Cute Kid Pix January 2022

More pictures that didn't make their own posts...

We had snow the first Monday of January, enough to cancel school and to play in (we don't always get the second with the first). The kids had a lot of fun.

Enjoying the day

Triple trouble

The herbs on the back porch did not enjoy the weather.

Thyme's up

One of the fun toys that got a late start in the "playing with it" category is this ax-tossing game. The target is some kind of felt fabric and the plastic axes are edged with velcro, so they sometimes stick if you throw them just right. No one has mastered this sport yet in our home.

Ready to throw

Aiming

I'm sure it was a bull's eye...

My son brought home "Gingerbread Fred" who was supposed to have some adventures at our home. Fred visited our Nativity scene (since it was still before January 6) and helped with my son's Pinewood Derby car.

At Bethlehem

On the pit crew

Cute Kid Pix December 2019

More photos that didn't make their own post...

My oldest son had his winter concert. The videos did not turn out well but I did get one shot of him on stage.

Not a front row seat for him or me

My daughter did her St. Lucy Day duties, wearing a crown of light and delivering sweets to us just like they do in Sweden.

Making icing wasn't so exciting

My youngest participated in Wreaths Across America with our Cub Scout pack at a Laurel, Maryland, cemetery. After an indoors memorial service (which included a World War II vet!) we went over to the cemetery and put a wreath on a veteran's grave.

Flags at the ceremony

World War II vet

At the grave

The grave of PFC John Diven, WWII Purple Heart recipient

We made some gingerbread cookies but the decorating took a turn for the less than optimal.

The gingerbread collection

Maybe an elephant, maybe a cthulu monster?

The mummy's head?

Two faces

Got the Christmas blues

At school, our kindergartener made a gingerbread house, though really the walls are graham crackers. It's hard to tell with all those decorations on it.

More decorations than you can shake a candy cane at!

Maryland Science Center December 2018

We visited the Maryland Science Center again, trying to max out the value of the membership we bought earlier in the year. After a few visits, we have got our money's worth. The center had some fun, new exhibits.

The main attraction for us was in the Science and Main area, where they had a gingerbread recreation of Baltimore!

A festively decorated entrance 

Sign to Sweet Street

The table had a train as well as lots of houses and some of iconic Baltimore locations.

Gingerbread row housing

The center of the display with Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower

The other end of the display

Domino Sugars factory! (would have been the perfect sponsor)

Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse

The Maryland Science Center!

Random, everyday houses

The display even had a Christmas tree next to it.

A tree without any candy!

Downstairs is a spare house that tipped us off to the display upstairs.

All by itself

We found a science display to investigate the different kinds of sugar. A nice young lady helped us identify artificial and natural sweeteners. We examined them, using both magnifying glasses and a microscope. No tasting, though.

Another display of sugar!

Examining the sweetest evidence ever

Looking at artificial sweeteners

Upstairs, my youngest and I found a display on astronomers' methods for discovering exoplanets. One method we tried was detecting stars that had dips in the amount of light they produced, which indicates a planet traveling between the observer and the star (causing the light loss through an eclipse). A second method had us black out the star and observe the planets traveling around the star without the glare of light from the main star obscuring them. Other methods are available, but we lost interest and moved on to other displays.

Doing scientific work

A discovery!

We spent a good amount of time in Newton's Alley, which we have covered before on the blog. Our two oldest children did try out the Hurricane Wind Experience...



The Science Center is always a fun place to visit.

L's Spooky Gingerbread House

To warm up for the upcoming Christmas shopping season, the stores are selling gingerbread houses early. In order to justify their tactic, they've added decorations that make the gingerbread house into a spooky haunted house rather than a snow-dusted winter chalet. We bought one of these kits and L went to town decorating hers.

L lays out her building materials

The house came pre-assembled, which seems like a bit of a cheat. Back in my day, we had to put the houses together with frosting glue, which is why I never decorated a house in my youth that I can remember. Maybe it really is progress...

L enlisted the aid of a minion--Auntie R. She was a happy and dutiful worker, following instructions to the letter and making sure everything turned out alright.

The crew ready to work!

Getting started

I know it's typical for house construction to start from the ground floor up, but since this was a pre-fab, decorating the roof first is perfectly acceptable!

Posing during work

It wasn't long before windows and doors were installed and spooky eyes were staring out of said windows and doors.

Careful with the eyeballs!

The finished product was a joy to behold!

L all done

Reverse angle

Not one to waste anything, L took care of the leftover decorations by storing them in a safe place.

Not exactly a "cool, dry place" but it is dark!

The house itself was a yummy treat over the next couple of days.

Gingerbread House and Train 2013

As part of the Christmas preparations, we made a gingerbread house from a kit. Some friends came over to help and they brought a gingerbread train kit! It was big fun for all.

L insisted on using an apron and the cool chef hat we got from Granny. Things started off traditionally with the house. Mamabee helped out L with the initial construction and decoration. I was helping on another project, I am sure...

The start of something good

Progress was swiftly made, as was the house. The only challenge was keeping L from eating all the decorations.

Caulking the roof

Just about done, just about like the box

As things were wrapping up, J and Carolyn started in on the train.

The train gets rolling (also, I think there's a candy in L's hand, no wonder her smile is so big!)

L was quick to move in on the action, which didn't bother J so much. He's very laid back when it comes to arts and crafts.

L and Carolyn working on the train

More of the same

The results are quite beautiful...beautiful enough to eat! We had to move them to a special location so they wouldn't be eaten right away.

The final house

The final train

The final hiding spot