Preparation. Heart and home. Waiting.
On this third Sunday of Advent we enjoyed the company of our two daughters and their husbands. On Saturday we had dinner here - Roasted chicken with pears, roasted potatoes, broccoli, and for dessert Gingerbread Cake with Lemon Sauce. We then took a short excursion to see the Bethlehem Walk, an amazing production put on by the church we attend here that features the Nativity and the hamlet of Bethlehem. Home again for apple cider, popcorn and a movie - "While You Were Sleeping" - one of my favorites.
Another tradition we have is decorating gingerbread cookies. Years ago I wanted every gingerbread person perfectly outlined with neat eyes and buttons marching down the center of his jacket.
Tim would egg the children on to create all kinds of personas - pirates with patches and one leg, strange creatures, wonky characters. This year, everyone brought a batch of gingerbread cookies in their own shapes. Cristal and her husband made gingerbread frogs,princes, and stars. Ashley and Owen had sailboats, stars and people. I made hearts, camels, reindeer in addition to the traditional gingerbread men.
And so, I've changed. These cookies will never decorate a cookie plate at a church or community function. Few will make it out of this house. It's not about the cookies - it's about the fun we have while decorating them. I don't really care what the cookies look like. The laughter around the table is more important.
But we missed Travis and Katie's presence. They stayed in Victoria since the baby is due tomorrow!
This post is part of Floss' "A Pause in Advent" and I'm also linking to Mary's Monday Mosaic at the Little Red House.
Fun for sure! I even felt the fun viewing your beautiful mosaic! I think they are the best cookies ever :)
ReplyDeleteIndeed the perfect looking cookies are certainly not the tastiest not hold all those memories and fun:-)
ReplyDeleteI was just going to tell you that your family is having too much fun, but that's the whole point! Not the product, the process and the process leads to fun. Perfect!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun tradition! It's all about the family and the fun!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like everyone had a fun time! What a great tradition!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a fun time from beginning to end!
ReplyDeleteAnd now...a little more waiting...and anticipating.
Well judging by your pictures everyone had a fabulous time. What a great idea and tradition. Have a wonderful week!
ReplyDeleteHow fun you guys seems to have here. Lovely mosaic with a family feeling.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a fun activity and a wonderful family tradition to pass on down the years.
ReplyDeleteHope your week is great and all goes well with the new arrival!
Lovely! I'm wondering why I used to be so obsessed with perfection, too. 'It's usually better to be happy than to be right' is something I picked up from 'Don't sweat the small stuff', and it's true but not always easy to live up to. But your gingerbread decorating session really sums that up!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun tradition with your family. Enjoy the gingerbread cookies.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful tradition! The gingerbread cookies look great to me (and I can almost smell them)! I bet you are looking forward to the new babe.
ReplyDeleteOh what fun you had. You have started a new tradition.
ReplyDeleteLorrie - I just smiled as I looked at those pictures - such a great time to be together and then I read the reason that your family circle wasn't complete. What a special reason to be away and what a wonderful gift your family will have this Christmas!
ReplyDeleteAll the best to you and your family - wishing you many special moments as you clelbrate together!
That's funny and reminded me of icing sugar cookies when we were kids- mom always wanted the stars yellow, bells blue, trees green and santa red! One year we did orange and purple, the "wrong" colours!! But I still ice my sugar cookies those specific colours..
ReplyDeleteyes you are right Lorrie..traditions are meant to be fun..one can feel and see the love in these pictures..
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun time! I may have to add that as one of our traditions. I just love having family home for the holidays!
ReplyDeleteA great tradition and it looks like you're making wonderful memories! I love your candles in the first image too.
ReplyDeleteyour dinner sounds delicious and decorating cookies is always a messy good time!
ReplyDeletethank you so much for your sweet and comforting words on my recent blog post. i'm so touched.
xo
elyse