Merry Christmas!

Not much time to post but wanted to pop on. Despite an oddly grouchy morning (thanks to a certain 3 year old who was NOT full of Christmas cheer), we had a really nice holiday when all was said and done. Gifts were a bit more simple this year, but all were received with gratitude. Tons of rich and delicious foods were consumed... and maybe some holiday spirits as well. :)

I feel tremendously blessed today. December 2008 was a very difficult time. The whole year was one of loss for several reasons. As I reflect on how much I have been given this year, I cannot help but be thankful. God is good. And sometimes life is good too.

Today I celebrate the gifts of family, love and the Greatest Gift of All... my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

SNOW

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas....

These were taken yesterday afternoon. The storm finished up early this morning. DH is currently digging us out. :)

she's crafty

Hey, but you already know that. I always hoped I'd have a kid who liked artsy fartsy stuff too. W so far is more interested in turning art supplies into projectiles. He does like to help cook/bake so I can't complain. So we recently did two crafts that were close enough to food that he was into it.

First we made cinnamon/applesauce ornaments. It's sooo easy. Basically take equal parts cinnamon (get the cheap kind from the dollar store) and applesauce. Mix well to make a dough. Roll out between two pieces of waxed paper to about 1/8" and cut out with cookie cutters. I used a straw to punch out holes at the top. W liked this part because the dough got stuck in the straw... hello projectile! So that's when I lost him and he started trying to make cinnamon spit balls. Then you let them dry at a low low oven temp or just air dry and turn them a few times. I'm not posting pics as they are gifts this year. My house smells delightfully of cinnamon everytime you walk in the front door. mmmm

Then today we made cheater gingerbread houses. I constructed the houses out of graham crackers and hot sugar syrup. I was going to use hot glue but it just peeled off the crackers. The sugar method is a bit dangerous but it really worked well.

You melt a bunch of white sugar in a small skillet until it turns liquid. Dip the edges of the cracker in the syrup and carefully stick them together. They cool almost instantly. But it is HOT. Yes I got a couple minor burns in the process.

Me: OUCH!!

W: What happened?

Me: I just burned my finger.

W: Remember what God says.

Me: What's that?
W: You always need to be careful.

hahaha

Oh yeah, back to the project. I made royal icing and we used that to glue on various candies and some animal crackers. W had SO much fun. He was way into it. We actually had some extra houses so he decorated 3 of them and wanted to do more! Unfortunately I broke his last one but we both laughed it off. I think this will definitely be a new family tradition!

maybe

....just maybe if I write it down it will get done this week...

I am feeling a bit out of touch with the Holiday season this year. Ads are talking about "last minute gifts" and I have barely started shopping. Ack!

That's not great. (As my dear son would say.)

So this week I would like to
* make some cinnamon/applesauce ornaments with the little guy.
* order the gifts for my brothers and the grandparents
* take a "Christmas" picture of the boys and order prints
* decide what the heck to get/make for Papa K
* mail out D's birth announcements

ETA: Hey it's working! :)