Engineers and Artisans We Are Not

I guess it's no secret my boys have a hate relationship with art and music, but I do not foresee either boy exploring the field of engineering either. Today we put "easy to assemble" and "fail proof" gingerbread houses together and both houses collapsed within minutes. 

I would doubt the product and its promises except the neighbor kids' houses stood straight and resembled the pictures on the box.

The next time one of my boys scores on the soccer field, I will take extreme pleasure in their talent. 

Even with structurally unstable houses and a designated last place finish in the design competition, Evan was all smiles. The sugar high from licking fingers full of icing may have had something to do with it, though. 

Keagan didn't care what his looked like, as long as he wasn't in last place. He just wanted to eat it! Until he remembered he doesn't like gingerbread. 

Next on the agenda is decorating Christmas cookies. 

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas

Nothing says holiday spirit like a Christmas light display. Tonight our neighbors went with us to the river to see the Christmas lights. I don't think anyone really noticed the lights, though; the boys were rolling down hills and running races alongside the water. The adults were mesmerized by a tugboat pushing a barge filled with dirt. Proof positive we don't get out enough. Or maybe we are just getting old. Perhaps we didn't spend a lot of time with lights, but we are grateful for the Christmas season and the people we have grown to call friends in the last year. 

Picture with Santa

After swim lessons this morning, I took the boys to a party supply store to see Santa. It is perhaps not the first place you would consider taking your child to see the bearded guy, but it was the only place that allowed us to take pictures with our own camera for free! In addition, the boys were given big sacks filled with goodies like stuffed animals, pencils, markers, toys, and candy. After waiting in line for forty minutes, Keagan refused to look at Santa, much less take a picture. When I reminded him that he needed to tell Santa what he wanted for Christmas, he replied, "I have enough presents, Mom. I don't need anything else." 

Gingerbread Party

This afternoon the boys and I attended a gingerbread party at our neighbors' house. The Vails put the houses together last night, and today the boys were given the job of decorating with gum drops, candy canes, Smarties, and anything else you can imagine. Most of the boys gave it a good ten minutes before the toys in the play room beckoned them to return to play. 

Evan couldn't believe he was actually invited into Mark's house; when they play, both families have a rule that the four boys must play outside. At snack time, we said our good-byes and headed across town to another party. This time it was a birthday party. And now with the excitement of such a busy day behind them, both boys are fast asleep, and I am headed to the kitchen to make holiday candy.