GINGERBREAD HOUSES

Harriette awoke to a house full of the spicy smell of gingerbread and smiled sleepily to herself. She got up and slipped on her adorable bear slippers and slipped over to Collins room where he was, of course, already almost ready for the days, just running a straightener through his hair.

“Do you smell what I smell?” Harriette sung as she skipped into the room and sat on his bed.

“If you mean the gingerbread, then I’m guessing yes,” Collin said as he ran the straightener through his hair one more time before turning it off.

“I hope we’re making gingerbread houses,” Harriette said

“Already?” Collin asked, “It’s only the twelfth.”

Harriette shrugged, “why not?”

“I guess you’re right,” Collin said, “I was kind of hoping we could do it when Fedora came over.”

Harriette frowned, “yeah I guess. But we can’t do everything with Fedora.”

“We used to,” Collin pointed out.

Harriette laughed, “Collin, Fedora is in college, we have to do stuff without her sometimes.”

Collin laughed, “you’re right.”

Harriette smiled, “of course. Now I have to get ready, I’ll see you later!”

And with Harriette skipped out of the room and to her own room where she picked out a “casual gingerbread house making” outfit, which was brown leggings and an oversized pink sweater that said “LET IT SNOW” on it.

After throwing that on she carefully brushed out her hair and did some curling so if looked neat before heading downstairs where she could hear Finn and Willow loudly chattering about something.

“Hey kiddles,” Harriette said to the twins as she entered the kitchen where they were sitting at the table with Collin and Grayson.

“Harry!” they said in unison.

Harriette wrinkled her nose, “you know I hate that name.”

The twins laughed and continued telling Grayson about the tree they decorated in school and Harriette went over to say hello to her mom who was mixing some frosting.

“Morning, mommy,” Harriette said, giving her mom a quick peck on the cheek.

“Good morning, darling,” her mom said, “did you sleep well?”

“Like a baby,” Harriette said.

Her mom smiled at her then asked if she could help with the candies, “I just need you to get them all out and set them on the table, but away from the twins please.”

“Alright mom,” Harriette said. she went to the cupboard and got all of the candy and chocolates they would need for decorating the houses. And, just as her mom warned, the second Harriette set them on the table the twins reached out to grab them but she she pulled them away and far away from them.

“Aww,” they said together, with exaggerated pouts.

Harriette then took a seat next to Collin as her mom thanked her.

“Hey,” she said to Collin, “you excited?”

Collin nodded, “I guess.”

“You don’t sound too excited,” Harriette said, frowning, “You better not still be caught up on doing this without Fedora.”

“No Fedora, no fun!” The twins suddenly burst out together.

Harriette laughed, shocked a little.

Collin just shrugged, “they have a point.”

“Hey, I can be fun too!” Harriette said.

“Of course, it’s just a joke,” Collin reassured her.

Harriette laughed and just then their mom put the tray of gingerbread and the piping bags full of frosting.

“Alright, have at it!” their mom said before taking a seat herself. As she watched the kids start to assemble their houses she reminisced on how old they were getting now. Harriette and Collin only had one and a half more years before going off to college and the twins were already ten years old, old enough to do anything really. And there was Grayson, her special little sweetheart, if she was mean enough to choose favorite he would probably be hers. He’s so sweet and so caring, and so perfect. And now he was all grown up, but she still saw him as a little kid. It didn’t help that he was still shorter than her.

And then her other two kids, Fisher and Bobby, not even here for this tradition. Bobby was in Idaho with his girlfriend’s family and Fisher, well to be honest she didn’t really know where Fisher was. For a short while he was living with them, but he moved out during the summer and moved into the city. Sadly she hadn’t heard from him in a while.

Now the everyone had standing houses, the twins’ were a bit lopsided, but they were standing. It wasn’t a surprised to see Collin’s already was looking like a piece of art, and Harriette’s was sweet in it’s own way. Grayson, who asked her to make vegan gluten-free gingerbread, was decorating the door. He looked so sweet.

“Oh my god,” Harriette said after a while, staring at Collin’s house, “I shouldn’t be surprised, but your’s looks amazing!”

Collin blushed slightly, as he always did if someone complimented him, then said quietly “thanks.”

Harriette smiled and went back to her house.

“Look!” Willow exclaimed a few minutes later. She was pointing to one of the little gingerbread people she decorated with bright red pants and a green shirt, the face was two small eyes and she had squirted brown icing all over it.

“It’s Fedora!” Willow said, grinning with pride.

Harriette laughed, “that is so cute.”

“Thank,” Willow said, putting the gingerbread Fedora up next to her house.

Then they were back in actions, silently putting nonpareil on the roofs of their houses, gumdrops lining the bottom, and candy canes just about everywhere. And by the times they were done the twins probably ate more candy then they actually put on their house.

They all proudly showed off their houses, the twins going on and on about their little people in the yard. Collin’s was a classic beauty, Harriette’s was cute, Grayson’s was basic and sweet, and the twins’ were just kind of out of controls.

And after they were done they set them in the living room to show off to their visitors and Harriette and Collin helped clean up the mess and Grayson helped the twins clean up themselves since they kind of got frosting everywhere.