gingerbread houses

my mother, the strictest health food watchdog of my childhood and adolescence, has turned into the sort of grandmother who sprinkles sugar over her grandchildrens' heads and pours it right into their mouths. i'm kidding, of course, but i can tell you that my mom never made gingerbread houses with us when we were in preschool. but when she makes gingerbread houses with the kids, holy cow does everyone get happy.