Run, run as fast as you can!

(I was tempted to name this post "The Best Little Gingerbread House in Mississippi," but I didn't want to offend anyone.)

We made our first gingerbread house last night!

And yes, I said "made," because although I didn't bake any of the components, I did labor intensively in the construction phase.

Christmas with Anna Marie has been great. Every little thing makes her, as she says, "So insighted."

This was no exception. I told Jason to tell her that if she cleaned her room yesterday we'd put this together last night.

The place could've passed military inspection. It was spotless.

She was waiting when I got out of the school board meeting.

Here is our pictoral essay, "The Turners Make a Gingerbread House."



See, these kits are great! They give you everything you need to make a gingerbread house that Hansel and Gretel would enjoy nibbling on.



Her "insightment" over the house was eclipsed only by her enthrallment over this, her latest Happy Meal toy. I don't understand! It's an odd thing with a nose that lights up!



Ok, so the pieces had these indentations to help guide where you put the frosting. Idiot proof, right? Wrong! I think I put the roof on upside down, causing me to have to "freestyle" the shingles. Not a good thing.



I'm not exactly sure that sprinkles on icing make the best paving material, but that's what the box picture had, so that's the direction we took.



See, I couldn't even get her to take her eyes off the toy for long enough to smile at the camera properly. Oh yes, I know it's a pitiful picture of the house, but I lack the common-sense photography skills that my sister is blessed with (as in, I was too close so it's slightly out of focus and the flash bounced off all that white.)

There you have it. The first Turner construction project. I declare it a success, and a yearly tradition.

My Papaw Coley, the carpenter/farmer/preacher, would be proud.