do it again with you - - we'll be using these all year!

We then went on to find all 5 geocaches that Mrs. Cache mapped out for us. MANY thanks for the great maps and wonderful place to search. Many thanks also to Mrs. D for hosting and Stampin'-Girl for the GREAT design for our HIKING JOURNAL. Don't forget to make a journal entry for this trip. Meeting at 6:30 Friday. Check side-bar for things you need to bring!

Here is everyone with the Ta-Ta cache!
Sorry 'bout your boots Judy!

GREAT flowers!

A nice spot to check the GPS and see where to go from here.

The coordinates say this is the spot. WHERE IS IT?

Mr. M giving some advice about what we may be overlooking.

See what great hikers we are? We all have our maps and 10 essentials bags. NICE job everyone!

Skip-Skip ----- Skip to my Lou.......

Saturday Geocache Hike - Things to Bring

TIME CHANGE: Meet at 10:30 (30 minutes later than previously scheduled!
Remember to bring:

GPS device IF you have one
sack lunch
plenty of water to drink
GOOD walking shoes - keep the weather and MUD in mind
10 Essentials (new members check side bar for what this is)
HAT and RAIN gear. We're not gonna chicken out this time!

First Meeting of the Year

Here are our State Fair Entries for 2009 and 2010. We had two hummingbird feeders on display last month in Syracuse at the NYState Fair. Next year we will have four things on display. Two bluebird houses, one cross stitch project and one pine-cone wreath. Well done girls! Look for this picture in the Advertiser in the next couple of weeks!
Here are our candidates for Vice President. Someone promising CHOCOLATE swept the votes! Congratulations to all of our officers for this year! We're expecting CHOCOLATE Miss. VP!

Here we have a couple of really dedicated Dads. They are helping to prepare the carnations for pressing! THIS is dedication!

Here, everyone is hard at work making their flower presses.

We had a nice crowd. Here is the OTHER side of the room.

Meeting Location

We will definately be meeting at the School this year. However - - we will be at the Middle School in Room 123. This is the Science Room in the 6th Grade Wing. For the first meeting only - we will have someone wait at the main entrance (NOT by the Auditorium - but the one nearer the middle of the building under the Vertical Red Tam...... sign) to help get you into the right cooridor.

The first meeting is this coming Friday, September 11th at 6:30.

Please arrive by 6:30 this first meeting. We will have elections. Kids that have self-nominated should be prepared to speak about WHY they want each office they would like to have. We'll have a brief business meeting - pay $20 Annual Dues - pay $10/person for July Camping Trip - and have several projects. Please check the side-bar and remember to bring the items listed.

All meetings will have a 6:30-7:00 time for the kids to pay their dues BEFORE the meeting and to get help with projects they are working on at home. The meeting-proper will begin at 7:00.

2009 Fair

Everyone did GREAT at the fair. Many thanks to all the kids who helped out taking orders at the Snack Bar. Here is the 1st Shift Crew. You did a Great Job! I'm sorry I don't have a picture of all the rest of you!
Here is Ingrid doing her Oatmeal Brown Sugar Pancake Demonstration at the Fair (recipe link follows). Next year - we hope more kids will do demonstrations and be able to do them at the Fair too.

The "season" for Demonstrations is March. Everyone should be thinking of something to show. It does NOT have to be cooking. Last year Will showed how to build a bridge, Eliza showed how to pot a plant and Grace showed everyone all about making Oatmeal Container Animals. It can be ANYTHING you know how to do well. All you need is your supplies, a poster showing your project and perhaps some cue-cards so you don't forget what you want to say.

Pancake Recipe! Ingrid recommends 1-1/3 cup milk. Otherwise it is TOO thick.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Brown-Sugar-Oatmeal-Pancakes/Detail.aspx

Skin Care Party

The older girls in our group had a day of learning all about how to take care of their skin. Here they are being extremely attentive to Mrs. Kriss. She respresents Mary Kay and came to teach them all about basic skin care, the importance of sun screen and just a touch of teen-age appropriate glamour.
When the hands had been satined, the faces cleansed and moisturized, and a touch of face powder and lip gloss applied we had eight fresh faces with beautiful smiles. THANK-YOU Mrs. Kriss for spending the time with us to help us become self confident young ladies!

