We started the gingermansion last week because I feel like there is SO LITTLE TIME LEFT and we love it. We got as far as making the dough
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fCkZW8XRUos/WihwB9f55WI/AAAAAAAAUZU/pm0h26HU5JkG1FTAwbn0n5FTOPonQEFwgCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D)
(molasses is SO INTERESTING)
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-an4_iC21u8U/WihwBmK4EHI/AAAAAAAAUZQ/rcDQ4vK_DWUmcs4NI-z-GeM_OYDNV2u1ACHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D)
and then we lost days of our lives to that ferocious 24-hour bug that was going around. Can I recommend you don't.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LxEd9D3hcVY/WihwJ-9BUaI/AAAAAAAAUZc/6whL7cFQBjYhlDgII8pCBD-M653irE9fQCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D)
So I and then Eleanor were sick in succession, the gingerdough went into the freezer, the kids went to my parents' place for the weekend because Joel and I had TWO (2) holiday parties to attend
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and then suddenly it was Sunday morning and we were all home and healthy and had the day ahead of us. GOOD THING I HAVE THIS MASSIVE ISLAND IN MY KITCHEN NOW.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PWpvcMAzPSU/WihwZOwJTjI/AAAAAAAAUZw/B42AauIaBecdh_Cv8xQRW0opgIEG2XorgCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D)
My job is to roll and cut out the gingermansion pieces, but also to monitor what's in the oven(s) (good thing I have two ovens now) (this house is amazing) and also roll out Geneva's dough-pile when she gets frustrated, while these two jokers WHIP THROUGH an innumerable amount of gingerbread cookies THEY ARE BOTH SO QUICK AND COMPETENT NOW I had to use all six of my cookie sheets, even the two sub-par ones I mostly keep around for chicken nuggets.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yaePVRMNfvY/WihwHrmv_jI/AAAAAAAAUZY/KuT8GssE9owhOh3_YJOqQwzw_gC3RL7KwCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D)
And then everyone went down for a quiet time and usually that would be it for the day
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qFx5WYGMRSU/WihwP-mbJzI/AAAAAAAAUZg/v7olmfZAfCI0y8EUnen8pShYbdbvnkqHgCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D)
but I was feeling ambitious and also a little behind, and Sunday is a LONG DAY YOU GUYS so when they woke up, we decorated our walls!
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jhhKphORIlE/WihwXLciTwI/AAAAAAAAUZo/nC50Y1sMJ_cJXbfuRti13ZrSz_5_Yiz5QCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D)
Geneva still decorates like a toddler
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but Eleanor has discovered PATTERNS and also RESTRAINT and I'm a little bit *weeping emoji* about it.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3YrM3QVl_0o/Wihw0Eh_tzI/AAAAAAAAUaY/GehldRNhFHUUdLFEjWMZJOhmZ7OBHW9HgCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D)
We save one wall for Joel, and he has to make due with the candies that are left.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XUb7uSSVIvQ/WihwYEUsVTI/AAAAAAAAUZs/Qx_RmOsDxvclacxQuFyJeRQXWIKEHf3xACHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D)
WALLS GALORE.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-klsqrPridT4/Wihw0KDYteI/AAAAAAAAUac/kndi8-ROpmA15BfYY61xvObJ3BwSf7lxwCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D)
Monday I assembled the house while the girls were at school/napping, and the rage this induces in me is just part of the tradition now. I literally do none of the shingling, though.
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Nor the snowing.
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I was shopping for candy decorations without the kids, which means I had no one to exercise restraint in front of, which is how we ended up with these gummy penguins.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MKSsqj-FjdE/Wihwhp4PSgI/AAAAAAAAUZ4/0AspJvY8wps1VWNjEaU3Fyz4bHTCfQYngCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D)
Look this li'l creeper.
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rYMY3CQSUbI/Wihwmcfcu3I/AAAAAAAAUaE/Rrk4GLTfKTASGOv6qIgP5Ex-KraBfiIgwCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D)
We jusssssst had room for a path this year, in addition to the logpile and lollypop forest. I need a BIGGER BASE. I want to turn some ice cream cones upside-down and make them into trees!
![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RvmoPYma3IA/Wihwr0toGxI/AAAAAAAAUaM/Gtti3VImp-EMMNV7hKYM_keG_8ih3bpwQCHMYCw/s5000/%255BUNSET%255D)
We were riddled with setbacks, like any major building project, but we are DONE and we are DELIGHTED.