Christmas Cookies

There is this tradition with my husband's family, every year a handful of women in the family get together the day (and the next) after Thanksgiving and bake cookies. Not just any cookies either about 20 different kinds each year the "cookie natzi's" (as they are affectionally referred too) bring new recipes to add to the tried and true. They start baking Friday morning and end Saturday evening. There are very strict rules such as ~ No eating the cookie dough ~No sampling the cookies ~Clean your stuff after you are done with your batch, and much more! The women are busy making the cookies while the men go out hunting. They all have a blast and enjoy this family time together full of laughs, reconnecting, and memories. I  have taken part in this cookie baking twice, don't get me wrong I love to bake and I love me some cookies, but I don't have the stamina nor the desire to bake for two days straight!!! Plus this cookie party normally occurs in West Virginia or in New York.

With my Sister-in-law now living in Florida we have started our own cookie baking tradition. We don't bake for two days straight and we only make a few types of cookies but we love it and so do the kids. It's a lot of fun watching the kids grow year and year and what they are capable of doing. Kendal and Jaden (the oldest) are becoming very good at reading the recipes and getting things prepared. Madison and Rileigh (the middle) enjoy rolling the dough and of course using the cookie cutters! Mason and the twins (the youngest) of course love decorating and eating the cookies (well all of them love to eat the cookies!!). I feel fortunate to have my sister-in-law here with my nieces and nephew so that we can create these types of Holiday Memories!

Special shout out to my niece Jaden for taking most of these photos!

Olivia Loves her Uncle Ry-Ry