Last week I baby-sat my two youngest granddaughters (ages 2 and 4) for a few hours. I thought we could do a Christmas project together. I picked an ambitious one--building a gingerbread house. That actually might not have been a bad idea if I had made one before Friday. I hadn't so that was my first problem. As you can see from the above picture, I had several problems. It was a house for about ten minutes then began falling apart.
My second problem was how do you get a 2 and 4 year old not to eat the icing or piece of candy while trying to make the gingerbread house? By the time they were through they were on a sugar high. While I was helping one, the other one was stealing a lick of the icing.
Third problem: I didn't plan for how messy two little girls could get. Right after we made the house or should I say tried to make the house, I had to take my four year old to pre-K. Not only did I have to clean the girls up, but myself and my kitchen table. I still have frosting on the glass table. Not easy to clean up. And then that sugar high kicked in and they were not cooperating on getting ready to leave so I could take my granddaughter to school. What kind of projects have you done with your child or grandchild that didn't quite turn out how you expected?
With all that said, doing things with your family makes Christmas special and I had so much fun doing the gingerbread house (sent it home with them to eat). This is what I try to portray in my Love Inspired book for December called His Holiday Family. This is the first story in the series called A Town Called Hope about a town that recovers from a hurricane and comes together to rebuild.
Blurb for His Holiday Family:
When Hurricane Naomi tears through a small Mississippi town, a daring rescue unites two heroes. Nurse Kathleen Hart is a single mom racked by guilt over her husband's death. Firefighter Gideon O'Brien—orphaned as a young boy—has lost too many people he cared for. To rise above the storm's devastation, Gideon helps Kathleen and her sons rebuild their home. As Christmas approaches, they discover that even the strongest of storms can't destroy a romance built on the foundation of faith.
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LOL. I find that whenever I plan anything with kids it never turns out like I thought it would. The best laid plans and all that. I work at a school so I'm also shuddering at the thought of you sending your granddaughter to pre-K on a sugar high. The teacher must have had a ball that day. LOL.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm....and do you think it's only a coincidence that your book is about a hurricane and your gingerbread house looks like it was in one?
Hey Margaret, that's a lovely cover! Nice pic of the "house", too. lol The funny thing is your granddaughters won't even remember that it didn't stay up. I'm sure they just enjoyed spending time with you and sneaking those sweet treats! The sugar high issue is the reason I haven't done a gingerbread house with my boys. They have enough energy as it is! And between all the Christmas parties and pounds of candy they receive in the mail from their grandparents, it's out of control. They often ask to help me in the kitchen, but I usually say no because I'm in a rush or don't wanna clean up their mess. I need to take a cue from you and let them help, regardless of the mess. Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteSo cute, Margaret! I bet the girls (at least the older one) will always remember the time you spent! So it'll be well worth the mess and sugar high. :) You're such a good grandma!
ReplyDeleteI love the photo, by the way. I have a few projects that look about the same (a particular birthday cake comes to mind). :)
LOL, Kav!
ReplyDeleteKav, you are so right about planning things, especially with the kids. The gingerbread house does look like a tornado or hurricane hit it.
ReplyDeleteMy kitchen table still isn't totally cleaned from the mess. Icing is VERY sticky.
Lol Margaret! I am sure the girls had a ball! :)
ReplyDeleteOh my that would have been interesting. I would have been eating the icing too.
ReplyDeleteWhen we were younger we would make cookies with mum for Christmas.
I haven't done cookies yet, but I imagine I'd have the same problem.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure when I started but I would mix til it was to hard to mix and I got to turn the handle on the forcer and of course eat the cookie dough!
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