1. Spritz cookies are (supposedly) much easier.
2. Sugar cookies require rolling out dough.
3. I'd probably whack someone with the rolling pin instead.
Okay, so that was three reasons, but the last one is pretty accurate. During one of my trips to Houston, I discovered that my dad had our family collection of assorted cookie cutters, so I took them with me. I'm the only one who bakes (although my mom has been known to bake from time to time), and the only one with young children, so it just made sense. I dusted the box off this afternoon, and the boys were totally ready to make cookies.
After a trip to the store for butter and eggs, we were set. My mom came over to show me how to use the cookie press (aka the cookie gun) to shoot the cookies out, and it promptly broke. It was probably the original cookie press of all time, so it stands to reason that it would be fairly fragile. I just sounded that out a'la A Christmas Story, saying "FRA-GEE_LAY" and you know you did too. We didn't want to disappoint the boys, who (let's face it) really just wanted to play with the different colors of sprinkles and sugar crystals, so I found a new cookie press at Bed, Bath, & Beyond, and picked it up for $15. Score!
They actually helped with about 4 or 5 pans of cookies before they lost interest and took off to play in their room. I was impressed. They asked to make sugar cookies too, so they could frost and dump more sugar on the cookies, but I was feeling grinch-ish and said the kitchen was closed...then promptly had to re-open it to make dinner. Kids...It's always somethin!
We watched Santa Clause 2, and then I sent them into their room where B promptly fell asleep, and I just made N turn off Star Wars. I told him he could help fold laundry, but he declined. Since we were cookie baking this afternoon, we're headed to Christmas Eve service in the morning, and then they're gone until next Sunday. I'm sad about that part; not seeing their little faces on Christmas morning...
BUT!
My cousins are in town, and I'm so excited! It makes me miss my sister though. She and her hubs are in St. Louis for Christmas, as they are every year, and I know they have a great time. My cousins, Clif & Colton, are younger than my sister and I are by a few years, so we spent most of our summers together when we were kids. I used to babysit them, and my sister would help. We went camping together, and hung out during the holidays when they were visiting their dad (my mom's brother). Their dad lives on the east coast now, as does their mom, but they have family from each side of the family that live in Dallas, so I get to see them a little more frequently than most.
The last time my sister, Clif, Colton, and I were together though, was February of 2005. We are long overdue for a reunion, and I hope we can make that happen next summer. Clif's in the Navy, and we are so proud of him, but it does make scheduling reunions and Garner trips a little more difficult. Colton's at Caltech, again super proud of him, so his life is pretty busy, too. Add my sister's crazy busy life, and my big dose of crazy, and you can see why I get so excited when they come to town. It's been that long since they've been here at the same time anyway, so I'm so glad that I'll have those two, my "brothers" of sorts, to keep me company for at least part of the time that my boys are away.
It really is just the most wonderful time of the year! Know what's not so wonderful? When it's 70 one day and drops 40 degrees for the next day. Because that happens a lot.
Aubs
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