Chocolate Dipping Spoons

Yesterday's craft I found over here. My girls are big hot chocolate fans (though Maddie drinks coffee), even in the summer, so I thought these would be fun. I guess ours weren't as 'perfect' as the ones from that blog, but we had a lot of fun making them, and I think they look pretty awesome.

 They even made me a couple :)

 A lot of the time we make things which the kids like but this was one that they LOVED, especially the finished product.

Our Gingerbread House

So, we made a gingerbread house today. I tried not to help too much, and let them throw on whatever, but did have one issue with 'someone' using too many lollies. However, we got there in the end. Even if I stuffed up the sticking together part and the roof was distinctly bowed in the middle. Adds to the charm I say ;)

 Guess who is in the chimney?

 Ack, stop looking at that roof!

 What gingerbread family doesn't have pet crocodiles in the yard?

 Then, as every good scientist knows, what goes up, must come down :)

Oh, and Maddie did partake, she just asked to be kept out of the photos.

The first days of Christmas

Yesterday we started decorating the house. Sienna took a particular liking to these gel-type decorations that we got from Farmers.

She likes to put the dots on top of one another and see what colour they make. Today was our planned visit into town for the Christmas Tree light up, and tomorrow we were off to Santas Balloomin Fantastic Balloon and Lolly Shop at the Base. But fearing that it would be too busy on a Saturday we decided to head over today instead.

 Christmas is certainly looking colourful so far!

Maddie's Advent Calendar.

This year Maddie, ever the angsty teen, found it really hard to find an advent calendar that she liked. Barbie and Dora just don't cut it anymore, and the cutesy Christmas themed ones made her want to barf. So I put it to her that perhaps we could make a custom one. We melted chocolate and hardened it into little mould's shaped like hearts, stars and Christmas trees, then wrapped them in foil. Maddie chose 24 celebrities, plus a pic of herself, printed and cut them out. We stuck them onto the chocolates, and then onto some card. 

 Number seven was her special request, a copy of the Last Sacrifice novel by Richelle Mead due out on the 7th of December.

Keepers :) Merry Christmas!

Why I should just give up on taking a nice family picture.

Well, the first of December knocked on the door yesterday and we embarked on our advent activity calendar. First up, family Christmas pictures! *cue groaning from children and husband*. Turns out my camera remote didn't feel like working, which made things a little difficult. We couldn't seem to get the right angle, expressions, composition. However, sometimes I think the out-takes are more fun than the 'keepers'. Let me share.

The one where Gilby gets amorous.

The one where Gilby starts to realize the joke is on him.

The one where Gilby seeks compensation, in the form of candy canes, for his humiliation.

 The one where I realize I kiss with my eyes open, ewwww!

 The one...er....

The one where these two decide to have a conversation, and Sienna looks for nits.

The one where Maddie wishes she were born into another family. Any other family.

The one where Denver looks like Mr Bean and Kyla should have stood in the centre.

The one where Sienna does her Macaulay Culkin 'Home Alone' impersonation.

The one where we half decapitate the man. Uh, you don't need your brain right?