Giving thanks and winning prizes

I don't normally enter contests, thinking (like most people) that I don't have good luck. But lately, I've been breaking from the norm and have decided to try my chances here and there. Twice this past week, I called a radio station when I thought I knew the answer to the name-that-tune contest (the prize for getting it right was Pistons tickets and I wanted those!). I didn't even get through either time. Then this morning, I entered a contest to win a gift card competition that the chanel 4 news was offering during the Thanksgiving Day parade. Once again, I lost. Actually, let's just say I didn't win - that sounds better, doesn't it?

But today a Thanksgiving miracle occurred and my luck changed. Here's what happened.

Every year on Thanksgiving, my family has a gingerbread house making competition (we actually make the houses from graham crackers, but that's neither here nor there). We started this tradition years ago when we got bored watching people slip into turkey comas after dinner and decided we needed some kind of after dinner festivities. So, we started a new tradition which somehow turned into a competition. I never win, or even think there's a chance of winning. This is mainly because of my sister, Katherine, who majored in art and is very creative, and has at times shown up to Thanksgiving with a tool chest full of special candy for her creations. Not that I'm bitter.

This year we had more contenders than usual, with friends coming and the kids wanting to join in. It was a tough competition, and my uncle Bill cheated by pulling out a gingerbread house he bought pre-made, and proceeded to decorate. He even made a frozen pond around the gingerbread house by melting blue suckers. It was a Ludington themed gingerbread (beach)house and I have to admit it was really cool. Polly made a moat around hers using the same method of melted suckers, but hers had Swedish fish in it, so it was even cooler. Here are some pictures:



As you can see, I was up against some stiff competition. I never dreamed I would win the contest. Ever. It didn't even cross my mind. When we were all done, we lined them up on the table and numbered them. Everyone got to vote for three. After the voting, Katherine announced the winners. There was a tie for third place and a tie for second place. But there was only one first place, and that was (drum role.....) me! I was shocked. Totally shocked!

In case you're wondering what a first place gingerbread house looks like, here's a picture. The next picture is me with my prize. That definitely makes this the best Thanksgiving ever. I know it sounds like I am forgetting what Thanksgiving is all about, but I'm haven't forgotten. I have many many many things to be thankful for. Like all the votes I got in the contest today. That was the best.