Holiday traditions

I have been MIA for a few weeks.  Something happened and set our routine out of whack, but we're back now!  Just in time for the holiday season!  

Every year, I bake a large variety of cookies to give away for the holidays.  Neighbors, friends... and J works at three different practices, so that means three groups of people to bake for.  We love to bake, so this was exciting for us!  (Another minor detail about me:  I am 1/2 Greek and we love to feed people!  It makes us happy.)  We talked with Yiayia and Auntie and came up with a date to hold a cookie baking weekend.  It was this past weekend and it was perfect!

We made our lists (I also love lists) of who we were baking for and what kind of cookies we were baking.  We didn't make all we intended to, but we got a good variety.  Here is a picture of #2's taste test panel.  You must also be noticing 1's hand barricading her samples so that #2 wouldn't take any of hers.  That's love, folks!  L.O.V.E! 

The weekend was great all around.  J took #3 away for the weekend.  They had some excitement of their own.  "Guys night" where they go and buy all the ladies in their life gifts for Christmas.  It was #3's first year participating.  Daddy, Grampy and the little guy.  Three generations!  No picture this year, but it will be on the agenda for next year, that's for sure!  

It's traditions like these that make the holidays so special.  Spending time with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.  Baking (and sampling) some of the yummiest cookies that you only get to have once a year, when the desire to give is so strong and you actually have the motivation to bake (for me anyway).  Shopping for your family and keeping it a secret.  Waiting to see that precious reaction when the gift you bought and put so much thought into is opened.  Traditions carried on from generation to generation. 

It really is the most wonderful time of the year!!!  A beautifully wonderful time of year!