New Years Eve

Ever since I was little our family has had the tradition of making gingerbread houses. Or rather, I should say that my Mom would make the house and the kids would decorate it with candy. The best part of this tradition is that on New Years Eve we would break the gingerbread house and then gather up pieces of gingerbread and candy to put in our very own bag.

Caught in the Act! Here’s a picture of me when I was 2 trying to sneak a piece of candy off the gingerbread house. Just a little too tempting!

My Mom has continued this tradition with the grandkids. All of the grandkids come to Grammy’s house to decorate the houses and then on New Years Eve the grandkids take turns hitting the gingerbread house with a butter knife (when we were little we used a hammer, however with so many kids needing a turn a butter knife is used so that it takes a little longer to break down). :) The kids get so excited about breaking the gingerbread house on New Years Eve. It’s one of our favorite traditions.

The girls decorated one house, and the boys the other.

New Years Eve-Dallin, Parker, and Jake-Now that's the kind of gingerbread house we like! We don't want to see any gingerbread peeking through the candy!

Even Tanner, the youngest grandchild gets a turn. Looks like he could care less!

Dallin-ready to break this house down!

The girls beat the boys in breaking their house down.

Go, Go, Go!! It's a race to get as much candy in your bag as you can.

The little boys keep going until every piece of candy and gingerbread is taken!

On New Years Eve we also celebrated my nephew's b-day. Kincade turned 1 this New Years Eve. He didn't hesitate at all when his mom put the cake in front of him.

Always making funny faces!

Grammy playing "Zingo" with some of the younger grandkids while the older grandkids and adults were outside having a fierce marshmallow gun war!

Happy 2009!!