Winter Wonder America

We love Christmas time in America!!!!

We put up our Christmas lights on our new home. The boys loved climbing on the roof, and Mark appreciated all the lights left by the previous owner! I discovered I'm really not comfortable on the roof. :)

My friend from Germany, Aimee Cantrell invited us to the annual Colorado Springs Festival of Lights parade. It was SOOOOOOOOO cold! The pictures are blurry either because I was shaking from the cold so much, or the camera was! Below you can see our bundling. What you can't see is cousin Logan's teenage brain, which told him -20'F was an acceptable temperature for shorts and a lighweight jacket! It's a miracle he didn't get pnuemonia!

Not only was it -20 but it was windy! Here's a shot of the flags. A stiff wind indeed!!

After the parade Benjamin and I went to Aimee's to see her cute little cottage. Here is Ben with is twin -Cody. They are holding garden snakes he found at the dog park. Cute, kinda. But I am glad it's too cold for Ben to find them at our park now!

Cousin Logan joined us one evening while Kelly and Mike were Christmas shopping. We made peppermint twist bread. The boys really enjoyed crushing the candy canes. Notice the different techniques.

Logan - Mafia rolling pin.

Jordan and Ben - hammers.

Jordan demonstrating the hammer technique - close up.

Gingerbread houses!! Amongst the many things I am thankful for this year is my sister Kelly. It's so nice to have her close. I've never lived closer to a sibling in my 20+ years of marriage! Anyway, she introduced me to $10 Costco gingerbread house kits. Worth EVERY penny! So, for Family Home Evening we decided to make a gingerbread house!

Ben was disappointed because he thought we each got to make our own. In China our friends the Zimmerman's made their own gingerbread homes from scratch. They invited our family over one year and the theme was the Great Wall. Each of us got to create our very own edible Great Wall! While our home was no Great Wall, it was fun, and edible!

Of course with the making there must be licking...
And eating...
And awesome gingerbread people!
When asked what was wrong with his gingerbread man, Casey said, "He has balls... All over him!" Mark said "He has 'Happy Feet'" which is what Ben called them while laughing hysterically earlier.

The 'serious' picture.

My sweet wonderful husband, trying to see the icon for his camera on his phone. Old, yes he is becoming. Still cute, also. :) I love you sweetie, even when you fuss at us for bumping the table when you're doing icing, and we're just laughing too hard!
The funny picture.

My real-life Gingerbread stairs. I love having cheap and lots of poinsettias!!!!!

Merry Christmas Everyone!