Blah, Blah, Blah

We have a busy week ahead of us, and I wanted to get some thoughts out of this jumbled mess of a head I have, before I forget them all! Bear with me. This could be long. And a little . . . scattered.

First of all, thank you so much for helping me decide which cookies to take to the exchange. I wound up choosing the jam thumbprints {or Noel Cookies, as they are also called}. We stayed up rather late on Wednesday night making 9 dozen of them. 7 dozen for the exchange, and some extras for us {Jeremy happens to love these cookies!}. I thought they turned out great, and was excited to come home with such an assortment of treats.

*This is a small sampling of what I came home with*

Jeremy watched Sierra and Makenna, while my mom, Kameryn, and I made our way to the party. My friend, Amanda, and her mom were hosting. Amanda had everything looking so beautiful and festive in her home. The tree looked like something straight out of Martha Stewart, and all the tables were decorated perfectly. I don't get out much, so it was such a treat to be able to spend the evening with some of the sweetest ladies around. {And it didn't hurt that we got to sample cookies while we visited!}

I plopped Kam in the Ergo, and set to work displaying my cookies

*I didn't get a good shot of my display, but you can kind of see it in this picture.*

We had to vote on the best-tasting cookie and the prettiest cookie. And let me tell you, there were some delicious cookies there! It was tough trying to come up with the best-tasting. And they were all displayed so beautifully. In the end, I just had to choose one of my many favorites.

*These chocolate ones won best-tasting. Chocolate Hazelnut Latte. Uh, yum.*

I was absolutely blown away by receiving the honor of Prettiest Cookie/Display. Wow. I was not expecting that. Amanda had a gorgeous poinsettia for me as a prize. Is that the sweetest thing ever? It was such a lovely evening. And while I was snacking on cookies and visiting with friends, Jeremy and the girls went to visit my dad and wrap the presents they had picked out for me. Adorable.

Up next is cookie baking with Geri today. We may even brave the crowds and go shopping with her. Tomorrow is the church Christmas program. We are no longer attending our old church, but I would still like to go to the program. Most of Jeremy's family attends church there, and it would be nice to see everyone. I just can't imagine Christmas without that fellowship. Monday night Jeremy has a meeting, so we will most likely be finishing up our wrapping. Tuesday night we are planning on heading up to look at lights at a beautiful house up the road. They go all out with train and village displays, caroling, hot cocoa and cookies, about a million inflatables, the works! I'm hoping to meet up with Amanda and her family so we can enjoy it together. Wednesday night I think we are planning on having the grandparents over for dinner, and Thursday night is CHRISTMAS EVE! WOW! These last few days are going to fly right by!

How are you spending your last 6 days before Christmas? Are you all caught up and ready to go {please don't tell me if you are ;)}? Or do you have a mile-long running list {like me}?

You can call me 'Mom mom!'

That's what Kam calls me now ;) At first I was thinking she was just babbling {as she always does}, but she only says this ~ 'Mom Mom!' ~ When I have put her down and she thinks she needs me ASAP. It is pretty darn cute, if I do say so.

In other news . . . I have a cookie exchange to go to this week. HELP!

We spent the better part of yesterday making cookies.

We made some jam thumbprint cookies. We also made a Sandies type of cookie with a cream cheese and peppermint filling. And lastly we made some chocolate and mint chip/cream cheese bars. Though, I don't know that bars are really cookies. Are they? Is it legal to bring them to a cookie exchange? Who's the authority, anyone know?

So, here's the thing. I can't decide which to take. I think the bars are out. They're a bit more work, and I'd feel like I need to cut them out into circles so they'd look more cookie-ish. Yeah, the bars are definitely out. I like the look of the jam thumbprints {in a taste test they were preferred 2 to 1~ my parents liked the jam, Sierra liked the peppermint/cream cheese. And I cannot taste right now, as I'm smack dab in the middle of a cold, so I couldn't tell ya which I like the best. Kenners didn't care for any of them. I'm sorry, but who doesn't like cookies? And Jeremy's been at work for the last 48 hours, so he hasn't had the pleasure.}

I don't know. Should I just take the jam ones? Are these over done at cookie exchanges? Should I find a different recipe altogether? Anyone?

{Or should I just shut up, bake the dang cookies, and not worry about it? I think that's my vote.}