Not my gumdrop buttons!

(This title was written long before the Marco Polo chain where I discovered gumdrops can be triggering for some of you. I apologize.)

On Saturday, against all odds, we made gingerbread houses! I usually have zero desire to go anywhere after Riley wakes up from her nap. Basically after 3 pm I consider it evening and it takes a lot of motivation to get out the house. So making a plan to go to the store and pick out candy to decorate our gingerbread house at 4:30 on the last weekend before Christmas was a lofty goal. We quickly aborted the plan to try Target and went to a grocery store near by. It was still pretty packed, but we made it in and out alive. As we were leaving Ben confirmed with me that we had graham crackers...I said that I had just bought a box. As I was saying it I realized that these houses actually use a lot more crackers than you think so one unopened box isn't actually all that much. Riley had been so grumpy in the store there was no way we were going back, so we decided we'd keep our houses small this year.

When we got home I whipped up some frosting and we fed Riley a little dinner so she would at least be full when we set a bunch of candy in front of her. I know, foolish to think that would actually matter. We constructed a little house for Riley and then put out a few treats on the table for her to decorate with. At first they all went in her mouth, but after some modeling and reminders she eventually started putting the majority on the house. It was pretty cute. 

After Riley went to bed the adults got to have their turn! Britt and I teamed up, since the last time she made a gingerbread house may have been her 5th grade fiasco. We aimed to make a rainbow candy/gay pride house. We kind of accidentally made a hate crime. We were so jazzed about our rainbow door idea. After putting on the windows we quickly realized we had just made a giant frowny face. We weren't sure if we could share pictures of it for fear it would be interpreted as a political statement. 

Ben's house was much less politically driven, deciding to make the hospital he works at. Although, after it was constructed he realized he wasn't sure how to decorate a white and black building when most of the candy we had was rainbow colored. 

(we stuck a heart on the back to try and balance it out)

We soon discovered that our house was actually delicious and...

The lesson learned? Mike and Ikes on frosted graham crackers are delicious!