Christmasing

So the week of Dmitri's Christmas break, Daniel had the first 

Monday off, then just had to work Tuesday, and Wednesday. 

Crazy to think he won't have to work for the next 3 years! Though

he'll be going to school. So it'll be like he's working. 

Anywho's, we started off our Tuesday with a waffle breakfast!

Paige LOVES herself some waffles. They're a daily request. 

I love these three little faces so much, and it especially melted my

heart that Paige moved her chair from one side of the table, to the 

other, so she could be close to me. Then Dmitri scooted his chair

closer to mine. 

Definitely a moment I was treasure, because I know as they get into the

teenage years, it might not always be that way. 

Paige is my little helper in the kitchen. She loves to come in when

I'm in there, and ask if she can help. I try to always find something 

for her to help with, as not to discourage her from asking. Sometimes 

she just helps pour flour into the mixing bowl, or getting something from

the fridge. 

This day I decided to make guacamole, since I had avocados that I needed

to use up. So we dumped a bunch of ingredients into the blender, and she 

got to hold the lid down, and puree everything. She thought she was pretty cool.

She even let Dmitri know what she was doing, when he came into the kitchen. 

So I don't always love making gingerbread houses. You buy the kit,

work hard to make them, then throw them away, because the gingerbread is like 

cardboard.

So this year I decided to make all the pieces, and try to construct some. 

It worked out pretty good! I did miscount, and didn't quite end up with all

the sides that I needed for two houses. So Paige ended up making a smaller 

house, but it worked out! 

I had a little audience while I was making everything. Of course, Paige helped,

and then enjoyed rolling, and cutting the same piece of dough, for about an hour.

Lydia pulled up a chair next to Paige, and kept shoveling dough into her mouth... 

We decided to make it a little competition, so it was boys against girls. 

The boys didn't use enough frosting at first, so their house fell apart.

The girls were doing good, until I realized we were missing a wall piece,

and realized again that I thought it was an extra piece, and had taken a 

bite out of it... So we just added extra icing, and it worked out. 

Paige was convinced she knew what she was doing, since she had

watched an episode of Max & Ruby, where they had made gingerbread

houses. 

It was a little harder getting the icing out, than she originally thought.

So she got some help with that part! 

Lydia just observed, and ate whatever M&M's came rolling her way.

 Dmitri's house on the left, Paige's on the right. 

I like Dmitri's upside down guy, and I like how much

time Paige took with hers. They are very different people, obviously,

but it's always interesting to me, when their differences really show. 

So check gingerbread houses off the list! 

Paige said she was going to save hers for Santa. She had

a change of heart the next day, and decided to eat it. Too bad 

she barely got a bite out of it. She had it on the table, then walked off. 

When she came back, it was gone, and the empty plate on the floor.

So it seems the dog enjoyed her gingerbread house.... Ugh!