Aside from his very own roll of tape, what the kid really, really, wanted was a gingerbread house. Building a house out of candy....wow, it doesn't get much better.
Well, week after week went by, and I would not entertain the thought of purchasing this classic Christmas trimming. Lets face it, they're kind of disgusting. Hard gingerbread, baked who only knows when, adorned with candy that is hardly edible, but made famous soley for it's mark on the Candyland board... all held together by a yearly allowance of high fructose corn syrup. It sits around collecting dust, and who only knows what else...but you can eat it if you'd like. Brilliant marketing, I'd say :)
Last week the boy won. I finally cracked. I was trying to check a few presents off my list, and in exasperation I told him we could buy the blasted house....but we had to wait for the others to get home to make it. I only purchased 1 quaint home, because I wasn't in the mood for a gingerbread village to gobble up all of my free space....however, I knew the others would be devestated if we didn't enlist their help. The sheer thought of a house made of candy was enough to make Stella squeal with delight when we put the kit in the cart.
Well, no sooner than all had gathered round to watch me open up the box, the fighting began....just as I suspected it would.
4 kids= 4 different ideas on exterior design, 8 little hands to keep busy on a house measuring less than a square foot, and somehow dividing all the candy evenly. No small task.
I quickly told them that if we couldn't all work together, I would throw the house out the window. For effect, I promptly showed them the window I had in mind, and how it opened and closed :) It was Friday, and I had zero tolerance for fighting.
And so, while the icing on our walls hardened, I sent them off with a pad of paper and told them not come back until they had a plan they were all happy with.
In the end, they all chose a different wall and split the candy even steven. One side is pretty sparse, as Stella chose to consume her candy :)
Wouldn't you know, we had a marvelous time...and my kids can get along :)
Perhaps I shall try to pass it off as my dessert on Christmas :)
Have a blessed week friends!
2 comments:
Your brilliant.
ahhh the gingerbread house...I have been keeping my kids out of the stores just because I really don't want to deal with the sticky mess and the fighting, myself. You're a much better mom than me. :)
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