Christmas Advent Calendar, Day 3: Make Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments

Dang, I really pre-loaded the big "make and bake" advent calendar activities all in one week. Yesterday, Day 3, was "make cinnamon applesauce ornaments" and truth be told, I wasn't really feeling it. Tory had toddler preschool in the morning, Aden had his two-week doctor's check-up, and by the time we got home from all of that I was pooped. Somehow though, I achieved the elusive triple nap that afternoon which was the saving grace of the day. Tory and I were reading books in my bed while Aden slept on my chest. I must have dozed off and when I woke up an hour later, both kids were still conked out on/beside me. Parenting badge achieved! Hooray!

After our naps, I was feeling much more festive so Tory and I busted out the supplies to make cinnamon applesauce ornaments. Last year we made these and I tied the finished ornaments onto all our Christmas presents as decor. They were really cute. Tory was even more interested in making the process this year and was able to pour and mix the ingredients together herself. We dumped the dough onto parchment paper and rolled it flat.

Tory was a little too excited about cutting shapes into the dough and kept wrecking them pressing shapes faster than I could pick them up and place them on a cookie sheet. Then, Aden started crying because he pooped his pants and I said forget it. Cinnamon applesauce ornaments transformed into heavily-scented Play-doh. I just let Tory play with the dough while I tended to the baby. Not surprisingly, she still had a fabulous time.

While we have no ornaments to show for our afternoon's effort, Day 3's advent calendar activity did bring my little girl and I together in the kitchen for a fun activity. I'm confident that's what the holiday season is all about anyway.