It’s 11:48 p.m. I hear Jay Leno’s studio audience laughing. The center of my back, right between my shoulder blades aches. I need to pee.
In approximately nine and a half hours, I will gather up five children (three of mine and an extra four year old and a two year old) and the following items:
1) One fully decorated (by me, from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m., minus a half-hour break to watch “The Duel” on MTV) gingerbread house. I not only decorated it, I also baked the gingerbread from scratch. This will likely be the last time I ever participate in such folly. (And by “folly” I mean baking the thing from scratch. The house smelled delightful, but I am no Martha Stewart.) You can’t even see the gingerbread because I loaded the thing with so much candy.
2) Lunch for everyone. Diaper bag for the 2-year old.
3) Sample math and composition work for the kids’ portfolios to deliver to the teacher.
4) Camera.
5) Directions.
We are going to a Virtual Academy Winter Wonderland party. My whole day has centered around the ridiculous gingerbread house, which I imagine I should have let the children decorate, but 1) they are not crafty and 2) I didn’t have time. How did this date sneak up on me? And how silly is it that I decorated the gingerbread house when the whole point, I imagine, was to have some fun family activity?
I have vowed that I’ll let the kids decorate personal gingerbread houses in a couple of weeks during Christmas break.
And now, five minutes until the clock strikes twelve and I turn back into a servant-girl. Or something like that. *POOF*
Actual Unretouched Photo 
Ohhh, we did the gingerbread house the other day. It was fun but boy, I was so ready for my nap after it all. I had a 1 yr, 3 yr, 5 yr, 7 yr and 16 yr old “decorating it”. I swear it looked like it would topple from all the candy on it. Afterwards I let them eat it (after pictures of course). I am so glad that we only allow this much candy at Christmas.
Really, be happy that you did it yourself. I love doing stuff with my children but when it comes to food and candy, it really puts a strain. The constant “can I eat that”, “can I have some of that” and “can I like the spoon/beater/bowl” every minute gets under my skin!!
What’s the Duel anyway? I have not watched MTV for ages. All I ever see is stuff the Bible says is wicked. I have even asked dh to take that channel off the tv setup. I admit, when Road Rules came out I loved the first season, and maybe season two. By then though I was growing up and realized that there was nothing redeemed when I watched it.
Blessings!
Mrs. Garcia
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You rock!! You forgot to mention that while rolling your gingerbread dough out that you had a phone resting on your shoulder listening to the whoa’s of a frazzled stay at home mom in need of some adult conversation (hee hee).
You are such a good Mom…and friend!! Please post pictures of your gingerbread house when you get a chance!! Can’t wait to see!!!
:)Kelly
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Oh! Gingerbread house are my favorite to do with kids. If you want to do “cute” and simple… Use pint milk cartons and grahm crakers as the base of the house. The fun is in the decorating… not as much the baking. However now you can also usually get the cookie pieces at the grocery store in kits (but suppliment with your own candy!) Also, sugar cones, for ice cream, make terrific church steeples if you make a whole town. We used to make a bunck of little houses each year. We’d eat one and then the rest we shelacked the rest to save and use again and again. For several years we had quite the little village… then in a move the box got wet, but no big, we knew how to make more! Oh! Peperage farm bordeux cookies make cool open doors! Um, Necco Wafers are great as roof tiles… I could go on for hours… Enjoy!
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I bought a “A” Frame gingerbread house from Trader Joe’s to assemble. Shannon and I did this last year too. Its great fun and with a 17 year old male I never have to worry about it lasting long.
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how to not suck the fun out of a gingerbread house: Use a milk carton as a base. Frost carton and let kids add graham crackers. It is cute and everyone can do their own creative deal. Let them add candy, mini cookies and frosting to their hearts content. Bonus-sugar cones frosted green make really cute trees skittles and M&M’s for ornaments. Tint frosting green or leave it white for snow. CUTE and EASY enough that it is actually fun.
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How funny!!! You rock, Mel! I cannot imagine baking my own gingerbread houses. We buy the “kits” where the pieces are already cut & baked. I do make a lot more royal icing since they never include enough to do the thing. And, we buy a lot of candy for the decorations. This year, I got one for each girl (no more fighting!). One has a thatched roof (made with the “mini” wheats — the big ones that are not frosted), the other has a twizzlers room… We used the sugar cones and used green air brush spray (for cakes and such) to make them into trees. Very cute, but oh so messy! And hours later when the kids crashed off their sugar buzzes, the house became quiet once more. I also would love to see a photo of your house, I bet it is great! Hope the party is a fun one.
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I refuse to do gingerbread houses. I’m insane enough without putting myself through that torture. lol.
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I’m laughing that you watch the duel but even more so that you admit to watching it. I just saw wes took in derrick and watched it. It’s so silly but funny all the same.
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