Gingerbread House Part 3

Well, here is our finished product which was entered in the contest last night. Cute isn't it?

Cole's friend, Fintan, was also at the party. Here he poses with Cole and Wayne in front of their creation.

When we were making our gingerbread house, I kept thinking how much work this all was - making the dough, cutting it out, baking it, making tons of royal icing, buying the candy,refereeing three young kids who all wanted to get their hands in it at the same time - and wondering how many people would actually go to all the trouble to make gingerbread houses for this contest. We didn't go for some reason last year, but two years ago when Joanie and Wayne made a house, I remember there being several houses, but not an overwhelming amount.

This year, however, I was pleasantly surprised, not only by the number of people who entered, but by the fun and clever ideas some kids had. Cute as our house was, I felt like it was a little boring compared to some of the others.

Check these out.

I'm sure you remember Wayne's friend Dante (brother to Fintan, above). Well Dante made this beautiful, glittery, colorful gingerbread treasure chest. Why didn't we think of something like that? Dante and Fintan's older sister, Sophia, a horse lover, made this gingerbread stable. Very cool.
A first grade classmate of Wayne's, named Lilly, made Currier's Store.

And here is the first prize winner. Do you remember Asom from Wayne's Batman Birthday party? Well, his family made this gingerbread replica of Fasilides Castle in Ethiopia. Asom wasn't actually present, or I would have gotten his picture.

After everyone had a chance to mill around and enjoy the entries, it was time to sing Christmas carols. The singing was led by Jim Currier.

In addition to everything else Sylvia does, she teaches her 4 kids to play musical instruments. Well, so far maybe just the two oldest. Sophia played Gloria in Excelsis Deo and Jingle bells on the violin.

Every kid who enters the gingerbread contest gets a prize. Wayne, Cole, and Heather each got one of these cute little stockings filled with candy canes, stickers, pencils and Christmas shaped erasers.

Check in tomorrow for scenes of tonight's Christmas activity - Santa comes to the fire house and gives kids a ride on the fire engine.

You gotta love life in a small town!