Gingerbread 2010

Doesn't the title "Gingerbread 2010" sound like some sort of futuristic space epic, featuring some sort of cyborg gingerbread man?

As epic as that sounds, it can't beat our construction tonight: It's Gingerbread House 2010! That's right: Mommy, Daddy and Madison set out to create another gingerbread masterpiece!

As you can see here, Madison was the primary architect, laying out the candy decor - and eating it too. We have gumdrops, hard candy and candy canes on our new house, along with a whole lot of that sugary paste. That's the stuff that keeps Daddy and Madison licking their fingers!

Last year, we created a similar masterpiece - just like the year before. This was Madison's third gingerbread house, and it was a blast to create. We sat there adding the sweet bits, one by one, as we listened to Leon Redbone's "Christmas Island." Madison likes his version of "Frosty the Snowman."

The fireplace roared, and the tree is trimmed - it was quite a wonderful atmosphere tonight. Here's our finished product:

Looks cozy, doesn't it? The roof has a certain Howard Finster feel to it. In fact, if you tour the High Museum in Atlanta, you'll no doubt encounter artwork that looks just like this in their folk art area. I think that's what Madison had in mind when she was directing us to place the gumdrops here or there - she's a regular folk artist!

We had a fun day together as a family, once Daddy got home from church. It was the final day of "The Voyage," as our new series begins this Wednesday. Lots of work to do in December, but until that point I feel like we're getting in some great "Christmas time" together. Soon, we'll be working double time on costumes and such for the big production (as soon as Mommy finds out who has what costume and when, and Daddy gets a script!). Until then, we're making Christmas time together as a family, and each moment has been marvelous!