Gingerbread Extravaganza

Yep, it's that time of year again. The annual Gingerbread House event in which mom's bake all night and kids go hog wild with frosting, candy, and sugar galore. We gathered at grandma's (thanks mom for the house) to assemble the famous houses made with mom's old recipe and traditional hand drawn shapes. The kids are getting the knack of the frosting as they plaster the houses. The more candy you can put on the house the more you have to eat. It's almost like Halloween...but better because you stay in where it is warm and say 'Can I have more frosting, Please' instead of 'trick-or-treat.' This year the Sam, Maddie, Jessica, and Abi designed houses with a hybrid theme...a contortion of All Hallows Eve. Something like a cross between Halloween and Christmas. Elements included in these designs were Santa being turned on a spit, Santa falling of the house (being gored), and the like. With all this sugar and no substantial food we managed only one meltdown in between the 'bigs' (Sam, Maddie, Jessica, Abi, Matthew) and the 'littles' (Anna, Isabelle, Christina, Elle). Thanks to the collaboration of some level headed adults we managed a reasonable negotiation and all ended happily ever after...until next year...as that is about how long it will be to forget the behind the scenes work and get over the sugar load. Here are just a few kodak moments.

Waterton National Park

This was a nice welcome by the very domicile deer in Waterton. The Canadian side of Glacier.

St. Mary's Falls in Glacier National Park

Yep, that's us...at St. Mary's Falls in Glacier National Park, Summer 2007. We spent a week touring the park, enjoying the beautiful mountain vistas, exploring the trails, enjoying an authentic Blackfoot Indian Dance, and even a dip in the frigid waters of Waterton Lake in Canada. A trip to remember.