Making a Gingerbread House

We bought one of those pre-made Gingerbread House kits this year. It looked like a fun activity until we had everything out and had started and then read the directions. We had to put the walls together with icing...then let it dry for at least an hour. We did that even though the kids were dying since they thought they'd get to decorate it right away. After the hour was up we put on the roof, then read that it said "Let dry for at least 2-3 hours." Seriously?? Needless to say we still tried to decorate it. It caved under the pressure. So...the kids decorated Gingerbread panels...walls, roof pieces, etc. They had a blast and it didn't matter that it wasn't a house in the end. Next year I'll get the house all together ahead of time. :)

Johanna at 8 months

This is late. Really late. Johanna was 8 months old on November 17...this picture has been on my camera forever. Adorable, isn't she?

Merry Christmas From The Mulders!

Luke 2

The Birth of Jesus

¹In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ²(This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³And everyone went to his own town to register.

⁴So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Shepherds and the Angels

⁸And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ^a]">[a] the Lord. ¹²This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

¹³Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
¹⁴"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

¹⁵When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

¹⁶So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Amazing! Happy Birthday, Jesus! Merry Christmas to ALL!

Family Ornament Exchange

For around 23 years now all the girls on my mom's side of the family have been getting together a day before Christmas. It started as a day to bake cookies together, then turned into a cookie exchange and has now been an ornament exchange for the past ten years or so. It's a fun day for us all to get together since we don't see each other enough. My Grandma is the oldest at 84 and Johanna is the youngest at 8 months. In between are my grandma's three daughters and one daughter-in-law, nine granddaughters and four great-granddaughters. It's a fun day and a great tradition! Grandma with Summer, Abigail, Johanna and Skyler.

Abigail's Christmas Program

Abigail's Christmas program was on December 1 this year. Since she's at a public school this year I knew it would be a little difficult for me since I knew I'd really miss the Christian songs. I did miss them a lot, but the program was still very cute. Abigail did a great job up there and it was fun to watch! Here she is with Bebe. Singing and doing the motions.

She looks so proper there! :)