Cousins and Cookies

The official holiday season may be over, but with so many memories, I figured the blog could extend our festivities a bit longer. 

What do you get when you put 5 preschoolers , plates of cookies and bowls of icing together in one room… a precious mess! 

 

This fine crew knew just what to do !  There was a fine mix of icing, sprinkles, M&M’s and chocolate chips all over the table, and floor, and little hands!  (And mouths for that matter too!)

The finished products:  Snowmen Cupcakes and Royal Icing Sugar Cookies…YUMMO!

 

But the fun didn’t stop there! 

Since I happen to know that popcorn is favorite food of Santa (at least a Santa in Columbia), I decided to add Santa Popcorn to our Menu.  This is what the picture from the recipe I used looked like. 

 

Gorgeous huh?  Totally expected my version (which included 5 preschoolers) to turn out just the same! 

Ummmm……. NO! 

I wonder why though?????

But at least someone found it tasty!

 

 

It was messy.  It was chaotic.  It was festive. 

Therefore, it was a successful memory made!

The Christmas Nativity…Bailey Style

I can honestly 100% say, this idea was really their own!  Actually, it all began because Wylie was playing baby dolls and wanted to name her doll Jesus.  From there, a full fledge nativity play complete with costumes, lines and song evolved. 

Once Wylie suggested this idea, I was all about it!  I let the kids choose their parts.  Wylie of course was to be Mary and hold Baby Jesus.  Charlie knew immeidately that he wanted to be the angel who told the wise men about the star.  Bess started out wanting to be Joseph. 

So off in search of appropriate attire we headed.  My upstairs hallways a nightmare during this process but I would never have traded it for the world. 

We emerged from the depths of closets, drawers and costume boxes looking perfect for all our parts.

Charlie as Gabriel

(dressed in a white crib sheet and his daddy’s golf belts)

Wylie as Mary

(dressed in a blue Cinderella dress and a Cinderella skirt worn as a head cover!) 

Baby Jesus was played by “Big Baby Doll” and used Wylie’s shopping cart as a manger!

Bess as a Wise Man

Originally she wanted to be Joseph but when she saw the brown shirt I was going to use, she quickly changed her mind. She wanted “purhple” on.  So a wise man she became! 

(dressed in a mommy’s sweater and scarves)

For the record, we did try to get Ben to wear his old Halloween costume which was a giraffe to complete the nativity but he wore the hat for 2 minutes and then was back to Elmo!  We tried…

And so the play began! 

Charlie reminded everyone to follow the star to find Baby Jesus. 

Wylie told everyone that Baby Jesus was in a manger .

Bess brought a present for Baby Jesus and laid it at his feet. 

Then we sang our favorite Christmas hymn:  Away in  a Manger. 

Bess was QUITE upset that the “angel” was singing and yelled repeatedly “The angel doesn’t sing!”.  

Sadly, I am having techy difficulties with uploading videos but I promise on my heart that The Bailey Bunch version of this Nativity Performance will be saved and viewed for many Christmas Seasons to come!

 

Little Memories

Dear Babies, 

My one goal in writing this blog is to chronicle as much of the day to day memories that I am so fortunate to experience.  I never want to forget the smallest details, the simple sayings or the moment that was over in the blink of an eye.  I want you to one day look back and giggle over what you did, remember a moment you might have forgotten and know that beyond anything else in this world, my heart loves you so deeply words don’t capture my true feelings.

May these little memories be ones you (and I ) never forget:

Dancing Like the Christmas Trees…

Dear Bessie Boo,  you certainly have your father’s blood!  You never back down from a dance party.  If you hear a good dancing tune- be it in the car, store or kitchen, you are ready to show your moves.  While I can create the ever so memorable moves like your father, I was able to help you create a Festive move for this holiday season.  You loved the Christmas music I played in the kitchen and one day, while an instrumental piece of holiday music was playing, you and I danced like Christmas trees.  How do Christmas Trees dance you might ask?  They sway and twirl very gingerly.  This soon became your signature holiday move and it was beyond adorable and precious.  While I do admire you for attempting this move with more up beat music, I think you clearly perfected it for the holiday songs we listened to this season!  Thankfully, everyone in our family (even your daddy) enjoyed this move and seemed to bust it out when the perfect song was on!  Way to go trend setter!

 

And you never forget to stop and play the piano during the song as well!

 

 

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree! 

