The Sweet Holiday Memories will last forever...

Christmas cookies are always a fun holiday tradition. I remember helping my mother make them early in December... it was a family affair! Susan would make the green wreaths out of corn flakes, Jon & Jeff would make the spritzer cookies with Dad, and I would help make whatever cookie Mom came up with for me to help with. It was tons of fun it was to make AND EAT all those cookies. We would make dozens of cookies, of a least 6 different kinds, over the period of a week or two. Then, there would be great cookies for the rest of the month. In our household, the green wreaths would go first and Susan would have to remake them. You could always tell who was snitching them - his or her mouth would be green!




I decided to try to start this tradition with Annde this year since she loves to help cook. We signed up for Cookies at the daycare X-mas party. I made it easy on myself by buying predone dough (sugar and gingerbread) and let her roll it out, cut it out, and help me put it on the pans. It killed her to wait for decorating until it was cool. We had so much fun... I did the frosting, she did the sprinkles. Annde is definitely the sprinkle queen! Where did the frosting on her hands come from? Well, what mom wouldn't sneak a sample of frosting to her kid after all that hard work?!!? The cookies tasted awesome at the party. While the sugar won't keep us hyper for long, this memory will last me a lifetime!





Have a sweet Holiday Season!!

Little Bits of Love on the Branches make the Season Nice...

Every year, growing up, my siblings and I would receive handmade ornaments as Christmas gifts. My mother and her two sisters were really good at doing it each year. My mother would make almost 30 ornaments (see right) so that each person (her sisters, nephews, nieces, children, friends) would each have a special memory to put on the tree. My generation, well... with the exception of my sister and me (occasionally), doesn't really do it anymore. It a shame, really. All these wonderful hand made ornaments really make a tree look special and full of love. I can remember what year we received each and every one of these ornaments. The use of pictures (which my mom tried to do each year) would always commemorate some special occasion. My wedding was the far right, my brother's wedding the one behind it, our first house is the small one next to that... The tree is like a scrapbook as all the important dates are shown! Ande, by the time I went to college, I already had enough ornaments to fill our first christmas tree!

I feel really bad that we have lost this tradition in our family. So, I am not going to let it happen. I still have a couple of weeks to go. My shopping is done, my christmas cards are out... I am going to try to get at least 10 ornaments done - one for each of my nieces and nephews, my daughter, me, and my siblings. I bet my sister will do her's again too. Maybe we can keep this tradition alive!

Happy Holidays to all of you!

Feliz Navidad, y'all!
Yesterday, we decorated for Christmas. It was a fun day because I was able to introduce Annde to the fun of putting up the Christmas tree.

First, I put up the tree (and lights) while Dad and Annde watched "The Grinch who
Stole Christmas". Then Annde announced she was going to help put on ornaments. It brought back memories of the decorating the tree with my parents, sister, and brothers during the weekend after Turkey Day. I was a little hesitant at first: a 3 year old with a breakable ornament made me kinda jumpy. But, Annde was really careful with them, picking the right spot and then coming back for another. She would have kept going all night if I had let her.... In the end, she announced that it was "very beautiful."

I love Christmas traditions and can't wait to introduce some more of them to Annde as I think she is ready to learn the spirit of Christmas... I hope that everyone of you also has a wonderful holiday season. May the Season be Merry and Bright!