“Mom, if someone were just to come to your front door or even come into your entry,” my daughter, the GAP, laughed. “They’d actually think you liked decorating.”
Sure I can do anything in small scale. Or so I thought. Until it comes to gingerbread houses.
Last night the grandkids were having a sleepover. I’d looked up on line for a simple gingerbread house to build with them. You can’t get much easier than graham crackers.
Picture of the "easy" gingerbread house
We stopped at the market on the way home and each one child picked out a few candies. The Bug was more into how the candy tasted than how it would look on a house.
First I was a little shy on powdered sugar. Old warped graham crackers prevented the joints from being snug. I used three packages of graham crackers before I found six I could mold together with egg white and sugar mortar without breaking them in two. So much for the nice and easy little ZipLoc bags with the corner cut out for making a glossy bead of frosting. I finally gave up and dipped the graham crackers in the frosting. “It looks like snow on the roof,” the little Worm sincerely said. Okay, I finally had one house assembled.
The Worm began decorating the exterior. She carefully placed Dots, chocolate chips, M&M’s, and Junior Mints around the perimeter. She squashed marshmallows to look more like mounds of snow.
The second house was even less friendly. You might even say hostile; more like the second little pig’s house that caved in. The walls and the ceiling fell in – multiple times. I added some supporting walls inside with some tossed-aside broken graham crackers. I had more mortar on my hands than on the graham crackers. I plastered old, almost dried out, marshmallows into the roof gaps to hold them together. Somehow within time, more time than the Bug had patience for, the little shack was ready for decorating.
The Bug plopped a few candies into his mouth. “Put some Dots,” I instructed to the Bug, “around your house for color.”
“But I don’t like Dots,” he said.
“It’s okay.” I said. “You’re not going to eat them anyway.”
“We’re not going to eat them!” he exclaimed.
“No, they’re for decoration.”
“Well, then,” he drawled, “I don’t think it’s even worth it to decorate at all.” He plopped a few more candies in his mouth. In fact, he was popping more candies into his mouth than he was decorating with. That’s the same method I use when decorating or cooking.
“I like doing the houses,” said the Worm affably. “I’m having so much fun I’m having a hard time thinking of my favorite animal.” The Worm thought about kitties 24/7.
The Mouse helped put a few squeezes of frosting on the gingerbread “shacks.” So not exactly like the photograph of the gingerbread house instructions, but still standing. What do you think?
Related posts:
- I killed the Pillsbury doughboy
- Decorating blues
- Progressive December
- I need a vacation from my vacation
- Holiday preparation
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Even if they turned out like the wicked witch’s house, it’s the memories they will remember and laugh at how they looked. I think it’s cool!
I guess the person on the internet forgot to inform the reader of the fact that the graham cracker houses were originally designed to be build on the OUTSIDE of a cut down milk carton! (When in doubt, ask a schoolteacher!) I admire all you do–I can tell you’re a great as in “wonderful” grandma!
Love you,
Valerie