Christmas is over already? It came and went so fast I practically missed it. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! Thank you so much for all your great comments over the last week. I usually try to answer all of them, but I’m so far behind this year that I’m going to have to skip it. I started to read a few blogs this morning, so hopefully I’ll catch up with all of you before New Year’s Eve.
As I mentioned last time, we had our family’s annual gingerbread competition on the 23rd. Our houses this year reflected the kind of Christmas we had — chaotic! I think MyCrazyBIL’s heart attack and the power outage that had everyone living here for three days sort of threw us all off this year. Despite my best intentions, I didn’t have time to make the gingerbread until the day of the 23rd, so it didn’t have a lot of time to dry out. That caused problems in the roof department for a few of the houses. The houses weren’t as pretty as last year, but the males in the group lived up to their rowdy reputation. Read on at your own risk! (If you’re brave enough, you can click on each picture to make it bigger too.)
The team of MyCrazyBIL and my nephew were the first to have roof failure. They tried to compensate by creating a pyramid type house, but it just wasn’t cooperating. I think they should get an honorable mention for best use of candy wrappers in an attempt to cover up the crumble-age. They also indicated that some sort of candy bomb went off in the backyard which critically injured the marshmallow snowman.
MyDadLovesMeBestSister and my youngest niece also had roof failure, so they compensated by building an open-air gingerbread house. And if you have an open air house, it only makes sense to have a camp fire in your living room. They get a BIG prize for creativity in the face of disaster!
Last year’s defending champions, the bride and groom, always build a house with a theme. They got married last year, so it was a wedding chapel. In honor of their med-school suffering this year, they built a hospital. Complete with a helipad and an injured patient in a wheel chair. They had good roof and gable pieces but they decided to cut them up for a non-traditional gingerbread house shape.
Last year, I was teamed with my oldest niece and TheManoftheHouse was with TheSecondChild. We swapped this year in an attempt to break up a rowdy all male team. Shockingly, it didn’t work, and my sweet and innocent niece was happy to create a strip bar with TheSecondChild. Rumor has it that it may have been her idea. Naughty, Naughty! Even worse, they took third place in the voting.
Coming in in second place were MeMum and BigDaddy who had a cute little house. They decided to have the main entrance be on the side of the house and they created a drive in house. We weren’t sure exactly what sort of drive in it was though. I love their gumdrop Christmas lights.
And the first place winners this year were TheManoftheHouse and me. I decided that since the bride and groom always have a themed house, we should have one too, so naturally it had to be a quilt shop. (‘Cause I knew there was no way TheManoftheHouse was going to agree to have a Blog House LOL.) In keeping with the mess that was this year, we petered out before we got the back of the house decorated. We did, however, manage to get the all-important sale table of fabric strategically placed out front where all who passed by would notice!
Oh, and here’s a close-up of MeMum and BigDaddy’s star on top of their house. They get kudos for best use of a Christmas cookie.
So, our houses were very messy this year, but we all had a great time. There was a TON of laughing and joking around. And it wasn’t long before someone’s fat little hand was pinching the goodies off of the houses!
Coming up next — a blogiversary!
XOXO,
Anna
OMGosh! That is the funniest gingerbread house post I have EVER seen!!! Thank you for the chuckles again! I love your blog…with your knitted caterpillars and candy bomb explosions you are a lot of fun to visit! Not too mention those mischievous bunnies of yours! LOL! Love it. Actually Me Mum and Big Daddy did an excellent job on their gingerbread house!
Oh, I feel the same way, like Christmas came and went so quickly I don’t even know what happened to it! The gingerbread houses are hilarious – what a creative bunch you are.
Great houses and great pictures…I love your quilt shop…to me that is the winner…though the alternative themed houses are interesting… LOL
Ha! Those are fabulous – Tiny Small now has eyes as big as saucers -‘Mummy! A whole gingerbread village!’ Fortunately she’s too small to understand or read the signs on the house of sin ;-)
Ha ha, you guys are hilarious! What a great idea. We skipped doing a gingerbread house this year, but after seeing that, I’m inspired.
Christmas did whizz by, didn’t it? But after Christmas is before Christmas, right?? Time to start planning!
Oh man, I actually snorted out loud at the third place entry… how unbecoming for a young lady like me ;-)
Your take on the Gingerbread House definitely gives us all something to aspire to next year. Luv ’em.
How much fun it looks like you all had! It does look like some sort of candy bomb went off in you BIL house. But I have to say that I am partial to your house, because after all it is a quilt shop! But the others are very inventive, especially the hospital. Great fun… thanks for sharing.
I love the gingerbread quilt shop! Would you be willing to share your gingerbread recipe? This seems like such a fun family activity, I might try to incorporate it into next year’s festivities.
Anna, I loved the houses but naturally I loved your quilt shop the best. Looks like you had ton’s of fun. Very nice memories. xoxo
Wow, great job on the quilt shop! My kids couldn’t stop picking at the house we made, so it was bare of all candy in about 2 days. :-)
Those were fun. And good for a chuckle. LOL
This is hysterical! I love the houses, ALL of them. I can just imagine the fun that was involved. I wonder if I can get my family to agree to an idea like that next year? I have some planning to do. Happy New Year!
Hilarious! This makes me want to get even more creative when we make ours next year!
Surely, the quilt shop was the clear winner. Especially with the sale table. Genius!
Wow, how fun and what amazing houses. Clarice
Too much fun! Love the quilt shop. The kids did houses this year (from a kit) and had a blast! We’ll definitely do it again next year.
