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Continuing tradition...

 
Four years ago my brother Martin came home for the Holidays.  It was our first Christmas together since we were kids.  Back then we always celebrated Christmas (after Christmas) - he's my half-brother and although we share the same father we always lived in separate homes.  One of the benefits of having two families...you get to celebrate everything twice!  Double the celebrations...double the fun - but it was never quite the same.  So you can imagine how excited I was when my brother called me out of the blue and told me he was coming home for the Holidays!  All I ever wanted for Christmas was the chance to spend it with my siblings...20 years later my dream was finally coming true!
 
He arrived a week prior to Christmas, with plenty of time to help prepare.  That same year we decided to buy our first real tree so my brother had the opportunity to cut it down with us and decorate it, we went Christmas shopping, wrapped gifts together, he spent hours interacting with and getting to know Hudson (his first nephew), we reminisced of childhood days together while cooking some amazing meals and simply enjoyed spending some much needed time together.  It was truly a wonderful Christmas and I couldn't have asked for a better gift!
 
One of our greatest memories from that year was building Hudson his first cardboard gingerbread house.  We fell upon the idea one evening after enjoying a few drinks and wondering what the heck we were going to do with the massive box Hudson's Christmas gift had arrived in...fast forward a couple days and we finally finished building his new playhouse.  It wasn't exactly the most sturdy of toy homes but for a young toddler it definitely did the trick.  Hudson spend numerous hours playing in his new gingerbread home and loving every minute of it.
 
Here we are four years later with Christmas just around the corner and once again my brother is returning home to spend a few days with us over the holidays.  As soon as I heard of his arrival, it got me thinking...maybe it's time we step it up a notch and build the most amazing gingerbread house ever made -ha!  Sometimes I look back at the one we made and wonder if too much alcohol was involved...I mean it was impressive, but we were seriously lacking in size and creativity, not to mention overall structure.  This year would require some serious planning and a few trips to the dollar store...perhaps it's my somewhat competitive nature or just the fact that I love being able to recreate something and make it my own - or even better!  Regardless I'm ready and eager to take on this challenge...whose with me?
 
Hudson sitting in his gingerbread home - Christmas of 2012
 
 
 
Check out some of these awesome ideas brought to you by Pinterest...
 
 
 
 
I'm loving this roof!
  
I'm definitely feeling that creative vibe, aren't you?  I can't wait to see what we come up with this year!  Stay tuned for photos once our project is complete...
 
 
Have a wonderful week!

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