It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Well Christmas is in full swing at our house.  School is over for the year!!!! HIP HIP HOORAY!!!!

and we have been enjoying the hustle and bustle that seems inevitable this time of year.

The focus this week:

COOKIES

A dear friend, Bev, gave me a very simple recipe for making Rudolph Cookies.  They are so cute and the kids loved making them.

Before

and

After

I have not tasted these....but the kids have devoured them!  Randy did taste them and said there were too many flavors for his palate.  It was definitely a FUN project.  The kids did all the work and enjoyed the fruit of their labor!

Then.....I started baking

Mexican Wedding Cakes (which are cookies not cakes)

.....144 cookies........ for a Cookie Exchange with my Co-op Ladies!

I didn't get any pictures of the cookies.....But I will give you the recipe....and they are GOOD and EASY!

Makes about 48

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup finely chopped almonds or pecans
1/4 teaspoon salt
powdered sugar

Pre-heat oven to 325 F. In a large bowl combine 1/2 cup powdered sugar, butter and vanilla. Blend well. Stir in flour, nuts and salt until dough holds together. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 15-20 minutes until set but not brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheets. Cool slightly and roll in powdered sugar. Cool completely and re-roll in powdered sugar.

Now they are all packaged and ready to load on my sleigh....errr Minivan and deliver!

Now the next picture serves two purposes....

1. to show what a goof ball the baby can be ....she was being so funny dancing around the kitchen

2. to show how messy my kitchen got during this process.....powdered sugar everywhere.  Note I said they were easy to make....not neat!

You may wonder what the rascals were up to while I was baking.....The BOY was testing out his bike on the ice and thought it was very fun to crash it while riding as fast as he could and then slamming on brakes and burning into the concrete....doesn't sound fun to me....but I'll take his word for it.  He came in bright red....from the cold. I tried to capture it....but again the picture doesn't do justice to the true color.  HE WAS COLD.

and the little ones were watching a Mickey Mouse Christmas movie....and I happened in with my camera and caught this sweet moment with THE GIRL and THE BABY!  Love to see my kids love each other.

We have been focusing a lot on cookies this week and enjoying the ice and fun Christmas movies....BUT we are also trying to focus on the TRUE meaning of Christmas....It is easy for it to get lost in the excitement of presents, bows, cookies, parties, and activities.....

So....I asked my kids....Out of the mouth of Babes....Why do we celebrate Christmas....

Twinkie Girl.....She said, "It's really about Jesus' Birth and about giving." 

Twinkie Boy....said, "Jesus' Birthday!"

The Baby Says...."Jesus' Birthday!  Cause Jesus is the Savior that was in Mary's Tummy.  So we celebrate God's birthday!"

THE GIRL says....."cause it's Jesus' birthday"

THE BOY says...."cause it's Jesus' birthday and he is the Savior of the world."

Whew....at least they KNOW why....now if we can just keep the focus on the main thing.  Nothing is wrong with cookies and fun but boy oh boy...I don't want them to miss the REAL meaning....in their hearts....I want the knowledge to not just be in their heads....but in their hearts.

Perhaps it will....as my Twinkie Girl asks me how to spell Barbie Doll and yo-yo (I guess she's working on a Christmas list....a little late for that my love!)  The BABY is telling THE Dog it's almost time for Jesus to be born :)