Gingerbread

A tradition: an unwritten body of beliefs, facts, handed down from generation to generation; custom, practice of long standing...

It has been a tradition in my family to build a gingerbread house every Christmas season. I don't remember when it started, but I don't remember a year without it. I have fond memories as a child creating the gingerbread. Deciding where the gingerbread people go around the house, baby Jesus in a little cradle inside the house with a gingerbread angel, the candy all over especially the smarties all over the roof. Our house smelling of the gingerbread baking...cooling yet mom having to work quickly to cut out the shapes for the creation. The gingerbread house taking form as the icing quickly draws hard as rock.

My favorite year was the year of the CHOCOLATE house. It didn't smell of gingerbread but it was soooo yummy.

I have tried to continue this tradition within our little family too. One year Mom came for her visit and we created a gingerbread train. It wasn't the same yet close enough to the same. We brought it to our playgroup and all the smiles on the kids faces as we smashed the train and everyone got a piece of candy, hard rock icing and a piece of gingerbread cookie cutout as something.

To keep with tradition, my mom was here again this year for the creation. We allowed the kids to help decorate. One wall broke and we talked about how the kids might be a bit too young to help with the actual creation but maybe better to have them just decorate.

Even Kyla got to use the piping bag to decorate a few of the cookies to go with the house. Each of us had a gingerbread created person. The kids decided where candy would be placed and the house came together.


Mom actually made a sled for each of the kids to take to school this year with a gingerbread person on the side of the sled with their teachers initials on them.

Yesterday we invited a few friends over for the annual SMASHING OF THE GINGERBREAD!!

Everyone gathered around the table. The house is placed in the middle and fists are raised in the air...1, 2, 3 SMASH!!!!

Gingerbread pieces everywhere, candy grabbed, rock hard icing is painfully pulled apart.OH the JOYs of sharing our family Tradition with friends.

Visit with Mom

Grandma came for a early Christmas. We love and enjoy the short visits. The chance to visit and hang out. It started with going to Living Nativity at our church. We have lived here 4 Christmas' and mom has seen 3 years worth of Living Nativities. I love that thought - that she is so far away most of the year but she is here for special memories.

The kids loved the chance to break open a few Christmas presents early. Some how it makes waiting for the rest a bit easier. Lego was the "theme" for the weekend. Mark loves all the new things he can create. The race car ramp was attempted over and over again and finally he had to be convinced that the race car doesn't actually need a ramp to be fun. The Helicopter was his favorite as he can build it himself over and over again. Kyla entered the world of "big kid" lego and is delighted with the PINK lego! There were a few other things from Grandma that they love as well, but that was the main event.

While Mark was at School, Kyla and Mom and I enjoyed the nice 'warm' winter weather. A walk in the park seemed like Fall. Kyla took her exploring the upper section of the park. Through the paths. Up and around the corner. Following the footsteps of a three year old. Stopping to see bird seeds and berries. Listening to the bird chirping. Although there is green on the trees there is Winter all around.