Gingerbread Houses 2015

We have a tradition as siblings to build gingerbread (a.k.a graham cracker) houses every Christmas season.

8 years ago, when Tyler and I were dating, we had this idea to do with Ellie and Isaac.  And since then it's grown into a yearly Christmas tradition that involves ALL the siblings- Tyler and me, Ellie, Isaac, Grey and Ashley!

I love that!

Here's Tyler's house this year:

It collapsed under the weight of the roof, so he just went with it.

Here is Ellie's:

I love her detail!  Beautiful!

Here's Grey and Ashley's (they're newlyweds, so they collaborated):

Complete with skylight and rooftop fire pit!

Here is Isaac's:

It blows me away how far he's come since we've started!  Isn't that a great house?

And here's mine:

Aaron woke up from a nap early, so I wasn't able to complete it.  I got the structure and one side of shingles done, and had to tend to my motherly duties (Aaron was angry every time I tried to glue down a shingle- he wanted to eat it.  Regardless of how many he could eat that were in front of him... someone was still a little tired...)  So Isaac finished it off for me!  I love what he did with it!

I love my brothers and sisters!

Here's to many more years of gingerbread houses!

Under The Christmas Tree

Having a tree and an almost two year old isn't always easy.

 But it sure is fun!

Love my inquisitive little guy.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Cookies, Sugar

"I sure do like those Christmas cookies, sugar
I sure do like those Christmas cookies, babe...

The ones that look like Santa Claus
Christmas trees, bells and stars
I sure do like those Christmas cookies, babe..." (George Strait)

Sugar cookies are a hit in this house.  I make enough for us to eat here at home, for family get-togethers, and for Tyler to take to work.

This year I also made "stained glass" snowflake cookies.  That's jolly rancher in the middle!

And Aaron helped me decorate this year.  I REALLY loved that!  He'd point to the color, I'd squeeze the bottle and he'd direct it on the cookie.  Then he'd pick out what sprinkles he wanted and went to town.

("Now those sprinkly things just makes things worse

'Cause it makes them taste better than they did at first
And they're absolutely impossible to resist...")

And I couldn't let the broken cookies go to waste!

"I sure do like those Christmas cookies, babe."

Makin' Cookies!

Aaron helped me make cookies this morning.

It started that he would drop the dough in the sugar for me...

He quickly discovered it was more fun to just play in the sugar.

It's ok!  I was happy to have his help. :)

And the ginger snap cookies brought back memories of Mrs. Piper from Minneapolis.  I can remember her kitchen, her front porch, and the look and smell of her cookies!

Yummy!!

And we ended the baking fun with an even more fun bath!

A good morning!

Winter Wonderland!

I get to live here.

This is my back yard.

It's beautiful isn't it?

I am blessed.

Let's try this again!

I was looking through this blog tonight and it was a series of flashbacks I thoroughly enjoyed!  All the photos and memories- it was great!  It made me smile, it made me laugh.  It even made me sad (oh Wally...).

I decided it's time to bring this blog back to life.  With a talented and wonderful husband, a wild and lovable two year old, a sweet three year old Golden and a crazy kitten, I think there'll be things I'll want to look back on again!  And if you want to read about them, you are more than welcome!

So I'll start today's post with photos from yesterday.

After diving face first into it, someone discovered the joy of eating snow!

Now one of his clearest words in his growing vocabulary is "Snooh!"

 We take more time to bundle him up than we do outside, but we love every minute of it!

And if he's not eating the snow, this is what he's doing.  Over, and over, and over, and over...

My sweet boy.

I am feeling so grateful.

I have such a wonderful husband.  And my son is such a joy.  And now I get to be home with him full time.  What?!  My impossible dream come true.

It has been a month that I've been home now.  I feel closer than ever to my son, and even to my husband.  I feel like I've got my wonderful purpose.  I love cleaning my home, and then setting that cleaning aside to play with my son, knowing I have TIME to clean later.  I love having supper cooked and ready when Hubby gets home.  I love spending my day reading, coloring, painting, snuggling, tickling and playing outside with my son.