It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.....

I'm a sucker for Christmas, always have been. It's the spirit of things that I enjoy, and I've posted on that previously. However, I also like the change in the season. The snow falling gets me in the spirit of the season. We've had a couple of snowfalls, but the 2nd one left nearly a foot of snow on the ground. Now it looks like Christmas. Well, mostly. The warm temperatures the past couple of days have meant that there isn't a lot of it left. Still, it was lovely while it lasted. I like snow. I don't mind shoveling, but I'm not that competent at it. I like sliding, skating, walking in it. I look forward to it. At least you can get out in it, not like rain!

So, being in spirit of things I started a gingerbread house last night. Technically I had to start several days ago: researching online to find just the right house, spending a couple of hours drafting up house plans and printing them, an hour cutting out the plans, next evening mixing the dough, rolling the dough, putting the dough back in the refrigerator because it wasn't cool enough and broke too easily.

All this over the last week culminated with rolling, cutting, and baking the house pieces (complete with stained glass windows) last night. I think I counted 19 pieces plus 4 gingerbread men, 6 mini gingerbread men and 4 gingerbread stars. At some point this weekend, I hope that my daughter and I will assemble and decorate it. I'm looking forward to it, as is she, but not too sure what I'll do with it later. After all that work, I won't want it eaten, and by the time Christmas is over, it won't be edible.

Oh, well, yet another sacrifice in the effort to ensure happy holiday memories for myself and kiddies. In all this is my second attempt to produce a gingerbread house. Many years ago, probably at least 16, I spent a week fashioning one I saw in a magazine. I was quite proud of it and gave the completed house to my mother-in-law on Christmas eve. The next day, we showed up for supper only to find nothing left of the house but the peppermint patty walkway! My brother-in-law's dog had eaten it during the night. I can laugh about it now, but at the time.....

So, decorations are up, some presents purchased, baking started, season well underway. I'm as happy as I get for the time being. Now, if I could just win the lottery!

Cheers!