Dear Wild Man, 

Little boy, you will never in a million years know how my heart strings were pulled each time you sang your favorite Christmas song : Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree.  Your rendition was a bit more precious though:  “Oh Kiss Ma Tee, Oh Kiss Ma Tee!”  While you only knew those words and repeated them over and over and over, I was never tired of hearing your sweet voice sing those words.  Christmas Tree  or rather “Kiss Ma Tee” was your favorite word this month.  You would tell the christmas tree good bye when we left the house and when you learned to say I love you or rather “ Uv U” this month, you reminded our tree how much you loved it by sayin “ Uv U Kiss Ma Tee”.   My face lit up with a smile each time I heard you sing.  Baby boy, you have us all wrapped tighter than you will ever know and I would never trade a million bucks for the smiles, new learnings and happiness you have shown us over this past month! 

 

Special Delivery!

I couldn’t help but write about this.  Every year since we have lived in this house, we have received a free Honey Baked Ham.  It is sent every year to the previous owners of this house.  While we do call and see if they would like the ham, it is always given to us!   In the words of Lightning McQueen: Ka-Chow!!!!  Last year, we made the mistake of thinking the ham was not coming and went and bought the coveted ham ourselves.  Only to have one delivered the night after!  This year, in true fashion, the ham arrived and the fam was happy!  Oh how we love you Honey Baked Ham and the mysterious sender who sends it to our old owners!!! 

 

 

“ Wy-E” 

Dear “Wy-E”,

One of these days, I hope you will truly appreciate the deep love that your brother has for you.  You are so patient and motherly with him and you are only 4.  You can’t see it, but he adores you and loves to be where ever you are.  He seeks you out and wants you to help him.  He knows that he can depend on you .  He screams your name from the rooms of our house in search of you “Wy-E, Wy-E”  My heart is so happy that you 2 have a special relationship between each other.  I cherish watching you try to help him do those things he just can’t do yet.  I love that you will sit and watch Elmo movies with him when you would rather be watching Princess ones.  You take your time with him and your patience is remarkable.  You are being a wonderful big sister to Ben!  Thank you for helping him, teaching him and loving him.  You are my special girl and little Momma.  I have seen this side of you since you were itty bitty!  My heart is so in love with your sweet personality and spirit!  You make me so proud sweet girl!   Thank you! 

 

 

The True Spirit …

   Little Man,  

I wish I could write down every single thing you said this month.  When I think of a child who was so into the season, I will think of you!  Every part of this month you have cherished.  Every night, you have asked me to sing Away in a Manger after we sing our usual You are My Sunshine song,  you never forget to remind me that we need to eat our chocolates from the Advent Calendar, you had deep conversation with Mr. Jingles and Bell that I will always hold in my heart and you truly have the Christmas spirit in your soul.  You made this exciting for you dad and I.  To listen to your little innocent thoughts about baby Jesus, Santa, Rudolph and snow was priceless. 

But while all those moments were great, my heart absolutely will never ever in a million years forget one of the most sincere and innocent moments with your this season. 

On Christmas morning, after your gifts were opened and Daddy and I were opening gifts, you rushed into another room to get a gift you had created for your Daddy and I.  (We knew nothing of this gift and really didn’t know what to expect.) 

You returned with the most perfect gift.  One night, while we were not home, you had used construction paper to create for us both houses.  You had drawn windows for everyone in our family and a door.  Inside the house, you had drawn “presents”, a Christmas Tree and Santa.  That was probably my favorite moment of this holiday.  The innocence and sincerity in your voice made my heart swell up and my eyes fill with tears. 

As long as I live, I will treasure my Christmas house.  I love you buddy!  Lots and Lots!

There are so many memories that I never want to forget.  For tonight, these are the ones I am treasuring the most.  

Our Busy Little Elves

I am just not sure how much more these little elves can get into around here!  Over December, these little elves have been mischievous, silly and very sneaky! 

I can honestly say, this year, my children truly do “talk” to our elves.  Especially Charlie!  Before doing anything else in the morning, he searches to find where Mr. Jingles and Bell are in the house!  He is very aware of the elves and often asks for Bubba and I to tell Mr. Jingles and Bell things for him!  I love his excitement for these elves!!! 

So just what have our elves gotten into lately… 

 

They spelled our names with our favorite “Marshmallow Cereal” better known as Lucky Charms!

They have hidden behind Spiderman, decorated our kitchen wreaths with colored lights, and built Lego houses.  

They brought us new coloring books, made up snowmen sticks for breakfast and replaced all our stockings with ski socks.  They also changed Rody into Rudolph for a dress up party!  

One night, they got a hold of some fake spray snow and went to town decorating our back doors!

