My own private Christmas Party

This year I decided to do something fun/crafty with my grandkids during their Christmas vacation.  I've never actually planned time to spend time with them....I just let it happen.  This year I bought several different Gingerbread House kits, a village, a large house, and a train.  A brought another large house that she had purchased.  So we had plenty of projects to go around.  I got so caught up in trying to make these buildings stick together that I forgot to take pictures, at first.  I did get photos of all the kids working on the houses except S.  I got him working on my second project, a reindeer made out of candy canes, yarn, ribbon and googly eyes.  I saw this project in a magazine and it looked easy and cute.  But I lost where the article was so I had to make them from memory.  They turned out cute....but not really like I remember the picture.  Oh well, the kids had fun and that's all that mattered.  We made some wonderful memories and I will always treasure that. 

Oh and by the way....Gingerbread Houses are HARD!  They are also terribly messy and the frosting stuff that they include in the package was basically worthless.  I used canned frosting and had to keep putting the houses into the refridgerator to harden the icing.  Now they are all sitting on the dining room table and one has collapsed completely and the other half it's roof has slid to the ground.  After a trip to the grocery store to replenish my icing supply...I will attempt repairs.  I think next year I will come up with a new project...but will ask the kids if they want to do it again.  If they love the tradition...then we'll just keep on doing it!

One tradition that we had for many years was when A, L and I would bake Christmas cookies together every year.  It was about a week long process of searching the internet for new recipies and making a list of all the new ingredients we would need.  I would purchase all of said ingredients and we would take a whole afternoon/evening and mix, bake and decorate to our heart content.  Most of the cookies were destined for our annual church cookie exchange.  Those memories are sweet and I will always treasure them.  But now that L isn't part of our family traditions anymore...baking cookies just doesn't seem like something I want to do....yet.

I want to make sure that we are making memories.  Creating family.  Building strong relationships that will stand the test of time and give strength to them as they venture out into this big bad world.  Family....however it's put together....that's what matters.

Speaking of family...there was a Father who sacrificed his only Son.  He chose me.  He sent His Son to become a part of us.  To live with us, to become human.  To know us.  To save us.  His birth we celebrate this Saturday...that was the beginning...but this we must remember...He was born to die.  In my place.

Thank You!