The Tomlinsons: Flashback Friday: Twinkly Gingerbread Men

Friday:

Still loving their new kitchen from the other Tomlinsons (Strandee)

When we went light looking, we bought these awesome 3-D glasses that make all the lights look like gingerbread men. This photo doesn't do them justice. They are SO fun!!! (They also had stars, angels, snowmen, elves, snowflakes and a few other things).

We took mini cheesecakes, and fruit to the office to celebrate a birthday. I forgot to get pictures at the party, but it was a 40TH, and I tried to keep it a "young at heart" party. Wish I'd gotten his reaction when he opened his gift, it was classic!

We went thrift store shopping! Hooray! I found this awesome basket of Christmasy babies for $2!!

Our youth group hosted the kids for a fun Christmas party/Night out for the parents. It was a fundraiser. Our kids had a blast, and Doug and I finally got to try out a sushi place up here. It was so good! We'll go back!

Doug tried hanging ornaments from his beard.

This was my pick, it's a Godzilla Roll.

Can't remember the name of this one, but it was good!

This roll was over the top! It's called "Once in a Lifetime" roll, and wow, it's HUGE. Next time we're gonna start with this one, then see what we have room for after. ;)

We had time, so we went to K-mart. Doug found this bike with weird wheels and tried it out.

Saturday:

I found quite a few things for Kora at the thrift store. She wanted to try them ALL on at once, and even threw her Cinderella costume from Halloween into the mix. She wore all those layers for a couple hours, until it was time to leave to go caroling.

On our way to carol!

We got mixed up on the time, so we missed the first part, singing at the nursing home, but we joined to carol in the neighborhood near the church.

Kora loved the dog at this house, and Doug and a friend ended up staying and chatting with this family for 30 minutes or more.

Yep, my kids made snow angels, well grass angels. And Kees did this at every house! It was kind of fun to see people's faces when they came out to carolers and a kid making a grass angel in their yard. We're so weird, I like it!

Cookies and cocoa after!!!

Sunday:

Kees in one of the new sweaters I bought at the thrift store, $1.50, I think, can't remember. But it was a good deal!

When I was a kid we had this book. My friend Kim was telling me about reading it when she was a kid, and she found it in the Scholastic book order. She ordered one for us too! AWESOME!!!

I take a nap on Sundays. Kora came to wake me up to go back to church. She's silly and fun!

We had the youth Christmas party! They did a white elephant gift exchange, and then I forced them to play "I Never". They might kick me out of the group, but for now they're stuck with me. :)

We got a Toothless bank. Kora broke it a couple days later. Not sure why, but Kora's "love" hurts.

Monday:

Another edition of Kees's strange/morbid art. This is a picture of a volcano. The two green triangles covered in red, are him and Kora. He told me they are dead. The green guy is a dinosaur, and the black person to the left is me. Kees said, "And that's you Momma, you're taking a picture of the volcano." I insisted that if my babies were dying, I most definitely would not be taking pictures! He edited the picture and drew me next to Kora.

Taking a police report. That's his sketch of the bad guy.

And this is what happens when I shower. I'd lock the door, but if there's an emergency, I want them to be able to get to me. At least they're doing school work.

I scooted them along, so they parked on the couch, for reading.

When Doug came home, he brought in a Christmas card from Gramee and Grampa. It was pretty cool!

Making dinner!

While Doug and Kora worked on dinner, Kees and I played a word game.

Sweet soy chicken, rice, and cucumber. Delicious!

Doug and Kees playing the peg football game I got for their mailbox surprise of the day.

Tuesday:

We got to go the children's program for Noah's Ark. It's the preschool/kindergarten at our church.

The director/principal is my friend and I know a couple of the teachers. And a few of the kids from our church go there. It was so cute! Doug was at bible study, so I braved this excursion by myself.

I had a bit of a panic attack. There was almost no seating, and everywhere I thought there were seats, people were actually saving seats. We squeezed into the very back row, and we were 20 minutes early!

Dancing to the music!

I decided to go to the store on the way home. Kora fell asleep on the short drive.

My kids helped me bag the groceries.

And then I stayed up and wrapped presents. I used old crumply paper and pretty ribbons. It got the job done, but I think I win the award for ugliest gift wrap ever.

Wednesday:

The kids checking out the presents! Yes, they slept in their clothes, judge away....

We made gingerbread houses out of rice krispie treats. We used the gingerbread flavored marshmallows. They were yummy!

About halfway through, I felt compelled to fix Kora's hair, you're welcome.

Kees made a smiley face, can you see it?

Playing the peg football game again. Kees loves it!

And now they are Santa's helpers. Except apparently Santa is quite a task master.

I overheard this exchange:

Kees: "Kora, do you want to be an elf? Go put those bows on the presents."
Pause
Kees: "Kora, you better hurry up or Santa is gonna be mad at you!"
Kora: "Santa, mad at me?!"
Pause
Kora: "Tape, tape, bow, bow, wrap, wrap. Santa say 'Oh good job!'"
Kees: "I'm working, tape, tape, wrappity wrap!"

And of course if Kora's an elf, then this is her baby elf. She wanted me to babysit for her. Guess Santa can't tolerate babies in the sweat shop, er, I mean workshop.

Nativity time!

This was the birth of the "Baby Jesus died" song that Kora made up. Kees had told her that God came as baby Jesus, and then he died! Why are my kids so morbid???

My sweet friend Louise, brought my camera charger that I had left at the church. She sent her boys up with it. My kids were so excited!

Doug got a lego separator for Kees, and they had to find a youtube video to figure out how to use it.

Thursday:

Books, books, books!

And now, we lost the shirt. I thought those days were over, but I thought wrong. We got a new shirt on pretty quickly, at least.

School work!

Kora said she was a baby fox, sleeping.

Legos!

We got a package from Gramee and Grampa! We HAD to open it. So we FaceTime called them so they could see the kids open them.

First mistake, I let the kids open crayons and a coloring book and then Kora kept wanting to color and having trouble focusing on opening presents.

This shirt was mine when I was little. My mom made it for me, and she sent it for Kora. So cute! We just happened to be wearing it.

Kitty scarf.

Flashlights. These are a big hit. They've been used daily since! Have to watch Kora, she leaves hers on.

Tape measure

And of course, the box!!!

After Doug got home, we ate dinner, and got ready to go to a choir concert at the high school. One of the youth from church was in the program.

I painted my nails red, and HAD to take this picture to show them off. And the red scarf was a gift from my parents. I love, love it! That's why I HAD to paint my nails.