"Gingerbread" Houses and Salt Dough Ornaments

I've spent the past couple of days just hanging out with my girls. The house is a mess and I haven't really cooked dinner in awhile... but none of that seems to matter recently.

We made salt dough ornaments a couple of days ago and painted them today. I was pretty impressed with Lea's painting skills. Believe it or not, she isn't really into arts & crafts (Gasp!). Her preschool teacher said she is always the first to finish a project and run off to play when they do crafts. She didn't get that from me! Anyhow... like I said, she actually took her time and painted the ornaments very well. I was so proud!!

Cutting out the ornaments.

Concentrating on our paintings (while Emma watches!).

Painting

I also assembled two "gingerbread" houses for us to decorate. I used graham crackers and homemade royal icing. I made them the night before so they would be hardened and ready to decorate the next day. Lea LOVED all the candy I had gotten. She wasn't that into decorating her house, though... she just wanted to eat the candy! We still had a good time. I had Teddy Grahams, too. She thought it was hilarious to make her house look like bears were climbing all over it. ;)

"I'm going to pretend to take a bite, mom!"
(I am pretty sure she actually did take a bite.)

Tasting her work.

I also managed to make peppermint bark today and actually, I got a couple loads of laundry done, too. :)