Cookies and Gingerbread

We have several Christmas traditions revolving around cookies and gingerbread.  This year December 18 was baking day.  The boys got right in there with me rolling and cutting pieces for their gingerbread houses and cookies to decorate.  Maybe next year I'll turn them loose to do it by themselves!

 Next on the agenda was our annual trip to the Reston Town Center Hyatt to see the Gingerbread Display.  Eliana wasn't too impressed, but she did really enjoy her after-viewing Panera pastries!

I also hosted my annual girls Cookie Exchange this same week.  The flu and other mishaps reduced our numbers to 7, but we had a great time anyway!  And I love my new "team captain" shirt!

 Wednesday we took on the houses.  The boys had a blast.  And so did Eliana when she showed up after nap time and discovered the tasty scraps. :)

 The last cookie activity waited until family arrived - the decorating.  This was the first time in my life I ever saw my dad decorate a cookie!

 Works of art.  So fun and sooooo yummy!!

The 24th I spent most of the day (after church) in the kitchen. So much cooking to do, but so much more fun when wearing a Santa apron. :)  Merry Christmas!

Our Little Lemon

I'm updating because I know many of you want to know...as of this morning we still have a heartbeat! 14 weeks yesterday. Thank you for your continued prayers and messages. I have been so on-edge for the last few weeks and as a result have been checking on baby every week. I am trying to stay hopeful and at this point have good reason to be, but I have just had the hardest time relaxing. My latest loss (which happened in 2007) was at about 15 weeks, so I don't feel all the way out of the woods just yet. And I'm really thankful for a practice that lets me call them up and say "I need a heartbeat check today!!" <3 span=""> <3 span="">

And yes, I am still exhausted all the time and terribly nauseated, although my food aversions seem to be lifting a bit.

Geography Nuts

Yesterday Caleb and Joshua competed in the LoCo Homeschooler National Geographic Bee and finished 1st and 2nd. We celebrate with a cookie cake since yesterday was National Cookie Day. :)Congrats boys! Caleb will take the State Bee qualifying exam in January.  The top 100 finishers for the state will go on to participate in the State level of the Geo Bee in early April in Farmville, VA!

Really Joshua?

Yes, folks, this is twice in 8 months... Broken elbow this time. Well, at least I can't fault him for the way he's handling it.  Cheerfully! 2017 shall be known as "The Year of the Broken Bones" since I broke a bone this year as well. 😕I have