Saturday, January 4, 2025

Winter Wonderlights


We accidentally came across this lights display while we were out getting some gift cards to send my family. Only Heidi and Natalie were with us, but they were so excited to have a fun little excursion. It was the middle of the week, so there was hardly anyone around and we had fun walking around looking, although we were a little hurried to get our errands done.









The boys were interested in going when we got home and told them about it. We kept planning on going, but never quite found the right time. I knew New Year's was the last day it was supposed to be up, so although I wasn't really up for it that evening, (and Austin didn't want to go at all) we made hot chocolate and went.
We haven't really had any snow this year, so a little of the magic that could have been there, wasn't. But all the kids loved making hot chocolate and sipping it as we walked along. They all said their favorite part (other than hot chocolate) was the bridge (which we didn't have time to see with the girls the first time).

The rest of the park was fun too, except that the hightlight (snowflakes and a tree on a hill that flashed on and off in time with Christmas music playing nearby) wasn't on. It was still a fun little, memorable adventure.




 

Thursday, January 2, 2025

Christmas Baking

Throughout December, we made lots of Christmas treats to share. We also ate plenty of them ourselves! The kids love doing sugar cookies even though they are a ton of work!




The girls also like to help make peanutbutter kiss cookies every year.


Austin's dad wanted to make candy with all of the older cousins this year. They used our kitchen because it is more spacious. They made five different kinds of candy with the five oldest kids each leading the making of a different type.









 The chocolate hazlenut candy from Italy was my personal favorite, although they were all good. Some of them didn't quite turn out as hoped, but they were all good.

We always made at least one batch of Christmas bread from the recipe that has been passed down through my family.