Grandma's Gingerbread

Gingerbread House Day was Saturday, December 9th at my Grandpa and Grandma Elwood's house.  Grandma used to make gingerbread for all the grandkids who would be at the decorating party, but in recent years, my mom has stepped up to help out (since the grands now have greats, it takes a lot more gingerbread than it used to!).  Heather and my aunt Nikie each made a batch, too, I think.  So many hands make light work.  Grandma still whipped up the frosting and provided the candy bin full of treasures to decorate with.  While some of my cousins/uncles opted for the hot glue route to set up their structures, we stuck with the traditional frosting way.  (It's not nearly as unstable as it used to be when we were little.  Plus, all the better to eat with hot cider when we're done displaying them after Christmas!)

Callie was so excited and had a vision of exactly what she wanted her house to look like, courtesy of a picture of a gingerbread house in her National Geographic Kids magazine she loves to read.  She brought the picture with her, for reference, but I think Cal's house ended up even better than her inspiration.  :)  

Sam didn't remember decorating a house before now, so he was in awe of all the candy surrounding him that he could touch, stick on, and sneak into his mouth when Mom wasn't watching.

We finished the afternoon off with a yummy soup dinner before heading our separate ways.  I love this tradition (going on fifty something years strong!).

Cal, Kim, Heatha, Grace, Ky, Michale, Megan, Bradley, Nate,
Evy, Sam, Chiara, Taylor, Macie, MaKinna, Emory - quite a
construction crew, if I ever saw one!

Cal's on the left, Sam's on the right.
(I'm glad I took a picture when I set them up because Callie has
been eating the candy off hers as an "after lunch treat" almost
every day since!)