A Warped Tradition..

Last year, quite by accident we started a new tradition. Now don't think its all sentimental, its not that kind of tradition.

Last year, we decorated a gingerbread house and didn't particularly want the kids to eat the house- so I think Grace actually put out the idea that we could give the Gingerbread house to SANTA - and, Ryan and I thought, "Hey that is a terrific idea!"

So last year, we left out the gingerbread house along with cookies and milk and my children went to bed dreaming of Santa hauling back the Gingerbread house to the North Pole to share with the elves- ( Imagine the logistics of that one- especially if Santa collects a few) Santa left a nice note, thanking my children for the house and leaving behind his treasures.

SOOOOOO, this year, because we had hordes of family invade ( just kidding, but we did have a lot of family visit) we didn't quite get around to the gingerbread house decorating... and then we kept putting the kids off- we ran out of time Christmas Eve- so Ryan let the kids know that Santa had agreed to come by our house on New Years Eve to pick up the Gingerbread house.... ( we know people OK?) And so on the
30th of December while I was trying to rid myself of a sinus infection, my kids were busy getting the Gingerbread House put together. They added a new touch this year- their art skills are getting more honed.. they added a wreath on the back of the house including red hots.

Then Grace got busy planning out our New Years Eve- I was still struggling with the sinus infection ( and still am). We went out to see the movie "Bedtime Stories"
(OK) found a place to get a quick dinner ( Panera Bread)- are you jealous? It was one of the only places that fits the bill on "semi healthy" choices, and was open without a wait on New Years. Woo Hoo. What a party.

Then we headed home... to get the party started. Grace decided that we should make nachos and homeade lemonade- they played some games on the Wii, we managed to get in a board game, and then lucikly it was quarter to midnight. Grant was fading fast, losing all his coping mechanism skills... along with me. I wanted to go to bed at 11, but that was not acceptable I guess.
Grace left out the note for Santa.. and we woke this morning to find that Santa had indeed appreciated the Gingerbread house ( maybe because he made a special trip to just get ours) and he even left a small gift in the kid's stockings. They were thrilled and "ding dong, the gingerbread house is gone!".

Oh, and the homeade lemondae didn't turn out well according to Grace- I didn't venture to taste it.