Long ago and far away, when 1st. Lt was a serious, quiet, three year old, daily aggravated by twin one year old siblings, we made our very first gingerbread house . Since then, it's been an annual event. One year I awoke on G-Day with a bad case of vertigo, and the house was made later at Granny's Christmas party. Other then that one unfortunate event, it has gone on. Saturday was twenty-five years.
This was my favorite picture of the day. Uncle Jimi has been at most every gingerbread event and, as I said, Jakester has been old faithful. After decorating his Gramerly built house, Bean wasn't out of the decorating mood, so Uncle Jimi helped him construct another one.
Baby Boy's 1st
Not long after the house that came from a catalog, I found a pattern for wee house from graham crackers, allowing each decorator his/her own house, and that's been the norm. I've not only done it with mine and our adopted families, but in classrooms where I've worked, at afterschool programs, etc., etc. I would love to know how many of those houses I've made. I used to tell my nephews they wouldn't be too old for gingerbread until it was time to bring their own babies. Jakester took me at my word and was faithful to show.
For everyone, this time of year is hectic. I head up a Christmas Musical where I teach, and I teach. I planned to get all of the decorating done over Thanksgiving weekend, but my plans were changed. Simply put, I just didn't see how in the world I could get it together for Saturday morning. It was Saturday morning, because Antebellie was having her first recital. I didn't want her to miss the party, and I didn't want to miss her first recital, so we had a Gingerbread Breakfast. Everyone who cared to went and plucked their own egg from the palace for breakfast. Anyway, not everything got done. There was a tree, it had some lights, it had no ornaments, no one cared-maybe lights will be its only decoration this year.
On a sad note, a dear friend came to watch the sugar laden chaos. I offered it as a distraction after the sudden, unexpected loss of her beloved pet. I knew her house would be lonely without her fancy, prancy, girl. Isn't that all we can do when someone experiences loss? Just offer something. It doesn't fix anything, just lets them know you care. I know the holidays will be painful for several folks I love this year, and of course, tons I don't know about. Just offer yourself, that's the best we can do.
Woo, hoo, we got 14 eggs today. That's a record!
And yet another record- today I made about twenty pounds of fudge. Peanut butter fudge, chocolate with pecans, chocolate with black walnuts, chocolate with toffee, chocolate with chocolate, white chocolate with toffee, white chocolate with coconut and plain ol' white chocolate- and now, I'm all done!
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