Christmas Preparations

[przed]

We've spent the last two weekends getting ready for the holidays. All of which has brought home to me how much Ros is growing up.

Last week we put up the tree, and Ros helped decorate it. The last two years, Ros "helping" has meant I did damage control and made sure she didn't break anything, she put a bunch of decorations all in the same place, and then I did the whole tree after she got bored and wandered off to do something more interesting.

Not this year. This year she paid attention to what I told her about how we needed to decorate (unbreakable stuff the cat can't hurt at the bottom, heavy or delicate stuff at the top), then did most of it herself. She sorted all the decorations, hung them at the appropriate height, and got a chair when she couldn't reach a branch. It was awesome!

This weekend it was the baking weekend, and she proved herself able with the baking end of things too. She helped chop up dates and maraschino cherries for the fruit cookies, proved better than the Sweetie at mixing up icing, and helped with the rolling out of gingerbread.

I couldn't resist taking pictures of the gingerbread making today.



I think she started with the eye rolling last year, but this is the first time I've caught it on film. It's usually accompanied by an exasperated "Oh, Mom!" (The teen years are going to be interesting. *g*)


Ros preparing to attack the gingerbread!


Attack commenced!




Most of the baking has turned out well this year, with the exception of the gingerbread. We've unanimously decided that molasses is not the favourite flavour of anyone in our household. After working with the dough for ages, I think I've pretty much had enough.

Comments

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

Santa's little helper is really putting in the work there. :D

I knew my little brother was growing up when he took over the tree decorating from me without my having to point out where everything went.

I love ginger biscuits but I'm not keen on gingerbread. No, I can't work out that one either.

[msmoat.livejournal.com]

Wait. How'd she get so much older?? I swear you just brought her home a couple of years ago...

How brilliant is that, that you can share the holiday preparations fully with her? Yay!

I'm likely hosting the last Christmas in my house, so I'm going all out with all the traditional stuff. It's all kind of bittersweet, but nice, too.

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Isn't it fun when they're actually able to join in. I loved doing things with my kids. Little ones are cute but having them old enough to hang out with is very cool.

[nsandik.livejournal.com]

What an adorable girl she is! So perfect in her pink polka dots! You are going to have a terrific Christmas. And from long experience, gingerbread is only edible if made by Russian bakers as a cake. The hard stuff is only good for make decorated houses. :-D

See? If you had asked me years ago, I could have saved you all that grief! LOL

[graculus.livejournal.com]

She's getting so grown-up, how did that happen so quickly? All the best for you and yours for the holiday shenanigans. :)

[avery11.livejournal.com]

What a charmer she is! And how lucky you both are to have one another!

[dracothelizard.livejournal.com]

She seems enthusiastic about the rolling pin, so keep that in there! You never know when you need something flattened.

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

Good grief, she really is *tall* now! Nice to hear that Santa's little helper is exactly that this year. And I like gingerbread, though I agree, it takes a time to make so it's something I like to eat elsewhere rather than make myself.

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

Delightful pics - and what a pity the results weren't as tasty as you'd hoped! Ros is certainly growing up - quite scary how they do that while you aren't watching!!

[halotolerant.livejournal.com]

My favourite ginger-based carb snack is the kind of ginger chewy biscuit nom called 'Cornish Fairings' which the Guardian obligingly has a recipe for among other things here: (http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/jan/22/biscuit-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstall) with the golden syrup they should come out in a mode like a 'cookie' and be yummy *g*

Lovely to see pics of Ros. I do all the pre-Christmas cooking for my Mum (Christmas Cake, Christmas Pudding, Mince Pies), that was my special role for years and I always felt so proud (and it's pretty hard to mess up those things too!) But I think part of the secret of enjoying Christmas is feeling like a provider and I hope she feels that too.

[snailbones.livejournal.com]

Oh my, your baby is growing... and getting cuter by the minute. How does she do that? *g* I love her colour sense too - doesn't she look fab in her pink leggings and green top.

I never like the taste of gingerbread, though I love ginger biccies - I see you've had the same conversation further up *g* I wonder if it's the molasses in it? Nasty black sticky stuff. Bleh!

[st-crispins.livejournal.com]

OMG! she's grown so much!

Just came over to wish you a happy birthday as well! Look for some virtual cake...