i took talby to see the nutcracker this year.
she was so excited to do something fancy with mom….alone.
i think the alone part was the most exciting for her.
she wore her beautiful black gown with sparkles (from our neighbors at the garage sale)
and dressed her build-a-bear up too.
craig walked in from work and she said "hi daddy! i'm beautiful!"
hmmm…we must say that often.
we had balcony seats but it is such a great theater…no bad seats anywhere.
the lights went down and the music began.
the dancing couples came out and she gasped "OH….i am going to LOVE this!"
it made me start to cry.
she also said "mom…he's not really a doll. he's a man pretending to be a doll."
so precious and innocent.
(lorel…i know what you are thinking….)
there was a woman in our row with a 1 year old baby.
i kept thinking "who would bring a baby to this?" before it started.
and when it did…that baby sat there as if she was completely hypnotized…it was crazy.
and sitting right next to me was a young couple probably 18 or 19.
i felt SO BAD for him.
he was tall and so cramped in the little seats and AT THE BALLET!
i just wanted to grab his girlfriend and say "why did you make him come here?"
he was keeping his cool but i just knew he was dying to get out of there.
i like ballet.
i liked being in ballet.
every ballet i went to as a child i would think to myself "that's what i will be when i grow up"
in all the nutcrackers that i have seen….
i have never seen a Fritz played by a man with a hairdo similar to Side Show Bob.
(very big poufy naturally curly hair…an Afro on a white guy)
it was very distracting.
and for that matter…all the men in this ballet had odd hair…it must be a moscow thing?
anyway…we made it through most of it and when she whispered "how much longer?"
i knew it was time to go.
so we did.
straight to krispy kreme.
it was nice.
besides alone time with talby….i hadn't been inside a krispy kreme since we'd moved to kansas!
i was feeling a bit homesick for IL.
we had a KK about 5 minutes from our house there and we'd meet friends there often.
sigh…..
what a good night!
but any night that ends in donuts has to be a good night.
it's a fact.
jordan 7 - If a man does not make new acquaintance as he advances through life, he will soon find himself alone.
Jennifer P. - “lauren chose not to decorate a side” …. you know you say so much by saying so little!
It turned out so neat!
Kelly - I *do* love decorating a gingerbread house! Kelly
Trina - Is it wrong that I want to lick the computer screen. ha.. looks so pretty and yummy!
kasey - i just finished my gingerbread latte.
the house looks tooooo good.
creole wisdom - Your kids are so creative : ) And I love the magnet idea, I’ll have to try that sometime.
AManda - Were you standing on a chair in your kitchen to get that first shot? Wow. Talk about WAY MORE detail and fun and extravagance then I could ever imagine. Its simply beautiful! Who is this mysterious GB and can I get one in my town?
God bless-
Amanda
Karol - Your cute ideas are just killing me!!! Wanted you to know I linked back to your site after posting my version of your hot chocolate gifts. And, I think I’ll make the alphabet crayons for my daughter’s 5th birthday as a favor. You are so clever and creative. I love it.
Jaclyn - This looks like so much fun! I saw they have pre-made kits at Walmart. I think I will have to go buy one!
Shannan - What fun! Great idea to let each kid do his/her own side. Annie with her handy pocket reference is a hoot. 🙂
traci - what a fun project. love the colors of all the candy. such sweet memories for the kids. isn’t it amazing how you can give the kids the same candy and their sides are all so different. i have never made a gingerbread house.
Sandy - Looks like great fun and wonderful memories!! Too bad about the missing teen – again. She wishes she had participated, but she ‘couldn’t’ allow herself; I’m sure of it!
meaghan easterhaus - sooo cute! it’s amazing how a little age and more girls make a house look better. my three yr old and hubby didn’t do so hot
Staci - So fun! We are going to do our’s over Christmas Break!!! I hope I don’t get frustrated 🙂 Deep breath! And, I missed your post yesterday! That’s some craftin’ you’ve been doin girl! LOVE.IT…ALL! Before I left this comment, I got sidetracked at Amazon and bought some of your bottle caps and silicone ABC’s!!! Ya know, cause the kids will be out of school for 2 weeks…gotta have somethin’ fun to do 🙂 Here’s to hoping mine turn out at least half as cute as your’s !
kristin at prairie daze - oh, you are living my childhood memories.
i told you about my brother’s sides.
we’ll do ours in less than 2 weeks!
Sharanya - lovely pictures and what fun kids must have had
Allikayes Mama - Perfect! I am curious how you get those over the counter pictures…the first one? Are you in some crazy position to get perfectly above the counter?! I am laughing thinking of that!
Allikayes Mama - Perfect! I am curious how you get those over the counter pictures…the first one? Are you in some crazy position to get perfectly above the counter?! I am laughing thinking of that!
Trish - My kiddos also had fun making a gingerbread house! There’s just something magical about a house made with candy 🙂
Be sure to stop by my blog. I’m having a giveaway!!
Linda@ Restyled Home - Can I be your child??
Or at least have your camera??
~Sigh~
Linda
a thorn among roses - love it! now i want to eat it!
melissa @ the inspired room - Oh, SO fun!!! And so colorfully delicious looking!
Happy week!
Melissa
sarah - I love all your pictures!!
They’re full of happy goodness!
Too bad for Lauren, gingerbread houses are SO fun.
I didn’t get on it fast enough to have one this year. Next year, though.
An almost 2 year old will be sure to enjoy that kind of fun!
your full house always makes my heart happy, and makes my hopes for more kiddos even stronger 🙂
Lorilee - FUN! I have only decorated one gingerbread house–a pre-made kit. I want to do a replica of the church where my parents were married some day. It is a small county church! Another thing for my “When I retire” list. Your children will have such wonderful memories. My youngest always wanted to help me decorate cakes–you know squeeze the icing from the tube. One weekend I made a cake just for him to decorate with frosting leftover from my cake. He didn’t last long. His hands got tired!
Blessings,
Lorilee
Melanie - Meg,
Your pictures make me so happy. I love when my RSS feed turns black on Whatever because I know that I will click on the link and have a smile put on my face. You are such a fun mom, creating great memories for your kids:)
Aubrey - Are those gum drops fruit-flavored? They look fruity and I can’t find fruit-flavored ones ANYWHERE. I’ve looked in so many places!
Aubrey - I love it–I never thought to wrap the base with wrapping paper instead of foil! Smart and sassy and styling–and so obvious, why didn’t I think of it too? You’re so clever. And cool. A very cool mom you are. The force is with you. I’m a total dork. Good think I’M not Lauren’s mom. She’d go around with a paper bag over her head.
Lanny Stanard - Oooo yummy! what a house,it’s got Christmas all over it… Megan thank you so much for all your wonderful idea’s we all are Thankful to have you!
Lanny;)
Jamie Sampson - ginger bread goodness in deed!
traci - LOVE IT!!! Im so sad that Lauren didnt contribute 🙁