The Gingerbread Man

Christmas in Ottumwa

December 16 and 17

The kids were really excited for the first Christmas celebration of the year, mostly to get some cousin time. All of the kids played really well together but Riley and Olivia had their own world again and were inseparable throughout the weekend. They were found giggling together in the playroom, the living room, and under the kitchen table. Liam is really gentle with the little kids and really enjoys snuggling with Nora, makes me feel nice to see them bond. 

All the kids watching a movie together

At Home Again

  Riley got out of school early on Wednesday, the 20th. The Kindergartners all got to make a gingerbread house in the school cafeteria that day! Becky Crawford was nice enough to watch August and Nora for the morning so I could go and be there with Riley. She was so excited that I was there that she wanted me to stay all day.
 

   
   This year Riley wanted to make gingerbread cookies like from "The Gingerbread Man" book. She even asked me if I would lock the door before we started so they couldn't get away! Gotta love that imagination and sense of humor.  She did a really good job cutting them out and I helped her transfer them to the cookie sheet then she was gleeful at decorating them!  I made a maple gingerbread. They rolled out well and held their shape but I didn't think they tasted extraordinary so I think I will try another recipe if we make them again.

 

        It is hard to get just one good one where they are all looking so I posted a lot!

 This year we are doing "Mouse Pocket". It is what my mom used as an advent calendar.  I wrote little slips of paper and put in them, I kept most of them pretty simple.  The kids loved the food related ones the best but seem equally pleased at the prospect of snuggling and reading Christmas books. They enjoyed making the hand print wreath, except for Nora, she screamed. We made a oreo mint shake, a take on a Munson tradition. It makes me happy to see them enjoy things like gingerbread houses so much, that was a weekend one.

This and That

My Birthday
This year I turned 31. Riley and August went with Daddy to run some errands and I stayed home with Nora. It's fun to have some special time with each of them. It was also just nice to have some quiet time anyway, I spent the week prior being sick and taking care of people who were sick with a stomach bug. I will just say that I did a lot of cleaning and laundry that week. When Riley and August came home they brought me some surprises! They went to the flower shop and got 3 peach roses, tiramisu from The Cafe, and the next book in the series I am reading from the library. 

Thanksgiving in Marion

This year Kaleb hosted Thanksgiving. It was fun to see his house again and this time it wasn't just full of boxes. This time it was full of tables, family and lots of great food.  The kids had no problem turning a room into a playroom and loved the activities that Grandma planned for them. I finally got to meet my newest nephew Oliver!

Just Playing At Home

We had some warm weather in late November and early December so we took advantage of that with outside time and rare park days. Nora loved crunching up the leaves, testing if they were food, then trying to climb the little slide. 

 A Visit From Grandma Nancy
Mom came to visit at the end of November and beginning of December. I got to walk Riley home from school each day because she came during the week. It was really special for Riley and I. Just some time to chat and not be rushed. I got the gingerbread houses all baked and ready for some fun later. I love the way it makes the house smell. Mom was also here for a movie night. It was the first Friday in December so we let the kids pick a Christmas movie. Elf!! Will Ferrell basically acts the same as a five year old in that movie so naturally they loved it!
   Mom gave Nora her birthday gifts. She loved her new baby and was already trying to feed her a bottle, pretty darn cute! She also got a camelbak cup which is great because she is always trying to steal mine.

 
 

Fun At Home
Baking sugar cookies and decorating them.This is something Stacy and I always did together. Riley is getting pretty good at it. She is very neat and thoughtful in her frosting and sprinkle decorations. She was even mixing the colors on some of them and each one looked like a tiny work of art! August liked eating and dumping as many sprinkles as he could onto each cookie. I put his in a separate container also because he had a runny nose and as many times as you tell a 2 year old not to lick there fingers it is going to happen.

 

The kids playing car, August was the driver

Riley helping and feeding Nora Oatmeal

Decorating Gingerbread Houses
  This is also something that Mom did for us each year and was my favorite tradition. She used a cast iron mold that only made 1/2 a house so baking them took a long time. I just use a pattern that I made out of matte board and cut around it with my chef knife. It doesn't take too long and the smell is amazing. The kids eat A LOT of candy in the process of decorating but hey that is part of the fun.

Riley's House

August's House

 Playing Around
I put up a lot of pictures again but I thought too many were cute. This was just Nora and Riley playing. August was napping so I will have to get some tree pictures another time with all of them. I love the look on Nora's face here, so funny! Nora loves the tree and all the lights. I did try to put some presents under it recently and she promptly pulled the ribbon off and tried to unwrap it so I think I will have to postpone putting gift under the tree or just watch them until Christmas. I haven't decided which, haha. Merry Christmas everybody!