Gingerbread Houses

Our Little Middle developed a fascination with gingerbread houses this year. We went to Five Below to shop for sibling Christmas presents and as we were about to leave, Little Middle planted his feet and refused to leave without a gingerbread house kit. 

Well. What was I to do? 

I put the kit back and pulled Little Middle bodily from the store. He was not happy. I was not happy. 

I related all of this to Jim, who then went out and bought a gingerbread house kit with Little Middle a few days later. 

Little Middle was thrilled with the gingerbread houses. He picked the smallest and plainest one for himself, assembled it, and dumped sprinkles all over it. 

I got home after construction was underway, so I missed out on all the candy and frosting in the kit. So I put on berries, Andes Mints, and sprinkles and constructed my house with peanut butter. Incidentally, peanut butter makes good construction glue.

Jim assembled his house and promptly left the construction zone... giving his house a very minimalist appearance. 

Raeford neatly constructed his house and fastidiously placed his candies in rainbow order. 

Caleb went at his house with all the enthusiasm of a pig in mud. He loves textures and got as least as much on him (and in him) as he did his house. 

Awhile later, Jim found another, witch-ier, gingerbread house---which we knew would be a big hit with the boys, again. [Rae helped photograph this one, so I am in a few of the pictures. La!] 

Also, because I *might* have bought a ridiculous amount of holiday sprinkles this year, we have had to find creative uses for them, like gingerbread houses. And sugar cookies. And fairy toast. 

This German gingerbread house (which tasted a whole lot better, fwiw) had a witch, a bat, Hansel, and Gretel all posing in front of the witch's house with a Christmas tree. However, unlike the fairy tale, Hansel and Gretel didn't escape the witch, absconding with her food and treasures. 

This year we ate them. 

And they were delicious.