Gingerbread Houses, WOW!!

So this year I decided that the kids were more than ready to make gingerbread houses. Of course, I could have done it in years past, however, I did not feel like having to finish two houses on my own which is exactly what would have happened when they were younger and their attention spans were nil! :)

So this year, I made the gingerbread...rolled it out....made a pattern and cut the dough...baked them (crushed life savers in the windows so that after they baked it looks like stained glass!)...and then made icing, put out bowls of candies and let the kids have at it!

They each have their own style. Ben is a 'traditionalist'. His house is iced on the roof and covered with candies like any good gingerbread house should be. Paige on the other hand took the 'realist' approach. Her roof too is iced, but it only has one row of candies near the bottom as 'Christmas lights' and a 'sculpture' on the roof, much like our house has. Please note her 'Santa in the sleigh' on her roof. She made it all by herself, out of jujubes,candy canes etc.....Mark and I both said "WOW Paige" and she looked at us with 'the look' and said "Well, that's what happens when you have a brilliant child'. Nothing like humility right? :)

So here are their homes in various stages of assemblage! :)



Bens house, all the sides 'glued' together, but not decorated. Note the 'stained glass' window above his door!







Paige icing her roof...



Ben loading up his house with candy...





Mark watching the whole process.. He said he never got to do this as a kid. I said his mom probably bought everything to do it but he ate all the candy LONG before he actually got to put them on a house! hahaha....





Paiges Santa on his sled...




I told Paige she looked like an elf in this outfit!




Bens finished product...looks quite yummy!



He's quite proud of his house as you can tell...also notice the two holes in his teeth...yes the tooth fairy has gone broke at our house...



Ben decided to add 'snow' to his house...and by the look on his face, I am not sure how long his house is going to last!



As I said, Paige is more of a 'realist' when it comes to gingerbread houses. Simplicity is her motto...note the peeps snowman in her front yard!




Here is the back of Paiges house. She put two candy canes in a heart shape to make a design...



Wouldn't you like to live in THIS neighborhood?



Hugs to all,
Jaye