I bet that coming over to your home is THE funnest time for all! Look at all of the humor in these houses. I so enjoyed looking and reading about each one. You all are a hoot and a holler!
Have a wonderful New Year, Anna! It is a blessing to have met you this year – and thanks again for the postcard all the way from Scotland!
xo
Becky
What great fun you all must have had! Of course, your house is the classiest. Not so sure about that son of yours….typical male I guess! ;) Your Mom and Dad’s is pretty cool too. The best part is the fun you all definitely had!
I just shared the pictures with my DH and he said it’s nice to know that nudity is alive and well in the gingerbread community! Whatever!
Oh Anna those are wonderful. what a great tradition your family has. As for me I’m sorta liking that strip bar. LOLOL!! You cant beat a good strip bar on Christmas when the gifts have been all opened and it’s just plain old boring.
Happy New Year!!!
The gingerbread houses are such fun to look at. However… yours is a clear winner. It’s adorable!! A-DOR-A-BLE!!! What a fun family activity. My family would love it!
Thanks for sharing.
Joni
PS Christmas is over… now what do we do??
What a load of fun, Anna! And you guys certainly deserved to win–that quilt shop was gorgeous!
How was your son’s first semester of Med school?
Happy New Year!
XO
that looks like a GREAT time! i love the explosion and the use of candy wrappers. how fun!
Your gingerbread town is a hoot! I got as far as baking the parts, but we never did get around to decorating…..I’m considering wrapping them in foil so I’ll have a head start next year…. That way there’ll be no “not-dry-enough” problems! Your win for the quilt shop was well deserved, though for hoot value I’d have made it a tie with the gingerbread house of ill repute!!
All those gingerbread houses!!! That’s amazing!
Wow! That is a great family tradition! I am so many cool new traditions I want to start now that I’ve read about from all my favorite blogs! Don’t know how we’d have time to do it – but it looks like so much! Especially since everyone gets involved – even the guys – haha. The strip club gingerbread house gave me the giggles today! :)
Glad to hear you’ve had a merry though-chaotic Christmas!
What a hilarious post!! I sat here cackling like an old chook, after she laid an egg!
I love the ‘live nudes’ bar!
What fun. I agree you deserved to win, with your lovely quilt shop… what else would a quilter say! LOL
Best wishes to you all for a Happy New Year!
What a great family activity!!! You guys obviously have a great time together! Hope you are well! My ADSL is back YAY!!!!!
What a wonderful idea! Looks like a lot of fun but I wonder how much frosting, candy and gingerbread was actually eaten during the construction! Happy New Year!
What a great post! I usually watch the big gingerbread content on Food Network each year and feel inadequate. Food Network has nothing on your family. Those houses are fabulous. I agree with your title as the winners with the quilt house although the exotic dance club house certainly deserved honorable mention.
Oh, I’ve been meaning to tell you that I’ve drooled over the angel slice cookies. They practically make my throat hurt just looking at all of the sugar oozing out of them.
Oh! yes, we do love ableskiver!
I love ya’ll have a gingerbread house competition! That’s just too cool!
OMG how incredibly fun! What a great tradition! Just love it!
Brilliant as always Anna! What a fantastic family Christmas you have had! Lucy x
I love it! What an awesome and fun thing to do. I was racking my brain for a new game to play on Christmas Eve, but this would have been fun to do because even the grandkids can participate. I’m tucking this away for Christmas Eve next year.
What a wonderful family tradition you have! That is awesome. And I love each and every house you posted…. they are great!
Jen :)
This is so fun and so funny! Each and every house – wonderful and amazing. And what great family memories!!
Oh! We used to do that when the kids were little. Maybe we should restart that tradition.
That’s a lot of house baking Anna! They look great, I think I’m going to decorate mine as a Valentine house in Red, White and Pink.
Oh Anna – how fun – even with the bombs going off and the fires in the living room I think they all turned out great. Of course I’m partial to yours – great idea and fabric on sale to boot – your always thinking sister. I would have loved to be sitting in the corner taking this all in – I can only imagine what goes on.
Hugs – Karen
Hi Anna,
OMG – what a great contest & so funny results! I love the themed gingerbread houses – your family is definitely creative ;o)
*drumroll*: Happy Blog-o-versary! Thanks for sharing your life with us…your blog is always so inspiring!
Happy New Year 2009!
Julia
wow that is too cute! love them…..I want to say all but the first two are ahem different!
Corrie:)
Happy Happy Anniversary. I think I started lurking at your blog around April – May after you started blogging. I feel like an old fan now. I love Mr. cupcake Bunny. Good for you to help Mr. Thimble with his office. Sounds like Mr. Hive and his problem with paper.
Congratulations on your anniversary! I so enjoy reading your blog, it is always so inspiring.
Oh, Anna. This post makes me smile. The fun-loving spirit of your family shines through brightly.
Happy New Year blog friend!
Cassie
PS…The gingerbread house made by team CrazyBil reminds me of Christmas creations the girls used to give me…gifts only a mother could love. And I really do love them.
What a wonderful gingerbread village!! I think you are definately the rightful winner with your inspired design!
Happy New Year Anna – it was so great to speak to you this year and to ‘meet’ you by proxy with Lucy!!
xxx
I so look forward to this competition every year, Anna! I love all the houses – the cave-ins were dealt with quite well. And, of course, a quilt shop would win the prize! Doesn’t it always??
Thank you for sharing your family’s fun times!
Love the houses. What a GREAT tradition.
Ooh, these are excellent! Just as good and hilarious as last years houses.