Cookies!

This Christmas my sisters and I decided to have a cookie swap! The great thing about having a cookie swap is that you only have to make one kind of cookie but you end up with a whole bunch of different kinds! It was so fun to see all the different kind of cookies that everyone likes to make every year. We had a few repeats but most people brought something unique! We had swedish spritz cookies, peanut butter blossoms, "holly" cookies, italian wedding cakes, chocolate pixies, thumbprint cookies, sugar cookies and the list goes on...! Unfortunately, with an 18 year old brother around the cookies didn't last too long. :)



Since cookie making at Christmastime has always been a tradition in my house, I made cut out sugar cookies with the kids I watch. That was interesting to say the least. They all wanted to do every part of it- rolling the dough, using the cookie cutters, painting on the frosting and putting on more sprinkles than there is sand on the beach. Of course I burnt a whole sheet of cookies (which decorated the garbage can nicely) and when they were done the kids didn't even like them! I give my mom a lot of credit for letting us help her make pepperkakker cookies every year when were kids! Having a whole sheet of cookies to decorate on my own was just so exciting and it instilled in me the desire to make Christmas cookies every year!

Let it Snow

We had our first snowfall of the season!! Although not much is left I thoroughly enjoyed it while it lasted. I went for a little ride while it was snowing to pick up some take-out and it was such a festive drive. The headlights shining on the falling snow, the red and green lights reflecting on the wet streets- it was so Christmasy. I know that most people probably wouldn't have enjoyed those little things the way I did. I am thankful that God gave me the gift of being able to enjoy life's little things- it makes my life brighter and cheerier! :)

Because I love snow so much, I also love making paper snowflakes! I've gotten the technique down to a science. Sometimes I iron the snowflakes with a little starch and hang them from the ceiling, or like this year, I hang them close to the wall. I put up a few in our newly painted kitchen and it looks great against the blue paint! :)



I hope it snows again before Christmas- for some reason it doesn't feel quite like Christmas unless there is snow on the ground. I don't remember it ever actually snowing on Christmas Day, I think that only happens in movies! :) I remember once when I was a little girl it snowed on the night before my birthday (Dec 28th) and I woke up to snow on the window sill and I was elated! Nothing like snow to give your day a fresh beginning!