Graham Cracker Creations

Last year, we introduced my family to one of David's family traditions: Graham Cracker Creations.  Here were the results:

This year, there was great anticipation for this event.  Emma (Shelly's 5-year-old) was begging to do them right when David and I arrived.  She did wait, however.

Here I am preparing bags of mortar for the building portion.

Candy ready to go on the table.

Ready and excited participants!  My mom, Nicole, Jeff, and Emma.

Getting started.

 

David pondering what to do next.

Janene still working on frosting.  (We have 2 different types of frosting.  The mortar is so strong that if you use it to attach candy, you won't be able to get the candy off.)

My mom working on her Appalachian Trail shelter.  (There's a fire inside, you just can't see it yet.)  Nicole with her stable.  She made a Nativity scene.

Jeff with his football field.  This is where we determined that we didn't have enough M&Ms.

My dad with his creation.

Shelly working on her tree.

My completed creation.  "There was an old lady who lived in a shoe."

David's completed creation.  I really like his mast.

And of course, the sharks are great, too.

So, another successful year of Graham Cracker Creations.

Jewelry Making

One of our Christmas Break activities was Jewelry Making.  Here I am with Nicole and Emma, showing them what kinds of things they can try.

Nicole displaying her new earrings and necklace.

Brooklyn displaying Emma's new necklace and bracelet.

Brooklyn really likes jewelry.  When the first bracelet Emma made broke (I hadn't attached the clasp well enough), Brooklyn picked up the remaining string and motioned downstairs, where I was.  Apparently she had figured out who could fix it.

Shelly had to go pick out her own beads at the craft store, but here's what she made.

After all the time she spent on it, she's not sure she'll ever want to try making jewelry again.

White Christmas

We had a wonderful white Christmas at my sister's, so we went sledding!

Pulling the sleds toward the hill.  Brooklyn got a ride.

Shelly ready to go down with Nicole and Bradford

Jeff and Brooklyn at the bottom of the hill.

David ready to go down!

The whole crew (except me): David, Jeff, Nicole, Shelly, Emma, my mom, Bradford hidden behind my mom, and Brooklyn.

Emma got a pull up the hill from her favorite uncle.  She's pretty lucky!

Jeff and Nicole sledding down.

We all got a lot of snow in our faces that way.

Brooklyn pulling a sled.

Emma's snow angel.

The twins were done after one trip down--they didn't like all the snow in their faces.  Emma made it down a few more times.

Then Shelly and my mom left with the little kids while Jeff, Nicole, David, and I stayed.  We made a bunch of trains going down the hill, and demonstrated a few physics laws--like how the acceleration increases as each attached sled reaches the slope.  :)  We were reminded to put the heaviest person in front.

Nicole afterward: