Love, Laughter and Laundry: Baking Up Traditions

We have been doing our activity advent calendar since December 1^st. I have to say that its been a big hit so far. But today was definitely the best day yet. Today we made Christmas cookies. Its my great grandma’s recipe, and she told me that she used to make them when she was a little girl. There’s something incredibly sweet in Hayden making the same cookies that his great-great grandma used to make. I took a bunch of pictures and am going to take them to her when we head up to Michigan for the holidays. (Yes, my wonderful Gram is still alive- 92 years young!)

We make Christmas cookies every year. But this year was extra fun. For the first time Hayden could actually cut out the cookies, shake the shaped dough into his palm and hand it to me to put on the cookie sheet. He helped me cut all 4 ½ dozen cookies. Then we took a break for lunch and rest time.

The break in the activity was great, after that though, he was ready to get back at it. I frosted while Hayden decorated. He did a great job and actually decorated them all! I couldn’t believe it, I thought that he’d get bored and I’d end up doing most of the decorating. Nope. He had a blast and told his Daddy every detail about it. He even remembered decorating cookies last year in our Memphis home. That time he only decorated four cookies, this year…over four dozen!

Mason was great too. He sat contentedly in his high chair squishing up banana (occasionally eating some too.) When he started to fuss I just cleaned him up and set him on the floor and he happily played at our feet and crawled all over the living room. The afternoon followed the same pattern.

It was so wonderful to see something that I did with my Mom, and that I’ve done every year since moving out of the house become a family tradition that my own sweet boys can be part of.

Rolled dough, baked cookies, frosting, and a sprinkling of colored sugar equals a joyful day to be cherished forever.