The Lee Family: A Day of Gingerbread Houses!

Today was a day devoted to Gingerbread house makings! After Meeting and lunch we returned to the house and the girls immediately put their pjs back on before we started our gingerbread house of the Christmas season. Yesterday, I made the gingerbread house parts with the Pampered Chef house molds that our former neighbor Jackie gave to us before they moved. We used to borrow them each Christmas from them and finally she told me she would give them to us, since her kids are older and not interested in making gingerbread houses together anymore. Although we make the gingerbread from scratch, we always use hot glue to assemble the house since it is so hard to get the frosting to set while trying to build the house. Also, we figure no one will be eating it, so it's just a lot easier to use hot glue.

I showed the girls a post on Pinterest of a peppermint platter, so we decided to try it. The girls organized the mints in a circle and we baked it for a few minutes in the oven and had our very own platter to set out gingerbread house on. It really turned out so cute! Of course the girls can't wait to eat it, but I'm pretty sure no one will be eating it. After the peppermint platter was made we put the gingerbread house on it and started decorating. I made the frosting from scratch, since it really does turn into the very best glue and dries quickly enough for the candy additions. I gave each girl a Ziploc bag of white icing and another of red. They each decorated a side of the house and talked throughout as they worked. I ended up buying all the candies at the dollar store, which worked out perfected. It all cost around $10 and they didn't even use it all. I also found Christmas tree-shaped marshmallows that they loved using for decorations (and eating). It really turned out very cute and was fun to watch them decorate it. Sofia asked "when" we were going to eat it and I told her it was unlikely that we ever would since it turns into a decoration and sits out for weeks on our counter. Once they were done decorating I took a few "final" photos of the girls with their decorated house before they ran off and played.

Later that afternoon, Olivia actually headed to a gingerbread decorating party at a classmate's house. Logan's mom, Shannon, is our Kindergarten room mom and goes above and beyond in everything she does. She invited the entire class to her house to decorate gingerbread houses and ALL 20 kids RSVPed "yes." I thought that was going to be crazy enough, but when we arrived there were tables set up with pre-assembled gingerbread houses from Central Market and bowls full of candy in her dining room, living room and den! She explained that she invited Logan's preschool class from last year, as well as a few non-school friends! It was incredible! There were over 40 gingerbread houses and kids to decorate them! Olivia's best friend, Hannah, lives across the street from Logan and was included in the party even though she isn't in our class. Of course they had to decorate their gingerbread houses next to each other. The highlight for Olivia was when Mrs. Schultz showed up! She adores Mrs. Schultz and was so excited to get a picture together with her. All the kids had a great time decorating and then they all scattered upstairs to the play room to play. Shannon also had a kitchen full of food and drinks for the adults. It was an incredible party! It was fun to visit with some of the parents who I don't know well or don't get to see at drop-off in the morning. Of course, Olivia had a great time and we brought her decorated house home to join the one they made earlier in the day. Such a fun day full of gingerbread decorating!

Arranging the mints in a circle