Christmas 2011

Today the boys were having an argument- about where our Christmas tree was located the year Cohen got his first bike. They like to argue about thing like that- you know the things that really matter.  Anyway- the solution to ending the argument? Right here. Lucky for them I document just about everything so a simple trip to the archives of December 2008 revealed that Cohen was right and Rylan was wrong. 

So just in case a couple years from now I need to know some little piece of information about Christmas of 2011....here's the rundown. 

We spent Christmas Eve with my dad- where Annika thoroughly enjoyed a singing and dancing snowman...

 The boys spent a lot of time with their pastels and paints the week before Christmas making gifts for their grandparents.

Thanks to Pinterest, I had plenty of options to give them. 

I absolutely loved all of their artwork and have put in orders for them to make me one as well.

 

This one in particular- I think turned out so nice. Cohen painted it. I can see a set of 4 with all the seasons represented on my wall.

 

This next one with the 4 trees was Lakin's. It is one of the first pieces he's ever done that he completely painted. He usually doesn't have the patience. 

 

He also made this snowman- which he enjoyed most because he got to use my special, fancy watercolors and not just the tempra or crayola watercolors. 

 

I also made some of the gifts this year. Starting with these Ribbon wands for some of the little girls in the family and a few for friends. 

Lakin asked for one too...so he and Annika got one on Christmas morning.

And of course I made treats too....

Cookies and Cookie Dough balls.

Then it's Christmas night and everyone is asleep-

 

On Christmas morning here at our house- the kids wake up one by one and they come into our room and watch movies on Netflix on the computer until everyone is awake- or until we say it is okay to go wake the last sleepyhead. 

Then it's stockings and presents.

 

 

 

Some of this year's favorites?

 

Klutz books- pipe cleaner critters and monsters.

The pedometer. Now they don't have to share the one we had and can constantly one up each other in number of steps.

 

Cameras. My mom got them each their own REAL camera. They have taken so many pictures in the past week and tons of videos. 

 

Hats.

Lakin and Annika got their own cowboy hats. Lakin has been wanting one since Cohen got his for his birthday.

 

Cohen had to show him how a real cowboy face is supposed to look.

And one of my favorites from my camera. I have a whole series- where she walked up to Cohen- who was working in a dot-to-dot book- sat down, climbed on his back and pushed his head down. But this one looks like she's sweet and hugging him and not at all like she was screeching and attacking him for fun. 

A Week's Worth

We started off the week in North Carolina....

Enjoying the fall colors and cooler weather


And painting inside.

And showing Bandit around his soon-to -be home.


And more painting inside.

We pulled from our fall garden.

Tuesday we did some art with friends.

Optical illusion drawings.
I had seen these on Pinterest a couple weeks ago and was happy to finally try them.


Then we played games

And read books

and more games.

Then I took over the playroom-

with 150+ cookies

And lots and lots of icing

Lots of icing.

Here's the finished product- they were for a friend whose daughter is getting married tomorrow.

Wednesday was packaging day. Thankfully I had some help and conversation which made the time go by much more quickly.

Thursday was cupcakes-


Chocolate and white cupcakes in 4 bouquets for the Bride's Luncheon and Rehearsal dinner.

And tonight, I am doing nothing.

TN Valley Fair Culinary Arts Wrap-Up

Tomorrow is the drop off day for the Culinary Arts contest. I am not exactly sure why I agreed to let them enter so many categories. But here is a run down of my boys' creations for the fair.

First off we have decorated cookies- all 3 of my older boys entered this category...

Rylan's leaves

Cale's hummingbirds and owls

Cohen's gingerbread men and Christmas trees

Then on to cupcakes....again all 3 entered this category. I really liked how all of these turned out.

Rylan did the red dahlias
Cale did the green monsters
and
Cohen did the turkeys

On we go....anyone want to come eat dessert at my house?

Brownies- yeah....all 3 again.

Rylan's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies (REALLY good)

Cohen's Mint Chocolate Brownies

and Cale's Marshmallow Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Brownies. My chocolate lover was in heaven while tasting these.

Rylan also entered other categories.

Trail Mix

and Any Other Cookie.
He chose Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip (my favorite)

And Cale entered one more...cereal squares.
He chose to make Hot Chocolate Krispies.

And that was 2 days of A LOT of baking. Good thing is that this year the boys are much more independent in the kitchen. I didn't have to do too much helping at all. But I did wash my mixing bowl more times than I cared to.

Now to pack up a lot of the left overs so I can get them OUT of the house tomorrow.