Tis' the Season...

December has proven to be a very busy month full of gatherings and more exciting firsts for our family! I hope you enjoy this edition, which includes a visit to Santa and our annual 'Aunt Rita's' cookie bake...

I was so excited to have gotten the call from my cousin Rashida telling us that Santa would be at the Children's museum...she and her boyfriend Aaron would be Mr. and Mrs. Claus...let's see, pics with Santa at the largest Children's museum in the world, kinfolks as Mr. and Mrs. Claus...ummmm, BONUS!!!

what a winter wonderland it was...




...you never know, Santa may need a reindeer fill-in...

...Santa's workshop...

...we even had other cousins come to visit with the Clauses (Gabby, Andrea's daughter pictured on Santa's lap)

Angie (cousin), Gigi (her daughter), Rashida...errr, Mrs. Claus and AJ

...ahhh, and then there's the cookie bake an annual event steeped in tradition started generations ago...we hosted in our home this year...

Elizabeth (cousin) was the first to get her bake-on...

...rarely does the hostess get in on the baking action...so I started early with an Oreo Delight recipe...

...taa-daa...

...traditionally, this is a ladies-exclusively event...but who can resist a sweet baby boy?

...Jen, made her delicious lemon-cookies among others...she enlisted the help of Kiara

Grandmommy taking the plunge...

Kortney's cookies were so awesome...I had to borrow the recipe :)

Aunt BG spending some QT with AJ

...Arian tried to hang around as an official taste-tester...that really didn't last long...

Aunt Alice and AJ

Brittany and Holly (cousins)

AJ with Aunt Sandy

...Aunt Peggy prepping her annual sugar cookies...

Angie with her game face on...

Anita and BreAnn, going over the logistics...

2009 Cookie Bake Crew (plus or minus a few)

...while the ladies baked, the little ones played...

...winding down, a great finish to a great cookie bake

bathtime fun