Sam and Carmin: Candy Land

In the lineup of festivities, we took an evening to make candy trains. Keith and Cathie and their kids were such a fun addition to our evening. It's fun to join forces with friends in carrying out traditions, since family feels far away at this time of year, especially.

We came home just a few minutes before our friends were expected to show up, and David truly thought he had died and gone to heaven. All of this candy, in his house, and within his reach was almost more than he could handle. I strategically planned my day so I laid out the loot while David was napping, then when he woke up we left right away to run other errands before we picked up Daddy from work. So the shock of walking in to this table of sweets was absolutely exhilerating. He was bouncing off the walls. I told him we had to wait for our friends to come before we could eat the candy.

We heard them pull up in our driveway, and were greeting them at the door while they took off boots and coats. I don't think the parents had even made it up to the house yet, when I turned around and found David with a plate, sitting at the table, piled high with candy. It was arranged like he completely intended to eat an entire plate of candy, as if it was being served for dinner. Oh, David. You work so hard to be obedient--you didn't touch the table at all until our friends came, just like I asked. And once they came, it was most definitely a free-for-all on the sugar.

Here is the loot. I started with Halloween clearance candy, and slowly built a supply of candy specifically for candy trains. I had no idea how much I had stockpiled until I laid it out, and it filled the whole table. This was what was left after everyone had a plate full and cups full of the sugar, already working on their trains.

Emi is an especially good artist--so I was excited to watch these creations happen. I learned that everyone--even the small hands--like to have their own bag of icing, and it helps if you don't fill it more than about 1/2 cup at a time. Making royal icing has become a cinch for me since taking cake decorating classes a few years ago. My secret? Use powder egg whites.

Good times, sugar high. What else can we ask for?

And the final product--of the one that got any of the candy glued down before it was eaten. The other attempt stayed just as you see it above--2 red track lines without anything else.