When I was a little girl, Mom made gingerbread boys. It was simply amazing how these gingerbread boys would run away and hide in the kitchen somewhere. Somehow, these unreal cookies would just up and run away! I remember how we'd go to our rooms and wait and then come back to find them hiding AGAIN! It was pure magic!! Even as an older girl, I'd probe Mom, asking her if she was SURE she didn't hide them herself. She assured me that they must've just run away.
We made gingerbread boys here for the first time today. When the kids weren't looking, these gingerbread boys amazingly RAN AWAY! When I exclaimed in a wild voice, "KIDS! SOMETHING HAPPENED TO YOUR GINGERBREAD BOYS!!!" they came running. Carly's first thought was, "How can they move if they're pretend!" What a fun game it became.
The kids decided to camp out on their kitchen chairs to make sure the gingerbread boys didn't run away again. That didn't last long, so they got up, scolded their cookies, shaking their fingers, saying, "Gingerbread Man, you obey me! You stay here!" Alas, these naughty gingerbread men would move AGAIN! Isaac even gave his a spankin'. (In all good fun, of course, because it would break if the spankin' was too hard.)
When the kids finally started eating the body parts, especially the legs, the poor gingerbread boys just couldn't move as quickly. So, they gobbled them all up. Isaac reminisced, "I was watching them the whole time, and they ran away!" Carly asked me, "Mommy, were you hiding them?" I answered, "No, they must've run away!!" And Carly excitedly concluded, "They could run away, even though they're pretend! They can run away!"
My mom fibbed to me. Don't you suppose it's okay that I fib to Carly?!?
RECIPE:
1/2 butter, soft
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. molasses
1 egg
3 c. flour
1/4 t. soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
Cream butter and sugar. Add molasses and egg. Add dry ingredients. Chill 2 hours. Roll, cut, and bake at 375 for 6-8 minutes.
Okay, I broke down and told Carly the truth last night. I told her it was a secret, though, and she shouldn't tell Isaac. She squealed with delight and said she was going to tell Isaac.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun Mom you are!
ReplyDeleteSomeday you'll be so thankful you took the time and effort to build these memories for your kids. (and you too!)
And I bet you had just as much fun hiding the gingerbread boys as the kids had finding them. I know I did. :)
ReplyDeleteCarly told Isaac yesterday morning, "Mommy was hiding those gingerbread boys!" Isaac looked alarmed and said, "NO, SHE DIDN'T!" Carly said, "Yes, she did. She told me in bed last night." Isaac thought about it and concluded, "NO, SHE DIDN'T! THEY RAN AWAY!!"
ReplyDeleteThen, Carly asked if we could decorate more so they could run away. :) The fun continues.