Special Congratulations

To Will & Amanda!

Our Cloverbuds did all the projects that everyone else did and they did a GREAT job at the FAIR telling the judges all about it.

Will & Amanda - we are very proud of you. You'll be full 4H Members before you know it.

all the Thrills & Skills Gang - - - -

2009 Fair Plot & Fall Plans

Here are your leaders sprucing up the 4H Building at the Schaghticoke Fair Grounds. Be sure and check out all the things YOU made this year that are in the garden!

Please read thru Side Bar for upcoming meeting dates, things to bring to meetings, etc. Your leaders have planned another great year. Let us know if you need any more information or have questions. We will have hard copies of the year's schedule for you to take home from the first meeting.


VOLUNTEER: We need an adult to help us publish for 4H Week beginning October 4th. Think LOCAL Newspapers & Advertiser! Please take lots of pictures (kids at fair, meetings, outings etc.) and let us know if you can help us out.

April 24th Meeting

Hmmmmm...
What can a bunch of Thrills & Skills kids do with this?

Come tonight and see!

Sewing Shorts Outfits

Last week we tie-dyed a t-shirt and 1 yard of fabric to match. Everyone got to pick what color they wanted. Then, hopefully, everyone rinsed and washed their fabric over the weekend.

Remember for our meeting on March 6th (that is THIS FRIDAY COMING UP) to bring:

Sewing Box with:
washed and ironed tie-dyed fabric
pair of shears
tape measure
straight pins in your completed pin cushion
ALSO - bring a pair of scissors to cut paper with!!!

We'll be cutting out your shorts. You DO NOT need to bring your t-shirt. Keep it in a safe place until later this spring.

Here is G with a completed outfit on that Mrs. M made for someone who wasn't able to be at the meeting (gee - wonder who that is???). I wanted everyone to see how awesome they will be when they are done. We will also be embroidering our Thrills & Skills Logo on the t-shirt with green thread using an embroidery machine - under the careful guidance of Mrs. G. So - this outfit isn't REALLY done yet!

Your updated schedules show all these dates - but I want to post them here so you know what they are about...

By April 17th everyone needs to have their outfits done. Then you need to let one of the leaders (Mrs. D or Mrs. M) know if you are going to participate in the CLOTHING EVALUATIONS. They will be on April 27th from 6-8pm, at the County 4H offices downtown . You will be able to let the leaders know WHAT time you would prefer when you register. On April 27th you will need to wear you outfit down to the 4H office - and show it off. Experienced evaluators will judge them on the construction of the garment (as it is seen on you) and how the outfit looks on the individual.

On May 9th - at 10:30 at the Jo-Ann store in Colonie, 4H will have a FASHION REVIEW. This year it is called the A-May-Zing Creations. It is a regional 4-H Fashion Revue and about 75 participants are expected! In order to participate you MUST HAVE PARTICIPATED in the Clothing Evaluation beforehand. Evaluation sheets from 4/27, ribbons and awards will be presented at the Fashion Revue.

After this, if you want to, you may also participate in the Fashion Revue at the Schaghticoke Fair.

Bread Making -

We learned all about YEAST BREAD a couple of weeks ago. We learned that the water had to be JUST the right temperature - that you have to measure the ingredients EXACTLY - and be careful not to add TOO much or TOO little flour! Even the Mom's had fun!
Here are some more Thrills & Skills gals watching their bread go round and round and be kneeded by the mixer! BREAD IS EASY!

Here is everyone with their shaped loaves. The loaves are now ready to go in the frig for 2-24 hours before baking. Surprise - not all yeast bread has to rise in a warm place.

AWESOME JOB EVERYONE!

Here is one YUMMY loaf ready to serve.

And - here are two more loaves. Maybe one should head for the freezer!