Cookies With Friends

I know, I know - another post.  The thing is that I'm working on my 2011 blog book (at Blurb, in case you were wondering) and I can't put off these December activities because I want to finish the book during the holiday before piano lessons start again.  It's for the kids!  No, it's for me.  I've been patting myself on the back every time I go to edit anything in our book because I took pictures and documented our first year of having twins.  I did it!  It's all there!  It really happened.  :)

Our Christmas Countdown Chain activity for Friday was "Cookies with Friends."  We've had to move a few things around to accommodate last minute ideas and this was one of them.  Angelyn suggested it a week or so ago and we had to do it - it's just not the holiday until we do the cookie decorating.  I provided the cookie dough (Bridget and I made cookies earlier this month and I froze half of the dough - smarty smart smart) and the location.  Angelyn brought Tyce and Lauren and frosting and cookie cutters (I have a few, but she has a collection).  Kristi brought Clara, Eddie, Henry and a tag-along Austin and some sprinkles that weren't Easter themed.  (Bridget told me later that they played Freeze-Tag Special.  "Austin called it 'Special.'  The kids play Freeze Tag at the bus stop.  I don't understand Freeze Tag."  Hahahahaha!)  I didn't think we'd have enough cookie dough and I almost made more, but each kid ended up doing at least two cookies.  We definitely didn't need more.

Look at Colin in the background here.  He loves Angelyn's purse so so much.  Before we started decorating, he put on Emil's Woody hat and smiled big for the kids.  Why am I not surprised that he's a show-off. :)  I found Emil looking out the front window by himself a few times.  He wasn't enjoying the action as much as Colin did.

Notice where Lauren's left hand is - she's got this, Mom.

Bridget and Clara are expert at this by now.  They use lots and lots of sprinkles.

Eddie, Henry, Kristi, Tyce, and Austin hard at work.

See?  Lots and lots of sprinkles.

I asked all the kids to take a bite for a picture and Tyce and Eddie's were the only ones in focus.  Sorry!

 I posted the recipe for the cookies on The Seven Bum Kitchen if all this talk of cookies has made you want to do some yourself.  It's from the Cook's Illustrated Magazine November/December issue.  I highly recommend that magazine, by the way.  No ads - all good information and recipes.  It's fantastic.  (Also, we used store-bought frosting for this activity.  Easy peasy.)