Gingerbread Houses!

So today at St. Matt's, the kindergarteners made gingerbread houses!! Its an annual tradition, takes lots of prep from the kids, the teachers, and parents, lasts only about a half hour and is SO TOTALLY FUN!!!! It was my first time and it will NOT be my last. I loved every minute of it....the frosting all over my pants from putting frosting into 58 individual cups, the smell of candy on my hands, even after I washed them, the parents excitement as they moved tables into the hallways and set out each item the kids would need, the look on the kids faces when they saw ALL THE CANDY, the laughs, the smiles, the frosting faces as they licked their spoons- it was stressful, loud, and a blast!

At lunch, I told the teachers I wanted to try it at home with my own kids. Mrs. Feeney made my day when she said they had extra supplies of everything and I could take whatever I wanted.

SO....as soon as I got home and both kids were up from naps, I set up the little folding table and we got to work! Here they are scoping it all out!
Alaric did amazing with the spreading. He did it all himself! He just wanted to take his time and be sure to get the frosting exactly where he wanted it to be!

Mara spread for about 10 seconds and then licked and then spread. She did get candy stuck to her house though!

I took the leftover frosting, made it green and gave them an icecream cone ( thanks Kindergarten teachers) to frost and turn into a tree.

Amara found the sprinkles and did better with them than I thought.

Alaric loved it- and my first holiday craft with the kids was a huge success. Just like the sweet smiles on the kindergarteners today, Alaric knew he had created a masterpiece!

Sissy just kept picking candy off hers but that's her and I love it! She stayed occupied and happy for more than 20 minutes and laughed and smiled the whole time

Here they are with the finished products after we placed their gingerbread men!

What a wonderful day, a wonderful project, and wonderful memory for my kids AND ME!!!

Thanks Kindergarteners and teachers for allowing me to be part of it all today- what joy!