Recklessly Abandoned: Gingerbread Houses

One year at Thanksgiving, when the kids were about 5 and 3, my Mom decided we were going to make Gingerbread houses. It became an annual tradition and each year sometime around Thanksgiving or the first of December, my whole family got together to help the kids make Gingerbread houses. The kids would chose a different adult partner to be there helper while one of the ladies (usually my Mom) was in charge of keeping the icing coming. I have to be honest and admit that I really didn't like this fun family project. While I was glad the kids got to do it, for some reason I dreaded it. I am not really sure why. Maybe it was the sticky mess or trying to get the house to stand up or just all the noise and confusion, but each year I really wanted to groan on Gingerbread house day. So of all the traditions we gave up when we moved to the Philippines, this is not one I have morned.

Here's Will in 2000 with the finished product

If you remember from previous blogs, my children are really wanting to walk down memory lane during our year in the states. We have to do all the things we used to do. Of course this includes Gingerbread houses. My Sister-in-law assured me that times have changed and it is actually a fun experience. The main reason....they do it all themselves. So last Friday my sister-in-law and I got the kids together to build a house, actually 4 houses. Chris, my sis-in-law, made the icing, while I was in charge of buying the candy. She was right, we had fun! The kids did their own with little to no help while Chris and I just watched, talked and laughed with them. Afterwards, my brother came home from work and Allan came over and we ate pizza and then out to see Christmas lights. It was such a great evening