Run Run As Fast As You Can...

 ...You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man!

Sunday afternoon we made our annual Gingerbread House.  Thankfully I'm married to a structural engineer who has not only the patience but the intelligence to put together a gingerbread house that is secure.  We learned the lesson a few years ago - make the house before hand and let it dry - then let the kids have at it with the candy decorations.

 Another lesson learned - decorate the sides of the house before assembling - so the icing doesn't slide off in a puddle of white sugar before you're even finished.  I did, however, have to put up with ridicule from Deonne - who upon watching me pipe the windows and doors asked me 'what are you going to let your children do.'

Funny.  They DID tell me what kind of windows and doors they wanted - I just executed.  So there.  So what if I did have fun doing it?  I was channeling my inner child - or crafty person - whatever....

Anna and James each had their own side of the house to decorate - I squeezed on the icing and they carefully chose what type of candy and where they wanted to place it.

I think this might be the prettiest gingerbread house the Party kids have put together yet!

See the happy smiles?  This was before I told them they couldn't eat their masterpiece...that we'd made it to look at - and not consume.  They looked at me like I had three heads.  I explained that I was making fresh gingerbread cookies later in the week - and that they really didn't want to eat gingerbread that had been sitting in a box from the craft store for who knows how long.

They still looked at me like I had three heads. 

But they had fun creating a pretty house - and I had fun watching them.