 |
| Jason made his own cookies this year |
 |
| Genevieve's are on the left, Jason's on the right. |
 |
| She didn't like Jason's mess, but she's a good sport and filled with Grace |
 |
| The SSS Odyssey Cookie |
 |
| As long as they are quiet and not asking to watch a movie or play video games... |
 |
| Special cookie, just for me! |
 |
| Red frosting, red sprinkles, RED 40 ?!?!?!?! |
 |
| He was so careful and deliberate on where he dumped the rolling out flour. |
 |
| Gingerbread Boy |
Cookies were messy and tasty, but I think next year we'll do a different kind. Some of us have been cutting and frosting cookies for almost two decades.
 |
| The first year I've been able to make a full four loaf batch of Yule Kaga! |
Mark's sister sent a cheese and sausage box, but someone else did too...and didn't leave a name! I sure loved watching all my big kids crowding around the box for meat and cheese. Grandad would have been so proud.
 |
| Meat and Cheese! Ian is meat, Genna is cheese! |
And then.........IT SNOWED! A WHITE CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!
 |
| These little gloves were supposed to be in stockings. I kept them out just in case! |
Ian successfully landed several back flips on the icy trampoline. I'm glad I waited until just NOW to realize he could have easily broken his neck slipping. If I live through his shenanigans.... I'll still have seven more teenagers to kill me off I suppose.....
We were supposed to have goose for Christmas dinner. Sadly, several geese that were slated for eating disappeared and/or died and all that is left is the breeding stock. I joked it was the snowy camouflage that kept them safe and alive. We ended up eating.... meat and cheese.
This snowball was the first shot fired between the older kids...
 |
| Revenge is a dish best served....cold. And frozen. |
 |
| Will she hit him? Will he dodge? |
 |
| A direct hit! |
 |
| Better run! |
 |
| Shane was stuffing a snowball in her hood and smashed it in to her hair when he looked over and saw... |
 |
| Slam dunk snowball! |
Ian planned his slam dunk attack pretty well, but didn't take into account that people might move to get out of the way, so he landed on Genevieve and made her mad.
Shane and Ian volleyed snowballs back and forth for awhile...
...some finding their mark, some not. And Genevieve, who is a very patient person....
 |
| "Hey Ian, wanna build a snowman?" |
 |
| Face smash! |
 |
| Ian can pass it out, but can he take it? |
And then while I was taking a few pictures of the little kids and their penguin sledding (because no one could find the sled)...
the battle between Ian and Shane got a little more tense. Shane picked up the old wading pool and used it as a shield...
...and just kept going and knocked Ian down. Look closely at Mark's face. We all were pretty darn surprised. And then Ian went after Shane.
They are both smiling, but I was pretty sure I would never see Shane alive again after they ran into the house. I'm pretty sure the fact that they tandem nursed as babies keeps them from actually hurting each other as teens. Most days see them arguing about everything, with Ian being the more dominant one (in his mind) through strength and force, but Shane being the dominant one through peace and quiet strength-the kind that realizes that not owning other people's problems is strength.
And that was the fun of Christmas Eve.
