The Gingerbread House

Tonight Isabel and Nick worked together to decorate our Gingerbread House. It must be Christmas magic because they worked side by side, sharing all of the decorations, commenting about how each was doing and never a nasty or negative word was said. It was a wonderful 30 minutes or so of bliss!
Nick's finished sides:
Isabel's finished sides:

Christmas begins...

On Saturday Grandmom took the kids to have breakfast and guess who happened to be there - Santa! Nick shared his list of ONE item - a crane. When we are in the stores he points out tons of things he wants for Christmas but when he sees Santa (this was the second time) he only mentions the crane. He saw this crane at Boscov, it's over 2 feet long and costs $60! Of course Santa will have to put it under the tress.


Then it was Isabel's turn and her list is quite lengthy and she feels the need to share every item on it with Santa. Last year she asked tons of questions about Santa and actually came right out and asked if mom and dad were Santa. We danced around the issue with the reply of 'what do you think." This year she hasn't asked any questions about Santa and seems to totally believe. Plus I've got a little something up my sleeve to keep her believing for at least another year!

Saturday evening we rode on the St. Benjamin's float announcing our Live Nativity program. The float was part of the Westminster Electric Light Parade.

Have a WHEELY Great Christmas

For the 4th year Isabel has made a wreath for the Carroll Arts Center's Annual Festival of Wreaths. Local individuals, families and businesses make wreaths and donate them to the Festival. They are on display for a week and visitors bid on them to raise money for Carroll Arts Center.

This year Nick wanted to do a wreath as well and since space is limited you are only allowed one wreath per family which meant a compromise for Isabel in working with Nick. The compromise turned out to be the theme since once Isabel got to work on the project Nick didn't really want to participate.

The wreath theme "Have a WHEELY great Christmas" was all about cars and trucks. Isabel came up with the idea of using a tire as the wreath and then glued lots of cars around the outside. The cars were donated by Nick from his massive collection - although he was very very selective about which cars she could use. You'd think he had to give up half his collection but he's got easily over 100 cars so the 15 or so she took will not be missed. In the center was a wood plaque with the word WHEELY - the plaque was painted black and has a yellow line down the middle to resemble a road. Then she took a truck, painted the wheels with white paint and made treadmarks on the 'road' going one way and used a motorcycle for the other side.

The finished wreath:

Last year she did a wreath themed on the book There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. The wreath was the belly and she put all the animals from the book around the wreath. Then she made a head - guess who's face she used - to resemble an old lady and photocopied her hands! The wreath came with a copy of the book.

Happy Thanksgiving. Isabel and I started today by volunteering at Shepherd's Staff with grandmom and many other volunteers. Shepherd's Staff coordinates Thanksgiving dinner for those in need serving close to 300 meals. We arrived at 9 am and were immediately put to work. Isabel stuffed take home bags filled with fruit, cookies and other goodies. I cut pie (and there were about 50 pies to cut, plate and cover). We filled containers with applesauce and cranberry sauce - these will be put with the 'to go' meals that are delivered to shut ins. Then we put rolls and butter on plates. Finally the guests arrived and Isabel was at the head of the line handing out plates and smiles. She worked tirelessly and never asked for a break.

In addition to volunteering she donated over 30 stuffed animals and handed them out to kids who came to the dinner.

It was a wonderful experience for us both and I'm thankful she was so willing to serve. She even told Debbie (the lady in charge) she wanted to come back next year.

Another tooth

Isabel's front top tooth has been hanging by a thread for the longest time and tonight it finally came out. Hope the Tooth Fairy can find her way here in the rain.

Talented!

Our church hosted a Talent Show for members of the congregation to demonstrate their many talents.

Isabel and her friend decided to sing a couple of songs from our Vacation Bible School program Outrigger Island in matching outfits.

Nick chose to play the keyboard (he plays by pressing the keys as they light). He performed Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Happy Birthday.

Daddy and I were very proud of them both.

Isabel is officially a Brownie!

Last night Isabel officially became a Brownie. The girls said the Pledge of Allegience, recited the Girl Scout Promise and the Girl Scout Law. Then Tracey, one of the troop leaders, pinned her during the Investiture Ceremony. An investiture is a ceremony to officially welcome a NEW girl into Girl Scouting.


Her friends Casey and Leah were 'pinned' as well.



Then the girls also modeled their Try It Halloween costumes. They were supposed to wear them in the Halloween parade but the parade got rained out. Each girl made a replica of a Brownie Try It. Isabel made the Healthy Habits Try It.




Isabel and her proud brother

Happy Halloween

The costumes this year were buy one, make one. Right after Walmart put the costumes out Nick spied Wolverine and just had to have it. He was disappointed that the costume didn't come with the claws but we painted popsicle sticks gray, added glitter and glued them to some gloves and voila - claws!

Isabel on the other hand started out wanting to be a seahorse, then a dolphin and finally settled on an octopus. We purchased a black sweatshirt and some black tights. Stuffed them, hot glued them and added purple circles from a bath mat, some white puffs for eyes and voila - an octopus!


On Halloween Isabel and Nick carved their pumpkins:


Then we headed out for some trick or treating! By the time we got home their pumpkin buckets were filled to the brim.

As for the Halloween Fairy - she did NOT visit. Isabel changed her mind about 10 minutes into trick or treating.