How to Dispose of your Gingerbread House

Every year at Christmas time we make gingerbread houses. I don't know when it started but we have been doing it for years and now it is a tradition. I am surprised that the boys are even still interested in participating, but they are very good sports especially considering they have to share with a sister.

Luke helped Hannah with this house.

Tyler and Cole made this one.

As fun as all that is, it seems that getting rid of them after Christmas is even more fun.

Starting a few years ago when Luke and Cole got BB guns for Christmas, a new tradition was born.

Yes, I think you know where I am going with this.

About mid January when Christmas is over and done with and all the decorations are packed up and put away the only evidence left of the holidays are those gingerbread houses still sitting on my kitchen counter. We have only to wait for a dry day (this could take a while), set those gingerbread houses carefully out in the back yard... and shoot at them with BB guns.

And don't think it is only the boys who are in on the action.

Even Hannah is a pretty good shot.

They do make lovely targets.

This is also a good way to get rid of the post Halloween Jack-O-Lanterns.

"Roughing it"

Over the break Danford and Luke went on a "campout" with the young men. And I use campout in the very loosest sense of the word. Is it a campout if you are at a beach house at Nehalem Beach? What if you are sleeping outside but still have the use of indoor plumbing and cooking your meals in an actual kitchen?
I suppose if you have a view like this it doesn't really matter what it is called.

You can just call it male bonding I guess.
It must be rough.