Gingerbread House decorating party

The kids were eager to invite some friends over to decorate gingerbread house like last year. I agreed to bake all the houses again, regretted it when it took forever and then was very happy about it agin when my house was completely permeated with the home made gingerbread smell for a week.

Excitedly waiting for their friends to arrive

Bruce somehow snatched the beaters off the counter when I wasn't looking and was so very pleased with himself.

Ellie and her best friend Alexia

Isa and Alexia

Sugar sugar sugar

This is a very serious art

Ellie playing the piano for her friends // Bruce was elated when we gave him his own gingerbread house

It turned out he really just wanted to eat all the candy, not actually decorate a house.

The sanders // Kenny's friend, Brad

Cayson was a very dedicated decorator

 

Gingerbread house decorating party

I've always loved the idea of making homemade ginger bread houses for the kids but had never done it. I decided his year was the year! We invited the Tanners and Acostas kids over and got to work baking before the big night. Our house smelled sooo Christmassy delicious while I baked all the houses that morning. They were kind of a pain to assemble but I'm really glad I did it he morning before the guests arrived so the icing had time to harden for the kids. The kids loved decorating and put lots of thougt into their decor. The house still smelled amazing the next couple days and every time we walked past the kids houses we got another whiff of the gingery goodness.

 

 

Hot cocoa party

A hot cocoa party was the perfect way to ring in the Christmas season this year. We cranked up the air conditioner and invited some friends to come over after the Coral Gables city tree lighting ceremony. It was a blast all night long. 

I just love holiday baking
Winter Wonderland backdrops from the Caravan Shoppe HERE

Red velevet cheesecake is always a holiday favorite! RECIPE
This donut tree is just a bunch of Dunkin Donuts attached to a foam pyramid with toothpicks. I don't recommend Dunkin Donuts to anyone, so if you have a better source to find donut holes, by all means use those!

Hot cocoa fixins

Lots of friends and yummy treats...great time to bust out the ole' guitar

The best party about throwing Christmas parties is that our house is already decorated for the theme

Slightly different angle

We invited everyone to bring a favorite holiday treat to share. We had way too much, but it was sure fun to taste everything!

Magical Elf on the Shelf Snowflake Breakfast

This cute little elf finally came out of hiding bringing lots of goodies and smiles with him. A snowflake themed breakfast with lots of mini breakfast treats suited Marco Polo's introduction perfectly. Ken and Ellie were so excited to wake up to this little breakfast and were so adorable checking out all the goods and enjoying them throughout the day. They were particularly excited about their little name cards and place settings. I just love seeing them get so excited about the holidays.

Marco Polo brought lots of mini elf breakfast treats with him including powder sugar donuts, mini bagels with swirled whipped cream, mini yogurt cups with granola, candy cane marshmallows, mini pancakes, mini cinnamon rolls and pastries.  Oh, and of course chocolate milk with whipping cream to top all the goodness off.

The little hanging "snowflakes" are cotton balls on fishing line.