Seasons Eatings!

One year ago, Madison met Gingy (the Gingerbread Man), and had a great time building him a house at Christmas time. With a little help from Daddy and Mommy, the two constructed a masterpiece! Seriously, this was the sort of sweet mansion that anyone would want to live in. All those other gingerbread men were probably really bitter and jealous!

Here we were last year, building a firm foundation and tasting all the concrete.

Well, this year it was time for Gingy to have a new house. If you're looking for a new home, this current market is just for you. We decided to do things the old-fashioned way, by actually building him a new one. But before we head in that direction, it's time for another installment of:

MADISON'S BOOK CLUB

This month is a great month for Christmas books. One book in particular has been fun to read with Madison, by the author Jan Brett, one of Mommy's favorites. We love the artwork in all her books, and this one is no different.

Each page of "Gingerbread Baby" tells a simple, but beautiful story of a gingerbread baby that runs so fast that no one can catch him. Unfortunately, he starts to get winded - and he worries that a fox will catch him and eat him. The good news is that a boy has built for him a gingerbread house to run inside. Madison enjoyed hearing the story today. In fact, Mommy read it to her this morning and Daddy read it in the evening, as Mommy was getting the supplies ready in the kitchen.

It was amazing that Madison knew what to do when we mentioned the word "gingerbread house." She knew to go into the pantry and find the big box with the gingerbread house inside it. She knew how to use the white candy frosting, inside the bowl (as glue). And she didn't even have to be told to put the white paste on the pieces of candy and stick them on the side of the house. She just knew! We haven't done this since last year - she must have remembered it from a year ago!

We had a great time tonight, decorating our new house. Of course, with a three-year-old, you're not aiming for any sort of precision. It was more about trying to cover every square inch with all sorts of candy. And then lick your fingers a lot. We all did that!

Madison put M&Ms all over the roof, along with gumdrops and those little round candies that are so small and hard that little toy soldiers use them for bullets. Along the way, everyone got sticky. The white frosting was so delicious, and this was heard over and over again tonight: "Put the candy on the house, not in your mouth please."

Of course, Mommy was saying that to Daddy too! After creating our wonderful gingerbread house, it was clearly time for a bath. Mommy cleaned up the kitchen while Daddy gave Madison a good scrubbing, trying to get all the icing out of her hair!

When bedtime came, Madison took her stuffed gingerbread man - that's Gingy - and put him into the crib, telling him to be quiet. After Mommy and Daddy left her in the nursery, you could still hear the two chatting about their adventure tonight, and his tasty new house.

All in all, it was a very special night. We made a pretty house for Gingy that will look nice in the dining room. It isn't anything you'd see on the cover of Gingerbread Weekly Magazine, but it sure looks delicious - and it certainly brings back sweet memories!