Gingerbread House Party Pics and Update

I had so much fun getting ready for the party today! I got the chance to bake cupcakes, two pies (my first pies ever) and a big Christmas Ham. I love love love to cook for guests. I especially love it when people like a new recipe I have tried. Cooking for large groups is like therapy for me. A bad day can easily be cured with two hours of cooking copious amounts of food.

Tonight's Gingerbread House Decorating Contest went off spectacularly!!! Here are some pictures of the houses. This year we decided to let everyone bring any embellishments they could think of to add to their houses. The resulting houses were ten times the quality as last years. I was so impressed with the inventive designs that everyone had!

The winning team was my in-laws. They had such a awesome house! We handed out papers for everyone that asked what house they thought was the best. In the end they had the most votes, but it was very close. I gave them the honorary trophy to keep for the year too.

Here are some of the best pics, this first house was the winner :

Here is mine. . . .unfortunately it had the least votes

My winter tree for the front yard. . .haha

The runner up, or as my FIL calls is "the first loser"

The other houses. . .