Christmas at the Kampers

Because we live in an age of transportation that makes a 200 mile round trip feasible in a weekend,  we won't be at our house on Christmas Day.  All that means of course, is that we get to celebrate as a family a bit early!

And today was the chosen morning.  What fun! Funny presents this year.  The boys got a broom and mop and sponges, because they enjoy helping when we clean.   We also have been working hard on a little kitchen for them. 

We bought the pattern from here, because after watching my husband get stressed about how it was really going to come together, buying a pattern seemed like a good option.  We use this funny stuff he found at Lowe's.  It's not wood, it's not really cardboard, and for the life of us, we can't remember what it's called.  Anyway, with the addition of some scrap fabric, a coat hanger, some wooden spools and a few S hooks from Ikea, the boys have a very manly kitchen.  Which they attacked with gusto this morning.  Forrest even cooked us up a giraffe for breakfast.

Noah got me a cheese making kit.  I know, I know. Remember, I have already admitted I am a bit out there.  But honestly, here was my reasoning.  We get milk for free here at camp.  What a huge blessing!  Now that both boys are drinking cow's milk, we go through gallons.  I have been making our own yogurt for about 10 months now.  So, I thought a mozzarella and ricotta kit would be a good intro to cheese making.

I was able to open my present early, because it came with a big REFRIGERATE sticker on it.  So, I have been trying to make cheese.  This really is a whole other post, with all the problems I have encountered, but I do want to share quick that I was successful with the ricotta!  And I will be using it to make our Christmas lasagna today!

So, here's to a day of jammies, Christmas pancakes, lasagna, cheerios, matchbox cars, reading, and just being.