Building fun...

My sister Deb has a good sense for fun, and shares it. She started a great new tradition in our family. The day after Thanksgiving everyone gathers to eat leftovers and make ginger bread houses. She buys the kits on sale after Christmas, and stores them. She also buys STUFF to decorate them with, from fake snow to little sticks to make picket fences and all sorts of interesting candy, too. I LOVE this tradition. (Note: So does Lilly, my bad, bad Boxer. She waits patiently for a chance to GET the pretty houses and eat them up. She has not missed a house in 11 years, and is amazingly talented at getting the houses down from the highest spots so she can gnaw on the walls, nibble on the candies and just in general create mayhem. Hey, a girl needs a hobby, and this is hers!)

Here are a few of this years creations. I love to hear the laughter and conversation around the table as the building, frosting and decorating happen. New traditions are sweet!