Gingerbread house

Christmas is officially two weeks away! The Staples family is very excited. Today the girls and I made our first gingerbread house. I know I bought one two years ago, but we never made it. Savanna ate the frosting and all the candy I gave her to put on the house. Laney and Olivia did an awesome job on decorating and Addison kept walking around the table to see which sister would give her some candy. I think in one of these pictures Savanna has frosting on her face.

Josh was at work today, so he missed the messy craft. He had an emergency root canal yesterday so hopefully he feels better today. Now I know why dentist's make so much money. I'm a little frustrated that our insurance doesn't pay more for a root canal.

Enjoy our gingerbread house.

Olivia's Black Eye

Olivia got her first black eye. They were running around like a bunch of crazies and Olivia and Savanna bumped heads. I tell Savanna all the time that her head is a weapon. It's heavy and she swings it around. I've been hit with her dome a few times and it hurts. Olivia was freakin out, like anytime she gets any sort of ouchies, then I looked at her eye and saw a huge welt underneath her eye. Poor thing. It doesn't seem to hurt her.

Snow

It snowed a tiny bit here today. The girls flipped out and said, "It's Christmas!" I told them that it is Christmas time but not Christmas day. It only lasted a few minutes and then melted a few minutes later, but it sure was fun.

Family Devotions

Last night we had our first family devotion. I hadn't started doing this before, because I didn't think the girls would sit and listen. The only one listening was Laney, but hey, you gotta start sometime. It was a very short lesson on where the Bible came from, how God created us and we should follow his rules in the Bible, and little bit of the christmas story. Laney listened and answered all the questions I asked correctly. Savanna sat in Daddy's lap and Addy in mine. Olivia kept bowing in her ballerina costume and repeating "Yes your highness." She lives in barbie princess world. So I asked her "Where was baby Jesus born?" and she said, "At the doctor's!" Then I asked her "Where did the bible come from?" and she said, "From your room!"

Christmas survey

Getting to Know Your Friends - Christmas Addition

Welcome to the Christmas edition of getting to know your friends.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper. Even though bags would be easier, it's not as much fun.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Real!!! I actually tried to buy a fake tree last year and I took it back.

3. When do you put up the tree? Day after Thanksgiving. If the tree place would of had them earlier, I would of gotten one.

4. When do you take the tree down? When ever it starts to bug me.

5. Do you like eggnog? NO

6. Favorite gift received as a child? A beautiful purple dress that my great grandmother sewed for me. She also made a matching dress for my doll.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes. But it's a plastic toy one. I'm afraid a pretty one would just get broken in my house. You cant have a broken baby Jesus.

8. Hardest person to buy for? My dad.

9. Easiest person to buy for? The kids, Josh and my brother.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail. Because I love to get them in the mail, I love to send them out.

11.Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I don't think I can remember.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? I love them all, but am fond of the classics like Holiday Inn, White Christmas, and It's a Wonderful Life.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? The past few years, I've found good deals on the toys the kids are asking for before Thanksgiving

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I just did last week for a white elephant party, but I'm not gonna say what the gift was!

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Desserts and baked goods.

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? clear on the tree... and clear outside on the house

17. Favorite Christmas song? I like the ballads like O Holy Night and Carol of the bells This year I'm trying to teach the girls Little Drummer Boy.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? The past couple of years we have gone to Oregon, this year we are excited to stay home and have family come here. Thanks guys! Can't wait to see you.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? No.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning!! And one present on Christmas eve.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Traffic and cranky workers at the stores

23. What do you want for Christmas this year? I just want the girls to have a good christmas and our family to get here and have a great time.

24. Favorite ornament theme or color? I'm staring at my tree right now and I just love it. Laney just told me our tree is the most beautiful tree she has ever seen.

25. Favorite for Christmas dinner? My husbands prime rib. He is one handsome cook!

Books

I'm reading this book called THE SHACK by William P. Young. It's one of the best books I've read in a long time. If you have questions about why God allows bad things to happen to you or the people you love this is the book to read. (besides the Bible of course) It also talks about being Jesus lovers and followers and not "christians". Being a christian or a religious person is not going to save you or bring you peace. A true relationship with Jesus is what brings those things. I highly recommend reading this book.

Home

We are back from a Thanksgiving trip to Flagstaff. Brian and Chelsea, I'm so sorry we missed you. We had a good trip. Thank you Mom and Dad, for cooking for us and dealing with our chaos. We got our christmas tree yesterday and will be decorating it today. I love fresh trees. My house smells so good. I think I'm done christmas shopping so I get to concentrate of baking and doing fun christmas crafts with the kids.