Gingerbread Houses

I've been running errands all week, it seems. Parties to prepare for. Gifts to buy and mail. Groceries that disappear the day after they're bought. Goodwill donations to make. Doctor appointments to get to. And on and on.

The other day the kids had been quite cooperative and demonstrated great attitudes as we went from place to place, so I made a spur of the moment decision to stop and view some gingerbread houses on display. They were ecstatic! This was a way better treat than the usual lollipop.

Being that I hadn't planned on stopping, I didn't have my camera with me (*gasp!*) and used my phone instead. And, being that Annalyse wanted to touch everything I was busy corralling her most of the time anyway.

Just like every year, the gingerbread displays are beautiful and show an amazing attention to detail. My boys had their favorite chosen right away: "This one has a huge chocolate train! It should be the winner!"

Although the picture isn't great, this one was my favorite because it's the kind of house I could settle in and make my "forever home." Big front porch.  Lots of large windows. I'm picturing myself there now ...

I'm always impressed when I see displays like this but I'm never motivated to try my hand doing it myself. Nope. No sireee. I'm all about baking, but crafting gingerbread houses falls too closely to the arts and crafts category and I shy away from anything and everything that even toes that line.

Miss Twenty Seven Layers of Tule enjoyed the lights and the stairs way more than fancy gingerbread houses that I wouldn't let her near. After several trips up and down the staircase, I decided we should return to proper decorum, given that we were next to a well-to-do restaurant, and head toward the van to finish errand-running. 

 

Nope, not even interested in sitting for a quick picture by the tree. I set her down and she made a beeline right back toward those stairs! Maybe it's a good thing I didn't plan to stop and come with my camera intending for picture-perfect poses.