Gingerworld

I want to provide some pictures of our gingerbread extravaganza this year. First of all, I baked all the gingerbread for the party a week in advance, which was an unprecedented display of maturity and organization that I have not shown for quite some time. This meant that I did not stay up late every night of the week with Delilah and my rolling pin, covering the house in a fine layer of flour, the spicy smell of gingerbread, and stacks of gingerbread house pieces. I just did normal people things and some Christmasy projects. It was odd. I kind of missed Delilah.

Instead I stood on my feet for what felt like 48 hours the weekend before at my in-laws' house baking. The picture below shows what I baked. You can't exactly tell, but those gingerbread men are huge. I put the (regular-sized) toothpaste tube in for scale, because it's more impressive that way.

The7th annual gingerbready party was another smashing success. Here are some pictures.

A weekend's work (toothpaste tube for scale)

Gingerbread cowboy!

Candyland!

Nativity scene

Margo made a ceiling fan with her gingerbread couple.

Calvin ate Margo's gingerbread ceiling fan.

Ava and Ethan showed their parents how to build a house.

The Korins completed their annual masterpiece.

Andrew expertly decorated his gingerbread man and tree.

The Cupolo family's townhouse

The boys put blue pajamas on their gingerbread boys...and candy in their mouths.

Aunt Julie and John fashioned the first-ever Crosson gingerbread grand piano.

Masterpiece of the year, I'd say.

National's minor gingerbread league ballpark which I constructed days after the party.

If that gingerbread explosion doesn't put you in the Christmas spirit, I don't know what will, people. Now if only Virginia could get a white Christmas this year instead of a white Valentine's Day...