Christmas Cookie Baking

We did not do nearly as many types of cookies this year and perhaps had a few snafus but we had a fun time and the boys enjoyed the night.

Grayson is ready to cook!

Gramma, Liam, Aunt Lindsey, Colin and Tristan working away

Aunt Lindsey Tristan and Colin slowly making the peanut blossoms.

Grayson learning how to roll the peanut butter cookies in sugar

Declan having a great time spreading the flour for cutting the cookie shapes

Declan in time out for having a little too much fun with the flour. 

All cleaned up and decorating his cookies. 

Mommy made a BIG mess :( Powder sugar all over!

Tristan decorating cookies.

Now as I have said many times before boys are a whole new different world for me Christmas cookie decorating is not your average pretty cookies. We had a variety of super heroes, leg less and head less gingerbread men mixed among the pretty trees and cute gingerbread men. 

Tristan's lovely headless and legless gingerbread man in the top right. 

Yes it was a bit crazy, interesting and a whole lot of fun for us all especially the boys. 

Christmas at the Farm and The Rose Theater

Greg, Grayson and I went up to the farm a day early to do a little decorating. Even if we didn't go crazy and put out all the decorations at the very least we wanted to be sure the tree was up. Of course Grandpa Schulz kept insisting that we did not need to go to the trouble however, as he saw the pretty tree light up and begin to get decorated he said it was a good thing. And that is why we did it. The tree is a display of many beautiful crocheted angels Grandma Schulz hand made over the years.

Daddy and Grayson setting up the Christmas tree

Grandpa Schulz watching the tree installation  

All done and so pretty

Tristan with beautiful baby Kaileigh 

Declan and Grayson playing with the little farm as a card game in the background

Grandpa Schulz with all six of his children.

back: Joni, Jim, Jerry Larry

front: Les, Grandpa Jean

While we were at the farm the rest of the crew were with Aunt Lindsey and Gramma in Omaha where they watched A Christmas Story at the Rose childrens' theater. 

 The Rose had a fun little display and slide. 

Tristan, Colin, Declan and Liam looking sharp and ready for the play. 

A Blur

Sometimes a blur is exactly what life feels like around here. We are always on the go and life happens so fast. The boys are all growing getting older and perhaps in some ways wiser. I try to hold on to the magic of childhood especially this time of the year.

We have been doing many holiday traditions and adding in new things too. Last Friday night was crazy warm so we decided to go to midtown crossing to eat at Chicago Dawg House, a favorite of all the boys! We then walked around looking at the window displays. Which was all a lot of fun!

Admiring the Henry Doorly Zoo window. It was the best of the night. 

Grayson just spotted the big tree. 

To our surprise as we were heading to the car we saw a gathering of people in the park area and were treated to a light show to Mannheim Steam Roller holiday music. It was pretty cool. Colin enjoyed it the most.

Saturday we spent a good part of the warm afternoon putting lights on the house.

Holding the ladder for Daddy

Tristan's turn to hang the lights. 

Colin's turn.  I think he liked the idea more before got so high up.

Of course Mr. Daredevil had to give the ladder a try. He did not get very far.

Liam hanging the wreath on the garage.