Sugary and Magical

We still haven't decorated a tree (or purchased a tree, which is what's really getting in the way of the decorating, but after the icepocalypse forced us to cancel our tree farm plans 10 days ago I've had a hard time putting it back on the schedule and at this point, we're only 7 days away from packing up our holiday spirit and driving to my parents' lake house for Christmas, so is it really worth spending $$ on a tree for it's few days of family room glory? Then again, when I can dress a baby in a Santa suit and the kids can hang homemade ornaments while we all sing to the Pandora holiday station, will I really miss those $$ in the long run? I honestly can't decide.), but we did do my most sacred of holiday traditions this past weekend- sugar cookies!

That's right- the many hour long marathon of cookie dough making, chilling, rolling, cutting, baking, and decorating. If it wasn't so damn important to me (and it is) or so damn fun and delicious for the kids (and it is that too), I'd probably talk myself in to skipping it most years. But the power of my own childhood memories of sugar cookie day combined with the powers of cookie dough and sugar frosting taste tests get me through.

But first, we went on a family walk. Or tried to. Turns out, it was only 35 degrees outside and Cora looked at me like I was crazy.

 

Then Claire decided that riding her bike was making her sooo tired and we just need to go back home mommy. So we girls turned around after about 0.12 miles and the boys and Tex continued on an actual walk.

Cora still doesn't know what she's doing out there

Claire did help me with the rolling of the cookie dough. Sort of. Mostly she just really wanted to help and kept inserting her little body between me and the counter, so I kept having to let her.

 

After the cookies were baked we moved on to the decorating. I optimistically divided the naked cookies among the four of us, but I knew I'd end up icing 95% of them, no matter how many times Claire told me she was going to decorate SO MANY cookies Mommy.

 

Ten minutes later she'd eaten the one cookie she'd managed to fully ice, dunked another cookie directly into the icing, thoroughly licked two icing knives, and tried VERY hard to put sprinkles on a still-naked snowman. She was kicked off the table when she licked her third icing knife, but she remained part of the family fun by doing creative dances around the table to the Christmas tunes being piped through the speakers. She is a treasure, and I say that with no sarcasm whatsoever.

 

Landon, who was born with an extra dose of patience, stayed the course and decorated with great care. He actually finished 2.5x more cookies than his father who is terrible and makes no attempt to improve.

 

Cora woke up about halfway through and was very sad that she couldn't have a cookie. Next year Cora!

We finished the day with frozen pizzas eaten in the TV room while watching Home Alone and I discovered a crisp Sauvignon Blanc goes great with three sugar cookies. A perfect end to the day.

On Sunday we decided to take the kids to see the Santa in Sundance Square downtown. We never did Santa last year- my firm always held a kids' Christmas party with Santa, so we'd never had to seek one out on our own and I just forgot. We were all set to go after lunch with Cora dressed in a cute little holiday outfit involving leggings and a ruffled tunic when she threw up all over it as we walked out the door. Luckily, I had back-up options.

Kindly tolerating the papasan chair so we can clean up her mess

Much less luckily, everyone in Fort Worth decided to see Santa yesterday. The line was so long and after 20 minutes of waiting and not moving while the kids ran around the square we decided to pull the plug. Our dedication to Christmas magic really only goes so far when sugar isn't involved. We promised the kids we'd come back next weekend, much earlier in the day, and we treated them to Sonic Happy Hour on the way home to make up for it. But first, we put the kids' on a decoration right next to the Santa exhibit and took a picture, just in case we don't make it back.

 

Claire had insisted on wearing her snow boots, because Santa lives in the snow (duh), and she even let me do her hair for the occasion. Landon is excited about slushies and Cora has no idea what is going on, but she's pretty sure she's not being cuddled properly.

I love this month so much!