 

They honored Baby Jesus and recognized that He is really the reason for all our celebration!  They buried themselves under Christmas trees, hung out with the Toy Story Gang and spelled a message from Santa on our counters!

 

One afternoon they brought us Mrs. Clause cookies and snowballs to eat after dinner!  They left us a dollar in our stockings, were attacked by Band Aids and even had a little fun brushing their teeth!

 

When the house started getting sick, so did our elves! Poor Mr. Jingles!  So glad Bell was able to take care of him!  They were wrapped tight in a diaper one morning and the next we caught them playing baseball above the curtains!

 

They re-redecorated our kitchen wreaths and helped Buck, Charlie’s deer, get ready for the holiday season!

 

When the fussing began, they wrote a note and left it on our computer for everyone to read!  Since we LOVE coloring around here, they brought us even more coloring books!!!

 

Most recently, we discovered Mr. Jingles and Bell having a silly string fight in the kitchen!  

 

Whew!!!  That is a lot of action for 2 little elves!  I can only imagine what these little elves will get into in their last few days in our house! 

I MUST be insane!!!

Day 1 of Christmas Break and while I have been home all week, quarantined with the flu, so technically started my break earlier this week, today was the first day I have felt human again!!! 

Why must I be crazy? 

The other day my eye spied a bottle of shaving cream and I knew just who would love to get messy in it!! 

So I lathered up the table and let 2 of my little loves entertain themselves!

 

 

It took about 2.2 seconds for these little loves to cover the table top entirely in shaving cream.  You know, I envisioned this as a little mini school lesson – Let’s practice winter words, like snow, flake, cold, etc… Nope, my children just wanted to slather shaving cream from the 4 corners and draw Barbie and Ninja Turtles!  Why did I think for one minute, I could get words on a table!!!

 

 

Even Mr. Jingles and Bell decided that they too wanted to have some shaving cream fun!

While the children were covered, all slathered in shaving cream, I attempted to redo the ornament Baby Otis ate off my counter last week.  Despite the fact that I was a mere 2 feet from this madness and could hear, see and witness it all, I was a bit taken aback when I turned the island corner to discover the destruction left behind from the Shaving Cream Experience!

Literally, it was dripping off the table onto the floor.  Not sure how shaving cream drips but it was. 

 

But, mess or no mess, Wy summed it up best and made my day when she said

“Mom, this was the greatest new idea!”  

That was enough.  Messes get cleaned up. 

Now for snuggle time on the couch with cookies and The Grinch! 

Tis the season!

Ornament Extravaganza!

Maybe it is because I find that each day I turn into a bigger sentimental mush or maybe it is because I secretly am not kidding when I say “Don’t grow up” to my babies, but lately, I want to snap their hands, feet and little preschool spirits into a jar so I never , ever forget these memories I am making.  I realize the sappy factor is like WAY over the limit but I can’t help it. 

I constantly want to create new traditions for our children.  We have an annual Holiday photo that each child takes at some point in the month of December, we have the Night of Lights, we have the Galleria Santa Experience, we have Gingerbread House Fun, we have Cookie Creating but I felt that ornaments were something that was a required element to our tradition list.  So 2012 became the year to embark on this tradition! 

** Please note, I do apologize for my stellar fashion sense in the pictures below.  Clearly I had just walked the run way and was unable to change before the photos were snapped!  And what about a shout out to the Farmers!!!  Who remembers that RH?! 

I also would like to say for the record I have my loving husband and sister to thank for Wylie’s interesting apparel on this day.  Yes that is a tie dye Myrtle Beach tshirt and yes that is a sweater 2 sizes to small from my sister being rocked…we pick our battles here folks.

I decided to conquer Salt Dough Ornaments first.  How hard is it.  Flour, Salt, Water…ingredients I can handle! 

And yes the kitchen was covered in flour by the end but don’t we love a Dyson?!?!?!

 

 

 

One person who at first was NOT a fan of this festive fun… our little Bennie!  He came around but bless, it took a bit!

 

 

On the other hand, Sir Charles, jumped right in and decided to get down and dirty with me!!!  He was ALL ABOUT this little project!

 

And so round one was completed.  Now it was drying time!  So I placed these lovely hand made ornaments on the countertop away from my tiny little friends.  I went on about my business.

Guess who made it there business to eat Ben’s sweet hand print ornament?

Only one culprit….

Got sick from it too!  But not another ornament has been eaten since! 

Can’t wait for Ornament Painting Day with these little loves!