Smithsonians: Gingerbread Factory

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Gingerbread Factory

Mike had to take the motorhome in today for some repairs they had to order parts for. Because he would be going late to work he decided to work from home today. Yay! It was nice not to have travel time to deal with because I needed any spare second he had to get ready for the gingerbread tonight. This is one of my favorite nights out of the entire year. I'm glad my family loves it as much as I do. Tage told me she skipped her choir performance so she could come. The hardest part about doing this is finding a time around Christmas where everyone is available! Today was the only day that worked. Maysen, Stockton, Jorja and I had to skip our youth activities for today. Family time is worth it though. Steve and Shannon brought a lot of pizza and Lisa and Nathan brought pies. Perfect.

Weston

Jacob

Michael

Tage

Lisa

Brandon

Preston

Maysen

Stockton

Miah

Nova & Nathan ~ Nova LOVED playing with the sink!

Mike

Stephanie

Mike's house. He labeled it.

Jorja

I told my kids that I would make them each a gingerbread house, but if they wanted a different flavor, they would need to make it themselves. Last year I made chocolate chip, sugar cookie, snicker doodle, chocolate chocolate chip....it just takes a lot of time. I was making 25 houses tonight, so I didn't want to deal with that! Jorja made a red velvet house. She helped Preston make a blue house. Maysen made a sugar cookie house. Too bad I broke one of the edges by not being careful (Gingerbread is a lot harder. I forgot I needed to be gentle with these!) Anyway, I made Maysen another sugar cookie house and Mike took the one with the broken piece. I also kind of burnt one gingerbread house. Whoops! It looked fine, but I'm not sure how it would taste. Stockton volunteered to have that one. So nice!

Jorja's house

Michael's cathedral

Jonah (Michael's friend)

Shannon

Maysen

Erica & Melissa

Shannon

Tage brought a foreign exchange student from France. His name is Gaspard. He had never heard of decorating gingerbread houses before. I had to laugh at his technique!

Gaspard

Maysen

Stockton

Maysen

Aimee (and Sherry)

Mike LOVED the fact that a ton of people crowded in the piano room to watch TV. He had just hung one up as a test. When people were done with their houses they ended up watching Studio C. I guess we will end up keeping the TV there.

Melissa, Jorja, Stockton, Gaspard, Tage, Michael, Jonah, Miah, Erica

Mess of houses

I make everyone get their picture taken with their house. I tell them that is the cost of admission. I love seeing how different everyone's creations are. Same candy choice, but so different! I wish I had their creativity!

Maysen