Cookie Fun

Back to catching up...this year, the kids had a different Christmas Break than I did, which was a bummer.  They were off for an entire week while I was in school. Then we had a week off together, before they went back to school and I had a week off without them.   I was feeling a bit gloomy about this, but I had my concert during this first week that the kids had off...while chatting at school with another teacher, I decided I was going to take a personal day the day after my Christmas concert...I was hesitant to do this since I don't have a lot of days and being the last few days before break, but she reminded me that my priorities needed to be 1. God 2. Family 3. Job  So I went for it.  I didn't tell the kids ahead of time, so when they got up, they assumed I had a delay.  But when the jammies stayed on, they started asking questions!  Kiara and I made a quick run to the grocery store to buy some supplies and then we started in on a Christmas cookie baking day and a day to just be a MOM and focus on my kiddos!

First batch of cookies we made were Aunt Jul's famous Reese's peanut butter cup muffin tin cookies. Yummo!  We LOVE them at our house.  Of course a favorite part of making cookies is licking the beaters and stealing some tastes of the cookie dough.  Kiara looks as if she could put the whole beater in her mouth! While those set up, we made another favorite...puppy chow!  The boys had never helped me before and were surprised at how it was made and now wonder why I don't make it more because it is so easy! :)  They had fun shaking the bag of powder to mix it up.  Next up, sugar cookie cut-outs...Poor Grant was covered in flour from head to toe.  (along with the floor and everything surrounding the bowl!

Brock is a perfectionist and got frustrated a bit when the cookies would break apart or stretch...but he would start it over and get it right before putting them on the cookie sheet.

Oh and Kiara...she helped cut some off too and got VERY into it as you can tell by the pictures. Cracked me up!

What, Mom?  What's wrong with my face?

After an afternoon of playing games and cleaning up the huge mess, it was time to do the icing on the cookies.  I only made red and green frosting so their deer look a little sickly!

I figured they would tire of it easily, but they were so patient working on them.  I sat at the table chatting with them and just watching while they did all the work...

Cute Christmas tree that they worked on!

We had an awesome day.  A day I would describe as nearly perfect!  It was just a fun mom/kids day and we don't do that nearly often enough.  There is always cleaning or laundry to be done and rarely do we let everything go and just enjoy each other for a whole day.  There wasn't bickering or fighting...just fun.  It was a little hard to go back to work for the last two days before break after such a great day!

Sooooo glad that I took a personal day...even if it means that later on I have none left.  It was well worth it and depending on next year's breaks...it may happen again!