Merry Christmas 2018

So Much Sugar!

Gingerbread Houses

It is that time of year again, the time for my favorite tradition. Gingerbread houses! This year I tried out something new. I used a GF buckwheat graham cracker recipe to construct the houses and scaled them down in size. It turned out great and held together well with the frosting. The kids had a great time with a rare candy free for all while decorating. Nora got to decorate a cookie this year instead but she still had a great time and may have eaten more than the other kids and had to be stopped!

This is Riley's finished house

This is August's finished house

Sugar Cookies

This has been a year for learning new recipes! I tried the chewy sugar cookie recipe in my cookbook and they taste amazing! I didn't do cut outs and just kept it simple. They looked pretty rolled in colored sugars and I left some plain to be frosted by the kids.
 

Riley's Art

Riley came home with a surprise bag that she could not wait to show us! She has been talking about art class a lot and getting to work with clay(I think these are made out of model magic). She had planned out in great detail how she was going to shape hers and paint them. The one on the left is a heart. The one on the right is a pinch pot with handles on each side and the toothpicks are supposed to be candles. I love getting surprises!

Keenan has been home this week and it has been fun for Riley to have her Dad walk her to school everyday. I have also been enjoying getting extra time with him! We went on a drive last night to look at the Christmas lights, the kids loved it. There were a lot of people who had big displays right in our own neighborhood.  We also went up to Gilbert to see a house that has an elaborate display that is coordinated to music on a radio station. 

Christmas in Ottumwa 2018

The kids are all busy working on some Christmas themed crafts. Liv, Riley and August were making gingerbread houses, Nora is coloring, and Liam was making a snowman!

All of the kids loved these reindeer hats but Liam looked embarrassed to have his picture taken in it!

Stacy painted the kids nails all sorts of fun colors with glitter on top!

Back at Home

 Riley was busy making some Christmas cards and pictures and August was practicing cutting on different types of lines that I drew on a paper. Riley is getting really creative in what she is deciding to make and can plan and cut a whole scene now!

 This picture is of people watching the leaves blow in the wind next to a lake
The other is of a snowman who comes to life at night and throws snowballs

Giving Thanks

Home Sweet Home

 I tried to get a picture of all of them together, this is the best I have for now! I will try to get one of August now auditioning for the band Kiss next time! 
    I love just getting pictures of the kids reading and playing! They are often my favorites.

Thanksgiving: Ottumwa 2018

It was fun to have Thanksgiving in Stacy and Jason's new addition. It turned out beautiful! 

Decorating in Ames 2018

All of the kids enjoyed setting up the tree and decorating but I think Riley loved it the most. She wanted everything decorated! I told her she could have colored lights and more decorating in her own home someday.  She carefully opened each ornament and said how pretty it was and then found the perfect spot for it. Yes that is August dancing instead of decorating, we all have our things!

 Riley is enjoying making a little bowl with handles out of GF play dough

 A box is sometimes the best toy! This one has been many things already. August and Nora are burying each other in stuffed animals and later Riley turned it into a sleigh and colored it while singing Christmas songs.

Riley reading August a book after school! I love these moments!