Camping in the basement!

This is a long planned nice thing for Hubby and Mr 6 to do together.
They camped out in the basement and used the fireplace and had an extended reading time.
This photo is from the morning when all three boys had some reading time.

Baltimore - Port Discovery Children's Museum

It is called a Children's Museum, but seems really to be a fancy indoor children's play area... We were a bit underwhelmed to be honest. They had various things to do, with a big climbing area in the middle. Mostly all very very played with...
Our kids got to the point where they were overstimulated, and just wanted to float through areas, pressing all the buttons they could on the way through. So there were lots of lovingly thought out exhibits that were only valued for buttons... I don't think the kids picked up anything about ancient Egypt, exports of Maryland, how a garden works, what worms do in a garden, etc.
If we did it again: go early, and just play on the gym, go out for a break, reentry, play on gym again.

Left over Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

This was a really enjoyable leftover that tasted great. I used turkey instead of chicken, and also used a lot of pure turkey stock, and managed to clear out some veggies that were malingering in the kitchen.
I got a very classic reaction from the baby though. I think after about 20 mins he had calmed down enough to try a bit (and realised we weren't going to come up with something better), after which he ate the whole bowl, veggies and all, without pause (while his older brother was manfully eating without complaining, but forensically picking through every mouthful for suspicious looking lumps).

Military Bowl

Quiet day at home today, sadly realising tonight that we missed the parade, with Clydesdale horses, for the Military Bowl game. So on one hand, we got some things done at home, and on the other, we missed a parade! We just hadn't kept up with whether the bowl was even on, never mind if it was in town. Maybe next year.

http://www.capitalgazette.com/sports/navy_sports/cgnews-military-bowl-parade-20151228-photogallery.html

Quiet Waters

We headed out to Quiet Waters today, for a bit of a low key outing. Everyone still a bit tired and overwhelmed after Christmas. The extra bike got officially handed down (training wheels back on, seat lowered), to the breathless and repeated thanks from the baby. Mr 6, with brand new bike, needed to have a few rides himself, to remember how much better his new bike is, and to let go of his old bike. Having achieved that, and the baby having learnt how to steer and pedal at the same time, we set out on a loop we hadn't done, which had a lovely view.
Once again, the time and space and peace gave us all a bit of rest and renewal.

Merry Christmas

Here is our tree, all ready for the day!

Here is our breakfast of waffles!

Here is the tree, all denuded of presents...

Here is Christmas dinner with turkey and gravy made from the giblets and neck (didn't get the colour right, so it is sort of white...). We also ate beans, roast potato, peas and corn, stuffing, and cranberry sauce, lemonade and non-alcoholic champagne (very juice like).

Weather - about 20 deg C, so lots of time spent out doors on new bike and scooter.

Decorating Gingerbread

Well, I've done it twice now, so I wonder if it is a bit of a tradition. Today we had some friends over (my kids plus 5 others, plus their parent) and decorated gingerbread. It was less chaotic than last year, possibly because the kids were older?
I made the gingerbread ahead (Tuesday night...in the thick of my cold-before-Christmas...), bought the icing, and provided enough sprinkles to liberally cover several biscuits in the charming way that kids can. Even googly eyes...
My friend provided craft, which was new this year, which is, clear plastic baubles to hang on the Christmas tree, with paint swirled inside, one for each child. It is surprisingly good at the finish...
I have no examples of what my kids did, because they ate them, but what the baby did, was very carefully cover a gingerbread man in about 1 cm of chocolate icing, then very carefully sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of pink sugar on to it, then carefully placed about 5 mini M&Ms, and 5 confectioners sugar (shiney) balls. Then he ate it, very happily. (and skipped lunch, and ate a very small dinner, and went to bed at 6pm).