cookies

What started as a new tradition for my mom and I in 2015 has now become such a special holiday event for our family!

The past three years, my mom and I have baked cookies together to give to our neighbors for Christmas. This year, my daughter (<–it still feels so weird/amazing saying that!) and sister joined in on the fun!

My sister, Sadie, and I slept over my parents’ house on Friday night last week and spent Saturday baking, laughing, snuggling Sadie, and listening to Christmas music. Oh, and thinking about how next year, Hannah’s son or daughter can join in on the fun!

Here’s what we baked this year:
-Gingersnaps
-Cornflake Wreaths
-Pretzel Hugs
-Sugar Cookies
-Chocolate Crinkles
-Cranberry Bars
-Peanut Butter Blossoms
-Jam Thumbprints
-Turtle Thumbprints

While us girls were baking, Jimmy and Hannah’s husband, Josh, went hunting. It was Jimmy’s first time hunting and said he loved it! He saw a doe and already can’t wait to hunt with Josh again soon.

Aunt Hannah and Grandma Lisa took great care of Sadie. It was really nice to have extra hands to help out with my little chicka. Sadie thoroughly enjoyed all the attention and snuggles.

We stopped baking mid-day to run out and grab a few cookie tins (and coffee!) and got right back to work, rolling dough, decorating, and baking until dinnertime.

The boys showed up with pizza and we all enjoyed our evening together, packaged up our creations, and headed home all sorts of tired and happy from such a fun day.

The treats that were the biggest hits this year (we haaaad to test everything, you know 😉 ) were the pretzel hugs, cornflake wreaths, and gingersnaps!

After church on Sunday, Jimmy, Sadie, and I bundled up and gave the cookie tins to our neighbors. It was so fun bringing Sadie with us this year and our neighbors enjoyed seeing her in her Sunday best!

I just love this tradition. From spending the day baking with family, to giving to our neighbors, it’s a special day I really look forward to each holiday season.

I even filmed a video (not quite a vlog, it just has music and no talking for once, lol) of the day to remember it and I’ve already re-watched it a few times to relive the day again.

And for old times sake, here’s links to the past few years of Christmas cookie baking:
–Cookie Day 2015
–Cookie Day 2016
–Cookie Day 2017

What’s your favorite Christmas cookie?

Well, Mavis ended up loving Camp Bow Wow! As I mentioned in my last post, Jimmy and I want to have doggy daycare as an occasional option in case Mavis doesn’t get as much attention or can’t get all get all her energy out when her little sis arrives.

I brought her in for her interview on Wednesday morning last week to see if she would be okay getting along with the other dogs, and once she was approved, she stayed for the rest of the day.

I had way too much fun watching her on the camp’s web cam. She came home so tuckered out and happy that I brought her back again on Friday. On Saturday, she was lethargic, and on Sunday she had diarrhea so badly that we ended up at the emergency vet.

Thankfully, Mavis just has a tummy bug that isn’t contagious and is treatable with antibiotics. Since nothing else in her routine changed except going to doggy daycare, I can only assume that’s what caused the sickness? I guess it’s kind of like taking a child to daycare, the child getting sick, and then building up their resistance to the germs at the daycare.

It’s just no fun to see your usually perky and sassy pup so sick. She’s on the mend, though, and Jimmy and I are so glad Mavis’ sickness isn’t anything serious! If anyone in the Pittsburgh area is looking for a 24/7 emergency vet, I’d highly recommend University Veterinary Specialists. We received really great care there.

After an eventful Sunday morning, I was in the mood for some baking. Is baking comforting to anyone else or just me? The process of creating, baking, and enjoying food just makes me so happy.

I finally perfected my recipe for malted milk chocolate chip cookies! It has taken a few test runs, and I’ve been at it since May, but I think I’ve got it down pat now. The cookies are soft, malty, have a variety of chocolate in them, and are made with browned butter. Man do I love browned butter.

You can find the recipe here!

That’s pretty much what I’ve been up to the past few days. Taking care of our little May May and baking. And anticipating our little chicka’s arrival! Aaaand eating lots of this chocolate. It’s delish 🙂

Living My Full Life

Malted Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies and A Sick Pup

Do you like to bake?

What’s your favorite type of cookie?