Party for Jesus + Gingerbread houses

Anna got invited to a party with some of her preschool friends where they all  got to make gingerbread houses.   It was a great time, and she really enjoyed getting to create her own house.  I thought it was a great idea.  Here she is working hard.

 It was so much fun, that we did it with Megan's older friends a few days later.  We ended up having ten kids, so the house was packed, but it was such a festive and fun-filled time.  We had a birthday party for Jesus while they were all over.  We had cupcakes which my friend suggested we put in the shape of a cross while we sang Happy Birthday.   

One of the moms read the Christmas story.  She had the neatest props that went with it I've ever seen.  Each character she mentioned (the angel, Mary and Joseph, the wise men, Jesus, even the sheep and camels) had a little toy that represented that character.  The kids would take turns putting them onto the fabric with velcro until the entire story was read.  It was really neat.

Here they are listening to the story.  

Then later that night, just the moms had a girl's night/40th birthday party for one of my neighbors.  It was so nice to relax, play games, and laugh!!!