Christmas Cookies

What is Christmas without spending an entire day in the kitchen baking cookies?  This is still a favorite tradition for my girls.  Jack's participation has evolved into popping in, taking a bite and popping back out.  

Maggie is becoming an expert at reading recipes although she did get a little flour happy here.  Cue the vacuum.  She loves mixing, baking, and measuring.  It's the cleaning up part that she still hasn't taken to.

I could not get Lucy to take this coat off.  She claimed she was freezing the entire bake session.  I would come to find out the next day just what that was all about.  {Stay tuned and bring a face mask & hand sanitizer}.

After four batches in and out of the oven it was time to decorate!  Of course, this is always the best part.

Look at all those festive sprinkles.  Cue the vacuum again.

We will be leaving all these cookies out for Santa come Christmas Eve.  I hope he has a sweet tooth and a strong immune system.

Elf Antics

Clarence has been keeping the girls wildly entertained.  Nothing like the scramble to find him every morning and then still get to school on time.  

It is truly the most wonderful {and busiest} time of the year!

My Gymnastics Star

I am so proud of this girl.  After her broken arm, Lucy jumped back into gymnastic's team less than two months ago and was ready to perform at her Gymnastics Snowcase.

She did have some trepidation about the balance beam, as that is where her injury occurred, but her coaches said at practice you would have never known.  They commented on what a hard worker and positive soul she is.  I adore that Lu girl of mine!

Watching her doing what she loves brings me pure joy!  Not to mention those squishy thighs and tush in her leotard are to die for.

Yep, I'll have another of these please...yum!

You ROCKED it Lucy!  We love you so much and are so proud of your hard work and determination!

Holiday Happenings

Well Hello December!

It's the most wonderful time of the year and we have been taking it in {minus my injuries-which by the way I'm out of the boot!  Woo hoo!  It's been replaced by a lovely blue soft shoe}.  So here's what we've been up to so far...

A visit to Santa...

Holiday Lights...{and yes we take Shelton everywhere we go.  He is officially certified as a service dog, however I'm convinced he's still in training.  We are slowly getting there and I can't wait to take him to work with children...he adores little people}

The City Springs Parade and Tree Lighting...

and of course, Clarence is back!....

And for a quick score update...I still have two out of three believers!  I'm going to soak in every ounce of magic this season before, well you know.