My Playdate

I went to the dog park late morning because I wanted to get some of Jake's energy out before our guests arrived.  Jake met Dipper who is smaller than him but they had a good time wrestling and playing.  

Tara let me know she was close so we headed home quickly.  Which is right around the corner.  

It was a nice day, not too hot and miserable but I had made frozen treats for the dogs to play with.  

Even Rosie got some ice.  This was our first time meeting Rosie and she did really well meeting Jake and getting along with him.  

Baylor and Lucas went in the pool right away while I worked on lunch.  It was nice enough to eat outside, which was also good so we could keep an eye on the boys and I could keep an eye on Jake.  

Rosie held her own and seemed to enjoy playing with Jake.  He can be a rough wrestler and I did not want him to become a butt head with her.  But they had a good time and I did not see any issues with them at all!  

It has been a long time since we have seen each other and while we did not get to really sit and talk much, kids, food, dog distractions, we had a nice visit!  And a nice swim with the boys.  

After they left to go home I worked out in the garage on a project I started about two weeks after we adopted Jake.  I have been gathering really nice pallets from a landscaping company and I wanted to make a raised feeding bench for Jake.  All I managed to do in April was cut the holes for the bowls and it has been sitting the garage ever since.  Well, it is now done and he is getting used to it.  We still have a small water dish on floor for Grimm but he got up on the bench for a swim in the water dish already. 

I feel good about using the wood (see Gloria, I do use things I hoard) and I feel good about making it myself. Even though I can buy an Amish made one for less than $30.00!  I only had to buy the screws for this project.  

Gingerbread Party 2016

I was making one of the dips for the party and found my avocado smiling at me.  I took it as a good sign for a good day!  The food theme was no forks so everything was a dip.  I had three hot dips: Reuben, Black Bean and Corn, and Meatball Sub.  I had cold dips: chipped beef, pimento cheese, avocado and white bean, edamame hummus, and Amy brought hummus.  I had two sweet dips: gingerbread and brownie.  And a ton of dippers.  I also made the Rolo pretzel turtles, Oreo truffles, and a chocolate covered peanut butter/marshmallow Ritz candy sandwich thing.  

Heather and family arrived first but not until around 12:30 and I was still not quite ready when they arrived.  But Mom and I sugared the houses together and they got to decorating.  I made a camper for Heather and she loved it.  The McGraw family arrived at 1:00 and Tara was led astray by her GPS and arrived at 2:00.  It works out when people spread out their arrival times so it was fine with me!  ☺

I let Baylor go and do his own thing. And Cullen did his as well. 

Brigid and Connor and Lucas all worked on their houses off and on all afternoon.   

I made a house facade for Lochlan and once he was done with it Julie worked on it rather than working on a house of her own. 

Lucas had a lot of help from his construction vehicles he brought and they were great at delivering his candy to his house site.  He was pretty independent decorating this year and Tara was right there to help him when he needed it. 

Mom and I worked on a house together, rather I helped her with the roof and let her do the rest.  I also helped Heather with her camper once she hit a creative wall.  Baylor said he wants a camper next year.  Hopefully I will remember that. 

The finished house tree photos I like to get.  It was a good party and I hope we do it again next year!  

When Mom and I were putting the houses together I poured molten sugar on my thumb and it made a huge blister.  Huge, painful, oh my is it always in the way painful blister.  I had to drain some of the fluid out before bed because it was thumping!  Dishes in the morning are not going to be fun!  

6th Annual Gingerbread House Party

When Baylor walked out into the kitchen the first thing he said was, 'Today is the Gingerbread party!'  I am glad he looks forward to it as much

The party was open for 11:00 but we did not have any guests until around noon, which was fine as I was behind in getting the houses put together.  But everything else was set up and decorated.  My theory is if it does not move, decorate it.  And Baylor loves that as much as I do.  

Some of the candy decorations went on the buffet cabinet and the rest went on the craft shelf.  The candy canes were on the bookcase on the other side of the room.  We had decorating stuff everywhere! 

And we were decorated pretty much everywhere.  I left up the sugar skull animals to show Tara and Julie.  Tara got to see them but sadly, Julie and family could not make it due to her mom being sent to the hospital for surgery.  

I made Italian bread rolls but the dough was a bit dry and they did not turn out as well as I was hoping.  We had ham and bean soup, mac and cheese, veggies with Ranch dip, grapes, and a cheese and meat selection.  For sweets we had Oreo truffles, Gingerbread bars, sugar cookies, snickerdoodles, and molasses ginger cookies.  And coffee, lots of coffee.  

Cat in the open window with our lights and melted bead decorations. 

And the houses!  I made several styles this year and let people choose the house they wanted and the base they wanted to put it on.  

The Hazel family and Tara all started their house at the same time.  Miss Brigid asked for a gingerbread man and woman to decorate but she was not too inspired past decorating one of the their feet.  I finished off the lady for her.  Heather was inspired to make an all natural house this year with lentils, dried peas, raisins, and such.  Until it became fairly tedious and then she wanted to just be done with it.  And the hollow pretzels would not cut well and .... it was a mess for her in the end and I don't think she was pleased.  

Baylor loved his design and even created a deer head on one side out of the green gum drop.  

Tara helped Lucas construct his masterpiece and then we occupied him with some Handy Manny and some tools while she worked on her house.  

Heather left in a hurry so I did not get photos of them with their creations, so instead we took pictures of our crazy Grimm hiding under the tree.  He loves to knock off the ornaments and chew on the branches.  

We tried to get the boys to pose but it was like wrangling cats, neither could stand still or look the same direction at the same time.  But they are who they are and it is what it is.  And they are both growing so fast!

Baylor and his finished house. He did it all by himself.  I may have found a sweet or two for him to add to the house, but he did the work.  He should be a pro, he as been decorating houses since he was 2.  

Tara made a lovely home, nearly in the style of her soon to be new home.  

Lucas did a great job with his house as well.  They 

were all great, as they all are.  I love spending the time with everyone!  Farewell until next year Gingerbread houses!!