Gingerbread

The band concert, every other day rehearsal schedules, Christmas Festival, and my mother-in-law's shopping and wrapping are behind us. I went AWOL Friday with Shelley who is mercifully home for Christmas. We met for coffee and some much-needed silliness and laughter. Morning coffee ended up including lunch and ran right on into the afternoon. Glorious. While we were out, the pre-baked gingerbread houses took on a certain appeal as visions of laughing children a little high on sugar plums danced in my head.

The reality of the gingerbread house was slightly different, and probably indicates a need for at the least therapy, and perhaps even an intervention of some sort. As the house went together, the gingerbread man was sealed inside purposely with high-pitched mock gingerbread man squeals and pleas. Anywho. The house took a while to assemble, and perhaps next year the extra dollar will be spent on the pre-assembled model. Once it was completed, something was mentioned about waiting fifteen minutes for the royal icing to set. Sage words which were totally ignored.

Don snapped away taking pictures of the whole affair. The children tried to keep their squabbling to a minimum after two other incidents earlier in the day earned them all correction for "explaining" their actions and then arguing about whose "explanation" was accurate. At least, they tried. Right up until the gingerbread man saw a glimmer of hope. The roof of our gingerbread house was headed south at an alarming rate as the gumdrops and frosting rained down through the gap to reveal our prisoner.

At which point the kids started to argue. The gingerbread was confiscated and hauled off. The kids then argued about whose fault that was--- to the annoyance of their sainted parents. Until Mom remembered that saints are typically martyred. (Really now, no one likes a martyr.) Mom stomped off to the computer in general disgust with the whole failed attempt at a little "family fun". Evan went off to fume in his closet. Don headed back to talk to the Boy. Erin went from room to room assessing everyone else's states of mind. And peacemaker Katie made a beeline for the kitchen to salvage the gingerbread house (and in her mind: the evidence of family togetherness) with her pastry education gleaned from Food Network Challenges and Ace of Cakes episodes too numerous to count.

Ah, the holiday season is definitely upon us. Now if we can only recapture the fun instead of the dysfunction all might be Merry and Bright.