Back to School Linky Party

I am joining Fun in First for her Back To School Linky Party. I have seen so many great linky parties (like 100th day and Christmas) but I just can't get my brain there! We start school in 2 weeks and that is where my mind is! I, just like Fun in First, do a Gingerbread Theme as well. We usually have 2 days the first week of school so I spread this over these 2 days. Here is how our 2 days go:
1. The night before I bake 25 Gingerbread cookies. Let me tell you....NOT A GOOD IDEA. I didn't think kids would eat gingerbread so I tried to make them with sugar cookie dough. Have you ever tried that? Not a good idea. They blow up while cooking and look nothing like a gingerbread man. I have done this for 8 years and it is a disaster everytime. I am asking myself every year why I put such stress on myself the NIGHT BEFORE THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL????? This year I swore I would have someone make them until I saw on Fun in First where Little Debbie makes them. Guess where I'm getting mine this year?
2. The 1st Day of School I read The Gingerbread Man.

3. After hearing the story, we decorate the cookies. I give them some icing, licorice, skittles, M&M's and let them decorate.
4. I then talk about how cute they are and we put them on a tray to show the principal. My assistant takes them and hides them. She runs back in the room and says "You won't believe it! Those stinkers jumped right off the tray and ran away! They even left this note in the hallway." The kids are so mad they can hardly stand it.
5. We follow their clues throughout the school that I have already placed. We usually visit just a few places today (library, secretary, principal). The clues land us back to our room where they say they have ran to their home. They are really upset because they were planning on eating them. It is so funny at how mad some of them get.
6. I send a note home to the parents (because the kids can't read yet) saying what happened today and for them to play along and pretend like they saw them but they ran back to school. I love this part! Some parents get really creative and leave crumbs and notes!
7. The next day we find another clue and follow it. We visit a few more places until we finally find them. The kids immediately eat one of their legs so they can't run and I get a picture of them with their cookie for their scrapbook I make.
8. We follow up with this great book I found at Big Lots from this company. It has games and they love it!
9. I also read The Gingerbread Girl. If you don't have it, you need to!

We have a lot of fun and the kids really get into it! I LOVE it! I have to note that I downloaded Fun In First's clues. They are so cute and I think I'm going to use it this year!
We also start learning the letter Mm and the color Red and color word these first 2 days. I can't wait to see what everyone else does. Join Fun in First and let us know!