It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Lots of cute pictures this week, but not too many that I can share yet.  This week I made Bennett a costume to wear for our holiday card photo so there were a few fittings in the evening, and subsequent photos.  We took the photos on Sunday, so by this weekend we'll get the cards back and then they can quickly be signed and mailed.  Here are some pictures that I can share.

I made an advent calendar for Bennett (maybe next week I'll post a picture?) and each day there is a card with some sort of activity.  Some days it relates to what we were planning to do anyway (go to a party, take photos with Santa, etc) and other days it will be a craft, or on many occasions, it's a book to read.  Here's Daddy reading one of the new Christmas books

Thursday Bennett's school had a holiday party. Enrollment at his school is pretty low which works out well because he gets so much one-on-one attention.  They have had a number of new kids start recently though.  What was interesting though was that none of the new families came to the party.  But it was nice to see the kids and parents that we've known for a while now, and that are there every day.  I think there were only 4 families who came to the party (there were also a couple of older siblings) but it kept the whole thing to a manageable size and we were all able to talk.  And Bennett ate another new (to him) food at the party.  Spaghetti!  He also ate mango for the first time, but he hasn't found a fruit that he doesn't like, so that one doesn't surprise us very much.

Bennett decorating cookies (and eating M&Ms) at the holiday party.

On Saturday we set the tree up while Bennett was napping.  I think he was a little surprised to see a tree in the house when he came downstairs.  He helped us decorate and then Daddy picked him up to put the angel on the top.  Unfortunately as Chris leaned in, he got stabbed in the eye by the tree.

We also sat up this snowman that he received for his first Christmas.  He sings Jingle Bell Rock and dances.  Plus there's a little thing on the front of the package that he's holding that spins around and has LEDs that lights up and says Merry Christmas.  A little annoying to us, but Bennett just giggles like crazy.

Sunday afternoon we invited people over for gingerbread (graham cracker) house decorating.  To make things a bit easier I pre-made the houses the night before.  This is pretty helpful because the houses have a chance to completely set and are less likely to fall apart as you put candy on them.  I did end up making 3 houses too many since we weren't entirely  sure who would be able to make it and which adults would want to make their own houses.

Chris helped Bennett with his house, but I think Chris did most (if not all) of the work.  Bennett definitely enjoyed eating the candy though.  :)



Fun for all ages!

 And here are the finished houses.

Yes that's a TARDIS and a Dalek in the back.
We have a number of friends who are Dr. Who fans.

Licorice whip power line coming off one of the houses.

Is the Gingerbread Man a Shriner or just wearing a Santa hat?

My house, and Bennett's "wood shed".

I have to say, I love the way everyone uses the same materials in different ways. And also the way people think out of the box a bit to get materials to suit the need.  For instance, I used Golden Grahams as shingles on my house and Kristen broke them up to make stones for a pathway to lead to her house. Andes Mints got used as doors and shingles and also got cut up to make bricks for a chimney or a different style of shingle.

I do wonder though what people do with their finished gingerbread houses?  Do you just put them out to display and throw them away after a suitable amount of time?  Do you (or the kids) eat them?  It seems that it was a mix of the two options from those I asked.  Personally the idea of eating stale candy doesn't really appeal to me, and I have quite the sweet tooth.