the 'no snow' snow day

today was supposed to be the last day of school before the christmas break - however yesterday afternoon when i went to pick up the kids from school, i was told that school was already cancelled for friday.... due to weather.  i thought it was a bit strange to cancel school so far in advance, i mean this is MICHIGAN people!  the kids were upset - jayden had a "cocoa caberet" concert to perform for us and the rest of the kids had some fun activities planned.  i had 3 pounds of frosting prepared for graham's class to make gingerbread houses. 

so instead - we went to walmart (so much fun with 4 kids and so much for that last minute christmas shopping i planned to do!) to get some groceries and then stopped at the local coffee shop for some hot chocolate on our way home.  yes, there was a little bit of bribing on my part for good behavior in wal-mart. :)  i think we counted 5 families that we recognized from school at walmart!  and the big snow-storm!  nada!  maybe an inch by the end of the day today.  we watched the Polar Express and built some houses with the frosting intended for graham's class.

here's some pictures from our own gingerbread (graham cracker) house building fun this afternoon.


jillian licks the frosting while the others begin building their houses




would you look at that - jillian is actually placing a piece of candy ON the house and not IN her mouth

haha!  caught - putting another piece of candy in her mouth :)




jayden decided to make a rocket ship instead and jillian.... well, most of her decorations are in her tummy!

the other day, i decided to pull out the "santa is watching card" on jillian.  i told her that santa was watching her and that she better behave if she wants him to visit next week.  she looks around the room, pauses, and says to me "MOM, santa is NOT watching me because he is not is this room now!  i do not see him so he is NOT watching me right now!"  smart girl!