Lyla was also invited to another Christmas cookie decorating party. We had dentist appointments that day though. I thought we could make it for about half of the party but by the time we got there, everyone else was gone. Rachel was kind enough to save some cookies for Lyla and Anna to decorate together. They enjoyed it and got a little carried away with the icing! After cookies, they played for a while too. 
Grace's friend, Sara Kathryn, invited us over for a girls night out to make Christmas cookies. Sara Kathryn also has a little sister that is Lyla's age. It works out great for all four of them to play together. We had yummy food and time for playing before the cookie dough was actually brought out. The moms enjoyed the food and conversation while the kids ran around being crazy. Then the cookie dough came out and they were excited to start. There was flour all over them and the table and quite a bit on the floor! The girls had a blast! Thank you Anne for organizing a fun night for everyone! 
If I was a "good mom" I would make our own gingerbread house pieces with the girls. In my mind I see them in their cute matching aprons, sweetly measuring ingredients, saying, "yes, Mam, I'll wait my turn", learning the math behind the measuring ingredients, reading books at the kitchen table while the cookies bake and then calmly putting together a wonderful winter wonderland scene of gingerbread and icing. But in real life it would go something more like this.....Lyla, stop burying your hands in the flour....Girls, stop licking your fingers and dipping and redipping them in the sugar....No, you can't have a 4th tablespoon of brown sugar to eat....Lyla, don't rub the cookie dough all over your arms....please stop laying on the counters and dragging flour off onto the floor....please WAIT until we measure to dump it in....UGHHHH....just go play wii while I finish!
So, instead of that mess, I went for the quick, less mom-of-the-year approach. I bought a $10 gingerbread house kit. I only bought one because it's $10!!!! They enjoyed putting it together and got along pretty well even though they had to share it. But, it just didn't last long. It just wouldn't stay standing up! Oh well, at least they're smiling.
This is of the girls decorating some sugar cookies a day or so later. I did make these cookies with the girls. It went pretty much like the description above! I think I kept my cool though. Ha!
Our elves did get into some mischief this year while they were visiting. They TP'd the Christmas tree, got into some paint in the bathroom (which we were getting ready to repaint anyway), and got into the girls candy stash. Our elves, Chase and Jillian, are always fun to have around!
Mid-temper tantrum ......
