Getting Ready for Christmas

We're working on feeling Christmassy around here but I admit, I do always struggle a bit with feeling like Christmas in the warmer climes. "It's beginning to look alot like Chris-mas" just doesn't have the same ring when every day the sky is a cloudless blue and the predominant environmental shades are yellow/brown/green or blue if you're looking oceanward.

Today we actually had cold rain and I thought to myself, now this is more like it and probably the December weather that most of the rest of the country is experiencing. The Christmas lights glow a little bit brighter when its dark and chilly outside!

We took advantage of it and had a little fire tonight. Looks pretty festive eh? You'd never think San Diego!

As I'm writing this, Greg just informed me that he is ordering a parka for work so I guess it does get a little colder in San Diego than we anticipated. But seriously, a parka???? 

We've been getting into the spirit with some baking and decorating. Kai loves decorating gingerbread houses and remembers very well the one we did last year. This was Teia's first time and they were both very focused artistes!

This is T's side. Note the strategically placed snowman on the roof. 

And this is Budsy's. He was primarily responsible for the top of the roof decor as well as the green icing. I helped a little with the candy cane framed door way :).

Teia looking a wee bit sugared up!

And here is Kai getting his sugar on during our yearly Nanaimo Bar bake-fest. Kai has demonstrated that he is as proficient at cleaning a bowl as a dishwasher. These Nanamio Bars were particularly special because we made them for Kai's gym teacher Mr. Jeff, someone Kai has grown very fond of. He referred to them as "Mr. Jeff's Nanaimo Bars" but I was able to steal a few for his other teachers. 

Teia got in on the Nanaimo Bar-making-fest as well. She is not one to be left out of anything these days, particularly "helping."

Today Kai and I whipped up a batch of Breakaway Cookies, another seasonal favorite at the Fennell house ever since Auntie Laina shared the recipe. He did a stellar job of laying out the Ritz cracker rows.  

Check these out! Done by a 4 year old! They are much neater than I could have managed! He was also keen to whip up the toffee part on the stove! The little man loves his baking!

So even though we have 0 chance of a white Christmas this year, it'll still smell and taste Christmassy at the 'pool house!'