Traditions and Celebrations

 As we do every year, we decorated gingerbread houses.

Devon and I went to Red Robin for a birthday lunch.

My FoE Christmas exchange came and I was totally spoiled!

Our ward party was The Polar Express to Bethlehem. I didn't quite understand it, but it was fun.

        Cookie Decorating in preparation for caroling. I love caroling. It's my favorite part of our Christmas traditions. We didn't get to go out as much as usual since we had several bouts of illness. But we did go one day around the neighborhood. We decorated cookies and baked treats. The kids fight over who can give the plates of goodies away. Singing hymns and Christmas songs as we tromp through the snow, it's the most connected we are through the hustle and bustle of the holiday madness. 

        Devon had been asking to go rock climbing since we moved so we went for his birthday. I was surprised that Charles and Henry were the best climbers. All my kids like to climb, but Charles really enjoyed it. We had a race and Charles smoked his siblings, he even beat Daniel. Daniel redeemed himself with a faster climb once he heard he had been too slow. 

        Devon's Spanish club was having a celebration and asked for Latin desserts. I made tres leches cake and attempted a flan. It was the first time I had made one and I was scared it wouldn't come out right so I found a tienda and bought some pan dulce and one of their flans for the party. I unmolded my flan later and we had it as a family. The kids loved it. It was a tad underdone in the middle, but now I know to cook it longer. According to Charles, it was like vanilla ice cream, he went back for seconds so I'm calling that a win. I did a comparison with the store-bought one and mine was decidedly better, I will be doing it for Cinco de Mayo.