Our 1st Attempt at a....

Gingerbread house! Ok, I have to admit, I did buy the kit, but most of the ingredients are the girls' left over Halloween candy. What was a mom to do?

They sure aren't going to eat all of it, so

I might as well be resourceful.  

So we cranked up the Christmas music (sorry neighbors) and rolled up our sleeves. As we opened the box to get started, so did the questions. Some of my own, some from the girls...

 How do we do this? 

What kind of mess is this going to make? 

Is the house going to stay standing? 

What if it falls over?

How long is this going to take?

When can I put the candy on?

Can I do the red ones mom?

How can I control the situation without having a huge mess, but allowing the girls to have fun?

 Then it hit me....

REALLY hit me!!!

Precious memories are going to be made.

WHO CARES if the house gets messy? It's washable. 

 WHO CARES if their clothes get dirty. They're washable.

WHO CARES if they eat all the candy (or most of it). They both have a toothbrush.

So out went all of my worries (ok, not all of them) and I decided to relax and

  

Cherish the Moment. 

First up: The tall order of a house that stays standing, snow, a brick sidewalk, lake with fish, a fence around the whole thing and a lamp post for the hubby. 

(Please disregard the over sized fish in the lake). 

Like the girls, they over indulged themselves with too many pez candies.

When we were all finished and we ooh'd and aahhh'd, I realized it was not only time well spent with family, but I learned a lot as well;

How to be a fun mom that doesn't have all the reins pulled so tight they can't hardly breathe; 

 My kids can teach me what they know about having fun; 

That my kids have GREAT ideas and that mine aren't always the best; 

That I have really creative kids; 

That messes ARE memories: making them and cleaning them up are part of God's package deal (and there was practically no mess at all);

I'm completing God's checklist, not mine, by spending quality time with my family.

An overall evening filled with laughter, sweet treats that tasted oh so yummy and a house that's still standing. 

A victory dance to the song "Jingle Bell Rock" was had by all.

A job well done if I do say so myself.

Will we be trying this again...oh yes! I think so!