A Full House, A Home

When Emily leaned against the counter for a posed shot with two friends at the end of a splendid evening of food, stories by the fire, singing and laughter, she accidentally started the dishwasher with her butt. All broke out into laughter and I took this photo. It captures perfectly the spirit of the evening. Our two friends left my home with an invitation to Emily and me for dinner and games at their house one week from tonight. We said yes!

Yesterday morning, Emily and I picked up all five Jones kids and their cousin for a full day of togetherness. The video clip below captures some of the energy and life that's inside the children, ages 4 through 15, that they express freely when we are together.
We taught the kids how to make Christmas sugar cookies from scratch. They were involved in every part of the process.





The kids made the dough with Emily's guidance and rolled it flat with a rolling pin.






They picked their favorite food coloring to make the frosting they applied with their fingers to their cookies.































They made homemade Christmas cards, too, with Emily's paints, glitter and paper.





I was amazed how she and I worked together with the kids in different and complimentary ways. She added so much life and skill and love to it all. I wouldn't have had this many children over if it was just myself.

After eating a lunch we all made together, dancing, making cookies and cards, and helping with clean-up, it was time to take the kids home where they surprised their parents with cookie tins with bows and ribbons on the outside and their homemade sugar cookies on the inside.

When I asked Trey what the best part of our time together was he said, "All of it!" And then he added, "Eleven o-one."

"Why eleven o-one," I asked?

"Because that's when you pulled into the driveway (to pick us up)."

He asked if we could do it again next year.

I made no promises (I don't like to disappoint children), but I said that I'd love to! Emily, too!