It's Never Too Late for Gingerbread...

I hadn't intended to do gingerbread houses this year. However, on Christmas Eve a good friend called me to say that she had backed out of her plans to do a gingerbread house and was I interested in all of the goodies to do it? Sure, said I.

Making these two houses took several days, and we didn't get to them until the week following Christmas, when life had settled somewhat. I managed to get the dough made one day. When we came back to it the following evening, the dough had hardened, so I had to warm it in the microwave to soften it enough to roll. We got the shapes baked that night, with barely enough dough to make two small houses.

Welcome to Day Three! I got the icing made, Bronwyn got the candies ready in separate bowls, and away she and Liam went. Actually, since I wasn't sure how far the royal icing would go, I kept control of the icing bag and dabbed icing wherever and on whatever the two of them wanted.

The next morning Bronwyn realized there was still icing left, so she added on to her masterpiece.

Liam was ready to eat his house right away. I asked him to wait until morning because it was past bedtime by the time they finished.

The house didn't make it beyond breakfast the next day. Children are interesting that way. Some creations they want to save forever and if they find out Mom has sent something the Great Beyond rivers of tears flow freely. Other times they have no sentimental attachment to their work and happily obliterate it. And there's no telling which project is destined for preservation or pillaging.

I decided to make pajama bottoms for the kids this year. They seemed thrilled with them on Christmas morning.