Last week we had another babysitter watch the kids while Manuel and I went to his company party. It was in Salt Lake at the Deopt. There was a fancy dinner and a mentalist came for the entertainment. It was very fascinating what he could do. We left with a giant gift bag of presents from his company. We also won the centerpiece on our table and got to take it home.
Gabe also bought some fish! His very first pet fish. So far, they are still alive and he is doing a great job taking care of them.
Last year we made gingerbread men so this year we made gingerbread houses. I made the most delicious homemade gingerbread and special icing for the houses (that turns rock hard). Because the gingerbread walls were soft and warm, they collapsed when we built our house. So, each person took a wall and turned it into a canvas for art! I bought old fashioned candy because at Christmas time I always want to experience an old fashioned Christmas. I also bought fruit cake for the kids to try. It was called, "old fashioned fruitcake" When I was little I hated fruit cake. It was always something for old people. In fact at our ugly sweater party two weeks ago, someone brought fruit cake for a white elephant (prank gift) gift. No one wanted it. But because fruitcake is in all the Christmas songs, I thought it would be fun to give it another try. What I realized is that is tastes like stollen. For me stollen was an acquired taste. I never liked it the first five years of my marriage but because my husband loves it so much because it's a German tradition, I would eat it. Now, of course - I love it!
So, the kids loved the fruit cake and so did Manuel. They ate it all gone.
Yesterday, I volunteered at the kids' school for their Christmas parties. In Gabe's class we made fun little Christmas crafts. Then we went to lunch with him (me, Cambrey and Tatem). It was so fun to eat in the cafeteria with Gabe and all his little school friends. They served pizza calzones that day. Yum! After lunch we rushed to Paisley's class where the kids were learning about Christmas traditions from other countries. I volunteered to teach them about Germany. It was so fun! I brought all of the fun Christmas traditions and decorations that we have from Germany. I went to the store and bought marzipan filled stollen and German cookies (made in Germany). The kids thought it was so neat that almost every Christmas tradition we have came from Germany. Christmas trees, Santa Claus, Nutcrackers, gingerbread houses, advent calendars, advent candles etc. It all started there.
They said learning about Germany was there favorite. I did a really good job. I even told them the fairy tale of Frau Holle and they thought it was so cute! They also thought the tradition we do with the kids' Christmas store on Christmas Eve was awesome!
They loved the cookies but only some of them liked the stollen. It's an acquired taste.
We all went to the dentist this week. Our whole family was cavity free!! It was Cambrey's first appointment and we all stood around and watched. She was so cute.
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| Eating my skewer |
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| At the Depot |
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| Tatem and his girlfriends |
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| Gabe's goldfish |
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| There are three fish |
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| Gingerbread |
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| Cooking the special icing |
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| The foreman instructing his crew |
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| After preschool I took Cambrey to our favorite little drink hut and bought her a mini white hot chocolate! |
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| Cambrey's first dentist appointment! |
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| German treats for Paisley's class |
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