Christmas & Cookies too!

I made a little video of Christmas day! But vimeo upped it's game, aka it's music copyright game, which means it's a hard knock life for us without pro. What's a girl to do? Until I figure out which subpar to songs to swap in, screenshots from the video will have to suffice. That said, the girl gang made Christmas cookies the next day (to put those cute, tiny aprons to use!) which of course I just had to film, and that video uploaded just fine?

But the Christmas cookies! Oh it was that fun.  These cookies are some of my favorite Christmas memories growing up. A tradition that actually makes me think back to our old house. The rolling pins and picking at the dough and frosting those babies year after year. McKenely sneak-ate (sneak-eat? snake-ate? snuck-yum?) as much cookie dough as she could get away with, Violet was a total pro while wiggling her bum to the Alvin and the Chipmunks Christmas songs, and Brielle insisted I stabilize cookie after cookie so she could frost just about every one the same way. With every color. And all the snowflake sprinkles. Until I finally convinced her to try the green ones. Although she was so right, the snowflakes totally looked better. The artist! The vision!

My nieces are the best. And getting so big! But at the same time are actually so puny? We were at open gym down the street one night and holy father Christmas did it make me realize just how little they truly are. They're only babies! But fearless babies nonetheless. It was hilarious watching them with all of these random, parkouring junior high kids letting them (more like the girls were demanding to) take turns on the tramps and ropes and pretty much anything they could run to fast enough. Which, back to the junior-high-gym-friday-night-hang-out thing, uhm what? I'm partially weirded out by it yet a little jealous I wasn't smart enough to spend my weekends jumping on super bouncy tramps. Anyway... All of them are obsessed with Elsa, of course. ("Can I be Queen Elsa?" "No, can I be Queen Elsa?" "YOU CAN ALL BE QUEEN ELSA!"). And coloring still. And playing "monster", well, me playing the monster. But despite the Elsa obsession, the best gift of Christmas went to the princess (Elsa nowhere to be found!) headlamps and flashlights that sent them looking for treasure all night.  Or to Dolly's pink baby walker! A close tie, really.

My parents outdo themselves every year. And I mean every year, because apparently off years aren't a thing anymore in our household. What with all of the food, activities, and gifts for the girls... I don't think my mom sat down the entire weekend! They really do provide such a nice Christmas. And work to make it Christ centered too. My dad enlisted me to help deliver bags of our oranges to the Child Crisis Center and did his best to not mention it to anyone else. Even specific "no photo" instructions were given. The rest of the break included a hike to Cardon Hill with my dad and sister Breck. Up and down and up and down again, with Breck carrying weights ahead of me. Because she's crazy, obviously. Then laying on the grass, feeling the sunshine and stuffing my face with oranges rounded out the remainder of the break. Coby and I were able to do a mini Christmas before I left, and you guys he got me the ultimate hat! Solidifying himself as the gift-giver winner this year, that's for sure. I'm thinking next year I go solely homemade. A nice challenge, yes? Who knows, maybe if I just make him a plate of Christmas cookies that would do it. Who are we kidding, me? Bake? Based on all of the cooking (let alone baking) I've done around him, Coby probably thinks I've never read a recipe in my life. I guess we will have to wait and see...

Darn vimeo. It's a shame too, the other video is so much better. Bah humbug.