Gingerbread Fun 2011

We decorated our annual Party gingerbread house last night.  (Which is no small feat with three fiercely independent and opinionated kids who all want things 'just so.')  But before the sticky fun could begin - we had to gear up in our new Holiday Baking Aprons.  Thank you Rymill family - I got these with your super generous Christmas gift card last year - and tucked them away until now. The children ADORE them - and want to bake more - just so they can keep on the super cute aprons!  (By the way, I got one too - but since Daddy wasn't home yet - there's no pictures of us in our matching set - but stay tuned as the holiday baking frenzy continues...)

 Once suited up - it was time to start sticking on candy.  Thankfully Deonne assembled the house earlier yesterday morning - so it was ready and set and structurally sound (thank you structural engineer) so we didn't have to wait to glue on the sugar love.

It's always funny to me to see the kids personalities come out in different crafting events.  Anna carefully makes patterns, making sure colors and shapes repeat in set lines....while the boys just stick on whatever they can get their hands on.

 Jack especially loved the candy balls that came with the kit.

 And I'm happy to report that everyone worked really well together - sharing and allowing each other the opportunity be creative - while stealing a few samples of candy along the way...

But it's hard when the fun ends - and you don't think you should be finished - and you don't understand why there isn't more candy to decorate with...

Anna and James were very proud of their accomplishment - and happily posed for a picture.

Jack was insulted for many reasons and refused to smile.  (Not only were we out of candy, but I wouldn't let him sweep the floor - because he kept swinging the handle of the broom into the flame of the gas stove - and I didn't want to burn the house down... bad mommy am I....)

I think they did a great job.

After bath, the kids each decorated their Christmas trees.  This year, the boys are sharing a tree - in addition to sharing a room.  So instead of two short tabletop trees, they have one larger one (a skinny one I found stashed in the back of the attic.)

And while decorating Christmas trees is fun - apparently re-runs of America's Funniest Home Videos is more fun - so we had to literallly drag James away to work on his tree.

ut once he got started - he had fun.  And Jack - who intermittently helped - and opted to run back and forth between the boys' and Anna's room - terrorizing her while she was trying to complete her homework.
Little brother.

And there you have the boys' 2011 Christmas Tree.

We'll get pictures of Anna's up tonight....