More Baking

Christmas cookies! Oh, how I LOVE Christmas cookies. The frosting, glitter and color! They make me feel happy & cheerful just looking at them. That all said, I actually hate baking. Yes hate. When the cookies are all cooked, cooled & decorated and smiling at me from their glass jars and holiday plates is when I sit back and enjoy them.

This year my husband asked why I do cookies EVERY year if I hate the process [he had to "help" this year, so quickly he questioned the need. hmmm, men]. I said wait until the kids are busy creating their little snowmen, gingerbread's and tree's. Look close at their little faces concentrating & perfecting. THAT is why! The memories of the kids faces is totally worth it for me! They way their eyes sparkle and light up when they get it just so.

See you next year holiday sugar cookies... now pass me some chocolate covered pretzels. YUM!

Ho Ho Ho!

We are counting down the days now!! The kids are finishing up their last week of school before our break. We are reading lots of books about Winter, Christmas and the Winter Solstice. It's been a fun week filled with lots of arts & crafts too. Our weekend plans include 2 full days of baking. Mmmmm Christmas cookies! I can't wait.

The only thing better than making tons of homemade cookies with the kids, is going to my mother in laws and eating some of her awesome cookies! Yum! She makes these really tasty cherry filled ones-they were a pregnancy craving while I was pregnant with {L}. I'm looking forward to sampling some[ok-a lot!] on Christmas Eve.

Zoo Lights

We visited the Columbus Zoo for our annual zoo lights trip over the weekend. The trip had a rough start this year! Our van has been running poorly for weeks, but we decided to take a chance and drive to the zoo [about 25 minutes away]. Everything seemed to be going fine until we got about 10 minutes from the zoo. The traffic was so bad that it took up over an hour to make it to the parking lot from this point. It was inch by inch driving, {L} was screaming and the bigger kids whining away! Then the van started running SUPER bad and I was sure it was going to break down right in the middle of traffic causing a riot among the cars trapped behind us. In my head I pictured people yelling at us with anything, but Christmas spirit.

Luckily, that scene only played out in my head and we arrived, a little frazzled, but there! The kids had the greatest time. The zoo had several brand new displays this year and it was like being a kid again for me. {L} was so excited to be able to walk around like a big boy with us[not buckled into the stroller] that he didn't even try to run away once-a first for him!

All three children decorated cookies with Mrs. Claus, the highlight of the trip. The cookies were actually pretty gross tasking, but the kids said they were DELICIOUS! Lots of sprinkles and globs of frosting always equals tasty to kids!