The annual Gingerbread House

I am slowly getting caught-up on our December pictures.

Here is making the annual gingerbread house. I loved making gingerbread houses growing up, but my mom was the one who had the frustration of making and cutting out the gingerbread pieces, making the frosting and trying to hold the structure together, sometimes burning her fingers using hot molasses. I still remember this angst and wasn't ever too excited to fill the mother-role in gingerbread house construction.

Then, along came gingerbread house kits!! Paul gave us one two years ago and we loved it. And a new tradition was born. I love the ones from Costco. Ten dollars and all I have to do is open the wrapper and it's ready to go!

We are definitely not in it for the intricate beauty, but for the fun (and the sugar), so I just let the kids run with it and try to keep them from eating too much of the candy right away.