Christmas Cookies

For most of my adult life I have not enjoyed baking or cooking at all, for any reason.  I just do it when I have to to feed myself or my family.  Growing up, my Mom ALWAYS baked.  It's kind of her thing.  We were always helping her...and of course eating a lot of cookie dough.  :)

Well, for some reason this year I am SO all about baking!  Every weekend since Thanksgiving the kids and I have baked something to get ready for Christmas.  It's been so much fun especially now that Alyssa is old enough to really truly help me with things.  She's a little budding baker that's for sure!  

I think so far we have made about 6 different batches of cookies or candy, and we still have a couple of things left to do this coming weekend!  

We've made:

• Philadelphia Cream Cheese cookies
• Brownie Cookies
• Chocolate Chip cookies with Andes mints 
• Pretzel M&M Kisses
• Sugar Cookies
• Russian Tea Cakes

And I feel like I'm missing something...oh well.

Alyssa has helped with every single batch, and the boys have been our official "taste testers"! They're enjoying their holiday titles.  

Here are just a couple of the cookies we have been making. 

 I'm excited to be able to put an assortment on a plate or in a tin and gift them as holiday presents for people just like my Mom has always done.  

Luke has even gotten in on a little bit of the action, although he doesn't have the patience that Alyssa has.  He just keeps saying "taste, taste"!  I don't blame him though I want to taste everything too!

We also got in some time to build and decorate gingerbread houses.  Alyssa has been wanting to do it since way before Thanksgiving.  Once I finally said yes, she could barely stand it!  So I got a great box from Bed Bath and Beyond that actually had 5 little houses in it.  I thought what a great idea since I know the kids aren't going to want to share.  

I think they turned out pretty cute!  Alyssa was really into decorating and Luke....well he was really into just eating things off of his gingerbread house.

So on the agenda for this weekend: 

• Make fudge (this is a definite must because it's a favorite)
• Make Chex mix (this is definitely for the husband, he LOVES this stuff)
• Get my plates/tins put together for distribution.  

I just can't believe how close it is to Christmas already!  I feel like I have so much to do still!  Wish me luck!