Gingerbread 2013

A couple weeks ago it happened once again. I made a ton of gingerbread and had friends come create and decorate it. This was the 9th year in a row! Craaaazy. Some firsts this year were: my sister was here for the first time to help with it all and to make mimosas the morning of, we had a grim gingerbread wildfire scene, and my icing flat-out rocked. That stuff glued everything together-- there were no structural catastrophes that I know of. My icing secret was that this year I didn't measure it when I was making it.

Too many words here. Here are some pictures. I didn't get as many pictures as I usually do, but people have been sending them to me. It was a fun and big party- held at our condo clubhouse this year.

Go time

I believe it was four double batches? I know it took a week.

Chili!

Daddy kisses

Melissa and Chelsea apply clothes to their ginger people.

Cindy made me get in a picture, so I smiles with Theresa

Carey claimed to have never made a gingerbread house before.
However, she did study architecture, so...her house was amazing.

Abby built a beautiful house...while her mom and aunt drank beautiful beers
and encouraged her from the sidelines.

Clara's first (of many) gingerbread party! 

Jackson  appropriately renamed the party "that candy party"

The Kurtz family, pre sugar-rush

I didn't quite catch Thomas before he ate the head off his man.

Scarlet was only looking at that candy that fell on the floor...

Annabelle-- looking like an icing bag pro

When Cals collide...it's Cal and Cal!

Lovely cottage

Judy with frosting all over herself making her island house- classic Judy

Carey "I've never made a gingerbread house"'s house

I don't think those cookies made it very far...

The Korin family's traditional house and landscaping--
They've been at almost all of our gingerbread parties!
Even before the kids.

Structurally sound, quaint, symmetrical, whimsical, you name it

My sister's forest fire mountain range-- I believe there is a fire fighter
meeting his untimely demise

And here is the finish wildfire scene...can't get the picture to rotate
and not willing to keep trying. It says
"Don't play with matches." You go, Smokey Bear.

It snowed.

The Kuans and their giant gingerpeople

Teddy's cheeks and Margo

Teddy loves his Aunt Bean. I think she likes him a little too.

Party-scape

Candy-splosion

Clearly Chloe is in charge of her family's project.

Jackson doesn't know where that other cookie went...

Ginger-girlies

Crys's final wildfire disaster

We've never had so many kids at a gingerbread party before...LOTS
OF ENERGY!

Trevor and Trey and their ginger-twins

Jen, Gary, and Thomas created a Somalian pirate scene
with accompanying harrowing kidnapping story!

The uneaten portion of the Kurtz Family project

As the dust settles...Teddy Elf helps with
Cal and Clark's gingerbread house

Cal and Clark's house

Good party! Until next year, Mother-in-law's Kitchen Aid Mixer. I'll see you when we meet again for a week of spreading a fine layer of flour and powdered sugar all over my kitchen in the name of Christmas cheer, family traditions, and friends. I wouldn't have it any other way. Tenth year coming up!

Thanks to all who came. And if you have a picture to add, please send it to me!