Blogging from the past series: Part 2 - Dec. 2007

DECEMBER 2007

Gingerbread Houses

Our community holds an annual Gingerbread House making contest and then displays all of the houses for people to come and see. We had never been but thought Ava would enjoy seeing the houses. Ava and I invited my mom to come with us. Elise took a nice nap in her stroller and Ava kept her hands off - so that made for a nice time. Ava also picked out her outfit. She insisted on wearing a dress.

I was pretty impressed with some of the gingerbread houses. We might have to try our hand at real gingerbread house making sometime, although I don't know that we'd ever come anywhere close to some of these mini masterpieces.

After viewing the gingerbread houses, we went over to our favorite bakery to visit "Baker Bob" or "Bob the Baker" (you know - Bob the Builder?), and get some yummy fresh bread. The cinnamon chip is totally addicting. I swear I could eat an entire loaf.

Playgroup Gingerbread House Making

For our playgroup, we did a gingerbread theme. I was in charge of planning it and so I ended up doing the Gingerbread Man story using my flannel board. Then, we decorated the houses. I actually made the houses, something I hadn't done before. Two ingredients: graham crackers and melted sugar. Melted sugar is a serious substance to be working with - let me tell you... After a couple batches of burnt sugar and a few scorched fingers, I successfully made 15 or so houses.

A typical observation I'm sure - more candy went in mouths than on houses. Fun was had. After the kids made their houses, we did a gingerbread hunt. When they came back to the room, they had a real gingerbread cookie waiting for them. This was also the first time I made gingerbread cookies. The cookies were great but I learned that the smell of molasses makes me want to vomit a little.

Finding that Special Tree

After several years "enjoying" our artificial tree, we opted to cut down a real tree this year. Chris is from back east and has really missed that fresh pine smell. I actually went online to find out what was "greener", cutting down a real tree or using artificial. I'm really not that "green", but it sounds like cutting down the real tree is better in the long run. You can google it and form your own opinion. It definitely seems to cost you more green - I think we spent like $50 after everything and it wasn't even that tall of a tree. We're taking our time to decide what we'll do next year. The experience of finding and cutting down your own tree is pretty neat and we did enjoy ourselves...so probably worth it.

I saw Ava from far away and it looked like she was squatting in the middle of an empty field. Coming closer I see that she found the tiniest little perch to sit on - a skinny little tree stump. Those are the type of kid things that make smile.

Elise looks so warm and snuggly.

We finally found the tree of the year after looking forever.

Here it is in all of its Christmas glory.

While decorating the tree, I got out our advent calendar for Ava to see. Boy did she have fun opening and closing all of those boxes. Maybe in a few years we'll use it as intended...or not.

Other December Moments:

Binky girls. Ava, Elise & cousin Kate


Elise in her Christmassy dress. She was in one of those stages where you point a camera at her and she's all dimples & grins.

Ava eating snow.
Mommy: Is that good snow?
Ava: Uh-huh
Mommy: What does it taste like?

Ava: peanut butter

Mommy: LOL

CHRISTMAS 2007/Elise's 1st Christmas

We tried to start some Christmas traditions this year that we thought Ava would enjoy. Here's Ava helping to make cookies for Santa. She dictated a letter to leave for Santa too. I know some people don't do Santa and that's their choice - but Chris and I have such fond memories of the Santa experience that we have to continue the tradition. Of course, we also stressed that Christmas is about the birth of the Savior as you'll see if you look at the flannel board in the picture below. Ava loved to hear the nativity story.

Christmas morning. Santa ate the cookies, the presents were placed under the tree. This was the first Christmas at home with Ava being old enough to remember it and understand it more. We had a great morning at home, just the four of us. Later, we met up with the rest of my family and had a nice time - I guess I didn't get any pics of that - although I remember coming home and looking at all of the thoughtful things my children received and truly feeling so blessed that my kids have so many people who love them.

Everyone up and still in their pjs. Present opening time. This was Elise's 1st Christmas and you probably guessed it - she loved all of the boxes, bow, bags and wrappings.

Ava's big present: a Loving Family Dollhouse.

Ava loves her dollhouse, but I have to tell the Barbie story: Whenever we asked Ava what she wanted for Christmas she didn't say dollhouse every time, sometimes, but not every time. What she wanted was a Barbie. For some reason I decided she was too little for a Barbie and told her she wouldn't be getting one. One tradition that we started this year is to have our kids pick out a toy to donate for Toys for Tots. We told Ava that lots of kids don't have very many toys and that there was a little girl her age that we wanted her to pick a toy for. What did she pick? A ballerina Barbie. She looked at it, almost hesitating but then resolved, and dropped it into the donation box...the toy that she wanted so badly.

Sadly, Santa didn't bring her a Barbie, even though she asked for one again in the note she wrote him Christmas Eve.

Later Christmas day, it was Ava's turn to open presents at my parents' house, along with all of the other grandkids. She got some neat things: paint, pjs, more stuff for her dollhouse, even a music box. Then came the best moment. I had no idea, but someone had gone against my wishes and got her a Barbie! I'll never forget her face when she opened the present, saw it was the same ballerina Barbie she had picked out for the other little girl and screamed with excitement, "A BARBIE!" I almost cried. Not because my parents & sister had pulled a fast one, but that this little girl was so happy to get a Barbie of her very own. I quickly forgot my Barbie prejudice and joined in the excitement. For Ava, this was a Christmas miracle. ;)

One other somewhat funny Christmas gift story. When Chris asked me what I wanted for Christmas, I said that all I really wanted was a breadmaker and maybe some other kitchen stuff, but for sure a breadmaker. I thought for sure a breadmaker was under the tree. Nope. No boxes for me big enough. I opened my gifts which included some pretty nice diamond earrings. Do you know that I was actually a little disappointed when I got diamonds instead of a breadmaker? Am I actually that practical?? I think I was just expecting to get the breadmaker. I think I hurt Chris' feelings as he was trying to get me something more thoughtful and personal than a breadmaker. I love my earrings and wear them all the time. I also just recently picked up a used breadmaker from my friend Rebecca's garage sale for $3. Case closed.

Elise's favorite present - an apple of her very own from her stocking. This was her first time gnawing into an apple. I took (okay, I ate it off - one of the perks of being a mom ;) the peel off of half of it so she could eat it without the fear of her choking on the peel. Whenever she got close to the peel I'd take it away and turn it or something. She got SOOOO upset anytime I even touched her apple. She cried and cried when the it was finally bye-bye apple time. All good things must come to an end.

And that's the end of our 2007.