Our first of three Christmases!
They don't look very excited do they???

Fun times!!

More cookie decorating...close-ups!
She's got great fine motor skills for a 2 1/2 yr.old....

Sprinkle, sprinkle....

Sprinkle, sprinkle....

It's hard to see the sugar on her fingers..but it's there....trust me!!!

Christmas Cookies!
I am sooo glad they make a sugar cookie mix now. Makes this MUCH easier...
We cut out 40 cookies that morning!

Decorating time! Our feet crunched when we walked around after this....
There was a teeny bit of colored sugar and sprinkles on the floor! ;)

Sprinkle hog...

We made our traditional gingerbread train the other night. Everyone had a good time placing the candy. We have done this every year since the boys were RA's age.

Such concentration...

I love having the completed train in the house. You can smell gingerbread for several days . It's definately one of my favorite things.
We went to get haircuts today and when we got home C. said to me, "Mama the back door is open." I looked and sure enough it was. As I was walking over to close it this is what I saw...

The last few remaining pieces of our train. I stood there open-mouthed for a second in total disbelief, trying to figure out what happened. Then it hit me. The dogs. Our gate to the backyard has been open the last few days allowing the beasts into the backyard. Well, unbeknownst to me, the backdoor was unlocked. The beasts made their way in, undoubtly smelled the wonderful gingerbread and had themselves a party. I imagine the scene in my breakfast room was equal to the scene in A Christmas Story when the Bumpas' hounds attacked Ralphie's dad's turkey. Only without the hillbilly music.

Big changes for our house this month. First, as you may remember, this:

Now, this:

Yep. No more crib. We have graduated to a toddler BED. It's the same size of a crib, but a bed. No rails. Nothing to contain her. Not that having rails was a deterrant for her. She just scaled over the top and down and was FREE!! This is new for us because the boys never climbed out of the crib. We moved them straight from a crib to a full- size bed.

I am already envisioning MANY trips to return her to the bed. I sure hope we are all ready for this....

Trimming the tree...

Trimming the house...my own personal Clark W. Griswald!