Gingerbread 2006!

Every year for the past 19 we have built gingerbread houses with some dear friends. The tradition started when Steve & I were dating, continued through the births of our friends' two children and then ours, and then became an even more valuable tradition to us when the wife of this family died unexpectedly 5 years ago. She tended to be the primary organizer of the tradition each year, so now we continue on in her memory and in her honor - she would have wanted us to continue laughing, creating, and enjoying the art of gingerbread. This year was the first year where Ben & Ty really did absolutely everything on our house and train. We use kits for the structures, but really go to town decorating. Past years' accomplishments have included hot-tubbing gingerbread people, reindeer crashing through a roof, cell phone towers, and wood piles larger than the house!
The boys took their roles very seriously - Ben took primary responsibility for the house, and Ty had the train.
Note the billowing smoke coming from the chimney, and the satellite dish for TV on the roof - Steve was so proud!
Ty's train was a zoo train; that's a monkey escaping on top of the engine!

Next year for our 20th, I think I will try to pull together photos from every year and make memory books for both families!