Out with the Old. . .

It is New Year's Day, and I'm already behind. I need to clear out some pictures from 2019 (which, by the way, was not my favorite year). First, I need to finish out the birthday cakes. For her 8th birthday, my dear daughter wanted me to make an elephant cake because elephants are her favorite. I've made this cake before (twice), and it's easy and fun.

Elephant cake with circus peanuts

Elephant cake with circus peanuts and Ellie the Elephant

As for Christmas baking, that didn't happen. Instead of singing Christmas carols this year, we took turns serenading each other with a chorus of coughing. We have been sick (in a staggered pattern) since December 11th or so. Instead of cookies and family get-togethers, we've had fevers and home remedies and doctor visits. In short, very little of our normal Christmas fun happened. 

However, a lovely lady from church gave us a pre-made gingerbread house kit. We pulled it out a couple of days ago and got to work on it.

See that large crack? I just don't think that bodes well, do you?

Notice how those windows and the door kind of look like a sad face?

I think it's because this gingerbread house had a premonition concerning its fate. Below you can see the serious effort going on to hold that house together. I think it collapsed maybe a minute after it was all "finished." 

We were not in top form (remember we have been sick and sleep-deprived) and failed to completely read the instructions.

See that part about waiting 15 minutes until icing is dry prior to decorating the house? We didn't do that. Oh, well. It still tasted fine. I guess the architectural collapse saved us the guilt of tearing it down.