Getting Ready for Christmas

Friday afternoon we decided to make cut out sugar cookies. I wasn't planning on doing this since we don't have quite as many Christmas activities to go to and I didn't think we needed them (not so healthy). But then they started sounding so good and I was feeling like a bad mom not doing this traditional activity with my kids, so I borrowed my neighbors rolling pin (I didn't bring mine over here) and we made some cookies. Broderick actually loves helping in the kitchen and almost every time I'm making a meal, he scoots his chair over and is there to help me.Here he is cutting out the shapes. I bought a Christmas collection of cookie cutters. It included the usual shapes .... a star, angel, tree, heart, and ..... a pig. What ??????
Given Broderick's age, I didn't mess with the different color frostings, and got sprinkles instead. Can you see how Broderick put them on? Basically, a mountain of them all in one area.
Oh well, at least he had fun with it, right? And they tasted yummy.

Anika wasn't into the baking yet, but she wanted to show how she's pulling herself up on furniture. She will go all the way to her feet everynow and then, but most of the time she is on her knees.
Saturday morning, Brad took Broderick out to pick our a Christmas tree and cut it down. We couldn't all go because all of us and the tree wouldn't have fit in the car. This is the first year either of us have had a real tree, so we don't really know what we are doing and are hoping we can keep it alive .... at least until Christmas. The top is a little sparse. We need to get something to put up there, I think. Unfortunately, I hear one of the best things about having a real tree is the smell, but I'm congested right now, so I'm anxiously waiting until I can actually enjoy it. Broderick helping mommy put on the decorations. He took this job seriously and didn't really let me do to much. I asked him to put some tinsel on the tree. Well, he did .... all in one spot. Here are the kiddos in front of the tree. Amazingly neither of them mess with the presents too much. He'll point and ask who each present is for, but I figured he would have attempted to open at least a few of them. Good job Broderick and good job Anika for not pulling the tree over or breaking all the ornaments.

I love doing these kind of things. It makes me excited for the holidays. I cannot believe its less than 2 weeks until Christmas. Wow, where has this year gone?????