Candy Houses

Right before Christmas we were invited to yet another epic event put on by Mr. John Gee and his momma "Nan".  They are the ones responsible for the amazing Greek party I blogged about here.

Much like the Greek party, the candy house party was for the children.  But I must confess that the adults enjoyed this as much as the kids.  We were told to bring boxes for the base and told that "less was more" in this case.  These were not going to be edible houses, merely decorated houses.  Nan was busy making the plaster when we arrived.

Soon she enlisted help from Uncle Danny.

The rest of us started to assemble our boxes onto cardboard bases.  I found out quickly that I had broken several rules by bringing box tape, a box tape dispenser and a box knife.  I was chastised publicly and was just starting to feel like a cheater, when THIS walks in...

Wait just a doggone minute...that is a pre-fab!  You can't bring in a pre-fab candy house to a candy house making party.  You have to start from scratch!  He walked in with a double-wide-4-bedroom-3-bath ranch style pre-fab with a wrap around porch and an outdoor kitchen!  And I got in trouble for bringing box tape??????

Anyway, I channeled my outrage inward and had a beer and started taking pictures.  I did not decorate.  My job was to document the construction process.

There was lots of candy.

So there was quite a bit of sneaky snacking while the decorating went down.

The parents and children were covered in powdered sugar.

These little cereal square (above) were Lucy's favorite.  John if you have any left over bags we'll take 'em off your hands...

He is working on his pre-fab...  Just wait until next year.  I am going to roll in with one so close to being finished all it will need is licorice molding and a caramel mail box.

This was such a great night.  The parents were just as into this as the kids.  I discovered so many new uses for Oreos.  Little Bug sampled a few.

Lucy had some ideas about what her daddy should do to "her" house based on what the neighbors were doing. 

"Oh sweet daddy, see that outdoor kitchen over there that they have?  Could you build that for me on my house...?"


My sweet artist/architect at work.

Now for the houses...

 

I love the picket fence and the front awning on Emma's house.

There was no covenant in this neighborhood...anything goes.

The house pictured above was Lucy's (read Mike's) that she completed almost completely on her own.

Below is our host, John, whose house was covered in powered sugar cement when we left.  The gal with him holding the red solo cup is my sister from another mother, Amy.  She and I are convinced we must be related in some way.  (Sorry Amy but the other photo, in which I told you to put down your red solo cup, is just not as good as this one...trust me sista)

And below is the picture of most of the crew...I had a little bit of trouble getting them all in the photo.

Thank you John and Carol for another memorable event that my kids will be talking about until next year.

The Iliad (or a blog post that is just as long)

We were lucky enough to be invited back out to the Gee lake house for a Greek party this weekend.  The hostess (with the mostess) is a woman named Carol (Grandmother "Nan" to Dakota).  You can read about Dakota and his family here.

Anyway, Dakota's dad, John has a place on Lake Ft. Gibson in a community called Rainbow End. And Nan throws extravagant parties every summer at this very festive location.  I had heard that she was quite the party planner.  In fact the invitation that John sent out said that she was the "mother of all party planners" and that the "children who attend would be more successful in life than those who did not".  I have to agree.  She is the "mother of all party planners" AND our children's success is secure now that we have attended a Carol Bentley party.

This is Carol (Nan).

  

She planned everything down to every detail.  She had games planned for the beach.  Arts and crafts planned for the porch.  And a traditional Greek feast planned and prepared for the pavilion.

We started on the beach with some swimming and then proceeded to play games.  There was a race on horses (noodles) through the water around an obstacle and to Helen of Troy (or Helen of Rainbow End).

Then they played "Medusa Hair".  This involved shaving cream and the tossing of Cheetos at the head of the partner.  It was exactly like the ancient Greeks used to do.

Nan also had a game involving ping pong balls in a cup and a spray bottle.  The kids paired up again and tried to get the ping pong ball to float out of the cup by spraying water into it.  This game required a lot of patience from the bigger kids who were paired with the younger kids.  Look at Dakota's face in this picture as he talks to "bug" in the orange life jacket.  He was smiling at her the entire time.  He never lost patience with her.  I love this kid...

  

Nan even had accessories!  Helmets...

And swords... (think Greeks vs. Trojans)

And ropes for a rope game.  We started out all tangled up in a web of ropes and arms.  Then we had to work together as a team to untangle ourselves. 

I think Camryn knows how to solve this riddle, she's just not telling.

Because some folks are having way, way, way too much fun...

After traditional Greek beach games, we headed up for arts and crafts.  The kids made laurel wreath crowns and fans with feathers and glitter glue.  We brought our togas but adorned them with gilded accessories created by the kids.

Apollo and Hermes

After the kids made their accessories it was time for the feast.  Nan spared no expense.  She introduced these kids to food that many had never seen (I know mine had not).

The menu included olives in every color, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, dates, apples, grapes, honey, feta cheese, cucumbers, goat cheese, hummus, pitas, chicken, stuffed grape leaves, almonds, pistachios, yogurt and wine (the kids had grape juice).  Since the Greeks did not have plates or napkins, Nan had them use flat bread for a plate and more bread for their napkins.

The Greek Gods and Goddesses sat on the floor wearing their togas and laurels.  They ate with their hands and tried new food.  With each new food that was presented Nan would ply them with Greek cultural facts.

Here is Nan explaining about the pomegranate.

Thank you Carol Bentley for including us in one of the best family-friendly parties I have ever had the pleasure of attending.  Your attention to detail is amazing and your research and diligence was evident.  You really do know how to throw a party!