Planning Ahead

I know... I know...Christmas is just now over. Why am I planning so far ahead in the year? Well...this past Christmas we did something new for our family. We had a hayride. Our new neighbors loaned us some hay bales and Terry and he put them on our flatbed trailer. Terry rigged up lights. (There is a technical name ...inverter was used...sorta like a light parade scenario,) Anyway, we toured the welder I had set up next to the camper, the lights on the zip line, the manger scene, and the tree house. Of course there were also the awesome lights Terry put everywhere he could.

I wanted to do something special for next year's hayride. I wanted to make the play house into a gingerbread house. In order to do this, I have to plan and prepare because it takes a lot of time to put out even as many lights as we had this past Christmas. I drew this out on Jan 9 or so and started looking online for ideas on how to implement it. That is why I made those 2 pool noodle suckers yesterday. Only 14 more to go. lol...

Thanks to a Christmas gifting of more lights, we already have the icicles for the play house + lights for other places. We have red and white striped rope light to outline the house and lights for the pathway. (I think) So...More suckers and other candies to make. I am a little worried about how to attach the candies to the walls of the play house. The siding is sort of falling apart a bit. I think the solution is to make differing heights of suckers all around. I could clip some gumdrops made from margarine tubs (painted colorfully) on the ridge of the roof with light clips....

I'm thinking of sewing up a Mrs. Claus dress and serving cookies from the playhouse. Also on my sewing list are multiple elves. 2 to hang from the climbing wall, 2 to act silly at the wishing well, 3 to hang from the big zip line....and the imagination goes on. We will see if I actually get the sewing machine humming throughout the months ahead.

Why all this for just my family? Well, we are going to ask all our neighbors if they'd like to invite their grandchildren and children to join our hay ride. We are also inviting our children's church and youth kids as well. Yes, I'm sure Terry would be willing to let other kiddos and parents who ask to be a part of this to come along as well.This will probably be a one or two night thing...after Christmas. and during the Christmas break.

What do you think? Are we CRAZY?