Gingerbread houses & fake trees

The fun activity of the week for Jansse was the Gingerbread House decorating opportunity at church. He had a blast decorating a little Bethlehem house that will be used to decorate the church for the season. The good woman in charge, Dorothy K. and her daughter Becky K. made 100 houses for the children to decorate and display around the church. She has done this every year that we've gone to church at E-Free Bozeman. What a gift to the children, and frankly to us mothers who are a total flop at putting together the houses on our own. There must have been 25 different kinds of candy and sweets to use to make the colorful creations.
Now, not that I'm not proud of Jansse's house, but I have to admit that when I saw the finished item I couldn't help but think of the house on Sanford and Son - you know the early 70's sit. com. about the father and son who owned the junk yard. Yep, in true family style, Jansse's house had a yard full of junk - no pattern, order, or design to it, just the things that Jansse likes put where he wanted them. Sound at all familiar? I'm sure many of you have an idea of what I'm talking about. And I love it! Just to be clear, I am definately referring to my side of the family. Anybody remember Daniel's cars in the front of the house on Sorci. All those car parts mixed in with the old boxes of nuts and . . . well frankly, a bunch of junk. And, sometimes if you saw our house you might say the family resemblence is closer to home than I might admit.

Today we are going to put up our tree. About that tree...well, we went with an artificial one this year (and next, and the next, and the next). We'll have to use it for at least 4 years to accomplish the savings we intend by going this way. I am a bit nervous about this transition because I've always had a real tree. Will I miss the fresh pine/fir smell? Will I feel yucky about it? I don't know. I've bought sented candles to help with some of that issue. I'm planning on making some really special decorations. I'm trying to be optimistic about the outcome here. I know there are some real advantages - don't have to water, tree comes pre-lit, no falling needles to clean up, easier to find the family time to put it up because we don't need the time to go select it in future years. So, this is going to be good, right? I'll post some photos of the process and the finished product later.

In anticipation of this big day of decorating, I made a tree top angel. Not sure if she'll fit, but if not, I'll find another use for her around the house. When I post the tree results I'll include a picture of her.

Until then, have a great day!