Mommy's Little Kitchen Christmas Helper

Cooling sweet rolls

Joshua "making"... we all stayed in our pjs for most of the day!

Dinner time!

Our friend Landry

We have been very busy in the kitchen over the past couple of weeks. We kicked off the festivities with a baking day with our friends Amie and Landry. What began as an afternoon baking party turned into eating chili in shifts among lots of cookies as Amie and I scrambled to finish while our husbands played with the children. It was exhausting, but it was so much fun! Last Sunday, I made sweet rolls for our Waco Christmas morning. I chose Sunday because David could run interference with the kids. This is the first year I would say that sweet rolls were easier than the peanut butter balls, which I attempted with both kids awake and no other adults around... hmmm. I envisioned Joshua's playing with a blob of peanut butter dough happily while I rolled and rolled and rolled... and rolled some more. He made one ball for Daddy, ate a little ball, and then made me nervous for a while until I quit trying and waited for nap time to continue. My kids just aren't hands-free enough yet for me to be up to my wrists in margarine and peanut butter for such a long time!

Mommy's Little Helper

Joshua loves to help me with things. He is very sweet about giving Ellie toys and playing with her. Sometimes Joshua is actually helpful; other times, I smile and remind myself that he is being very sweet as I restrain myself from discouraging his efforts. (Picture bath time: Making sure Ellie isn't about to fall over or eat peeling paint or get pelted by the generosity of her brother giving her "many toys!")

The Griffin in him

When we sit down to breakfast at my Mom's house, there is a sea of beverages. Christmas morning is the ultimate example: juice, milk, coffee or tea, eggnog, and homemade cider... and even water for me, usually! My Mom says Griffins like lots of fluids! I guess Joshua is related. He likes to have his options. This is our morning snack. Maybe some "Bissy Da-das" (Goldfish) and "many wups"!

The Pink Car

Well, I have been stalling because it has been so long since I last posted anything! I guess I will get started even though I don't have pictures to go with many of my stories lately. At Thanksgiving, cousin Lily brought Joshua - oops, I mean ELLIE :) a little pink car riding toy thing. (How is that for a word picture!?) The reason that I forget that it is for Ellie is because although it is pink an purple with a little detachable purse, Joshua LOVES that car! He has a rocket as well that he loves, but there is just something about that car. David and I have been working on reminding Joshua that Ellie is sharing her car with him until she is old enough to use it by herself. He disagrees!

Ellie loves the Pink Car as well, I have learned. What's not to love? There is even a detachable purse! (To Joshua's credit, he refuses to drive the car with the purse attached...) Ellie thinks it is quite delightful to sit next to the car roll it around. She gets a grip on it and moves it back and forth. Yesterday, I put her on it and held her while I pushed her around. (Of course, this took place during Joshua's nap time!) Ellie was all grins. When I stopped pushing her, she kind of bounced in the seat as if to say, "Come on, now, keep it going, Mom!" When I took her off the seat, she shrieked and shrieked in protest. She knows what she wants!!

Stroller Seasons Part 2

Awhile ago I pondered how I noticed changes in my kids based on their stroller behavior. Well, it has happened again! These days when we are out in the stroller, Joshua only rides for a short time, and Ellie leans forward and bounces in anticipation. I think that she really would leap out if I didn't strap her in! During times when Joshua sits next to Ellie, she bothers him a little, but more often they end up just laughing at each other. No more snacks for Joshua in the stroller because Ellie will get mad that there is nothing for her, and the stroller where they can't sit next to each other? Forget about it! That's too boring for both parties!

Ree riss yats!!

Well, in case you didn't guess, this is yet another lesson in Joshua's language. It is also a Mommy thrilled with the beginning of the Christmas season as always, but even more because it is so fun to explain things to Joshua as we go. We are enjoying day-by-day reminders of the Advent of Jesus with Joshua and Ellie's Advent calendar, and we tell Joshua the stories of the different characters every day. This week, we have told the story of Mary each day. I decided to be very redundant this year so that Joshua will remember the couple of sentences I share with him.

Joshua loves the Little Drummer Boy. He likes the song, but he really loves the book that his Great Aunt and Uncle sent to him. I think we read it twenty times yesterday! I thought it was so interesting that he recognized Mary in the book, but he kept asking where the drum was because it is shaped a little differently.

Oh, and the title of this post... Joshua loves Christmas lights! (Can you see those words in the title?) He likes the kind that are really porch lights and street lights as well. Easy to please! David told him that the lights are for Jesus' birthday party - even if lots of people don't realize it! I have been thinking about making a birthday cake for Jesus each year as part of our Christmas Eve celebration. What kid can't relate to birthday cake?! :) I haven't taken any pictures of Christmas in our home, but I will soon!