Monday, December 20, 2010

A Weekend of Family Christmas Fun . . .


Well you were right, once I gave "He Knows When You Are Sleeping" to my Dad, I felt great about it. My Dad was thrilled. I think he would have liked any quilt that I made, parents are like that, and I have an ugly Christmas quilt that would have fit the bill,





but I'm glad I gave him one that really suits him. I particularly liked Dianne's comment about me feeling sad to see this quilt go to a new home, "it will hug him when you can't, and you can't get any better than that". I could not agree more!

While I was home, I baked cookies with my Mom and niece and we made a great team. My Mom made the dough, I was the official roller, my niece the cutter/decorator, and then my Mom watched the oven, so technically I guess she was the baker.

This was the first time I'd made sugar cookies from scratch! I know, over 50 and just now making cookies, but it's never too late to learn!

When my daughter was smaller, we would make sugar cookies from the refrigerated prepared dough in your grocer's case. It was easy, they tasted OK, and the decorating was fun.


But once you've successfully made the real thing, I don't think there will be any going back to the old method. (I think wearing the hats was the secret to our success!)


As a matter of fact, they turned out so well, I'm thinking of buying cookie cutters for every holiday. I bought this Little Petite Candy Dish at Williams-Sonoma around Thanksgiving. They had it displayed in the store with candy and it looked so cute I couldn't pass it up. But once I got it home, it looked pretty sad, sitting empty on the counter.

Well it's empty no more!



yummy light buttery goodness.....

The funniest thing of all, I collect Christmas Cookie Jars, and my folks gave me #20 over the weekend... and I just love it and think it will look nice sitting out the rest of the winter.


But with all those cookie jars I collected over the years, they always sat empty! I NEVER made cookies.

And now that I've made cookies.....


they aren't going in a jar, I want to see them, so the cookie jars are STILL EMPTY!!

~

Two years ago, the Sunday before Christmas, we got the best present of all,


my folks gave us Cooper. It was a surprise, but aren't those the best presents! We couldn't keep him out from under the tree.....



and still can't!!

I hope you're enjoying the holidays at your house, from the decorating and baking to the time spent with family, it really is "the most wonderful time of the year".


15 comments:

  1. Great family pictures, Thelma! Your dad looks great with the quilt! And kudos to you for making your first batch of sugar cookies! I wonder if they will supplant cupcakes at the top of your favourites list!

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  2. A great picture of your Dad and the quilt!! I love that phrase too. I think I am in the same camp as you... never made sugar cookies from scratch. But wait, I think you just did! Now I am in that camp alone... LOL!! Great cookie jar for your newly made cookies and Cooper was probably one of the best gifts that keeps on giving!! Enjoy your Christmas!!

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  3. What a happy post Thelma! Your dad looks so happy with his new quilt!

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  4. I love that quilt, and I know your dad does too. And Cooper is just a doll.

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  5. Once you go homemade, you can't go back! I don't even buy cookies at the store anymore because mine are so much better! Sometimes it feels so great to give away something you love! It keeps our gifting muscles all loosened up too! That is the cutest picture ever! At least he's consistent! Have a fabulous Monday!

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  6. Thelma, Thank you so much for sharing your family fun with us. The picture of your dad is really great. My dad would have loved the fact that I make quilts and he would have been totally excited to have one. When I would struggle with what to give someone as a gift, he would always tell me..."Don't try to figure out what they want. Give them something that you would love for them to have." He was very wise, LOL. We had my grandson's 22nd birthday dinner here last night and that will be just about the end of our family get together for this holiday season. Oh, they will all stop by on Christmas Eve or Christmas as they make the rounds to everyone they want to visit and that will be great. BUT...my upstairs is filled with carpenters today and tomorrow and fireplace installers the next couple of days! Everything from upstairs is 'neatly' (for a change) stacked downstairs so there is no tree. The gifts have been given out to open at their homes Christmas morning, there is just no place here to gather this year. I do have my only Holiday table topper made a few weeks ago out on the coffee table downstairs and a small Nativity, but that's it. NEXT year though, with the new (to me) upstairs and fireplace and room for a wonderful tree I will definitely have a family gathering. As for the sugar cookies, oh my gosh, they are my favorite of all time and yours look just perfect. I prefer them with just light decorations and no icing so you hit the bullseye with yours. If I lived closer, I'd run over and ask for one, LOL. I didn't realize that Cooper was a Christmas gift! I love the two photos, LOL. He out grew the tree skirt but not the fun and cuteness. Thanks again for sharing. Have a most Blessed and Merry Christmas. Hugs...

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  7. Your post is so festive and full of holiday cheer Thelma! That photo of your dad with the Christmas quilt is precious! He looks pleased as anything with it. Your family must think you are amazing!
    And now you have done it. I TOLD you I had given up holiday baking, and now that I see your decorated sugar cookies, I can see that I am going to be baking them too. I have the day off on Wednesday, so that is what I will do. I bet my kids will be thrilled, even if they are all grown up.
    Merry Christmas to Cooper too!

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  8. What a wonderful post full of happiness! Red is your Dad's color! :-) Love your new cookie jar! And guess what I'm doing today?~ making more cookies! Our 'cookie monster' is home and I'm lovin' it! :-)

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  9. Thank you for the smiles today! I loved that your Dad dressed to match his new quilt! And the fact that you collect cookie jars but don't fill them, really tickled me :)
    And the photo of your puppy under the tree is so adorable!

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  10. Yummy looking cookies and that Cooper. Handsome boy. And what a nice gift for your Dad.

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  11. Is Cooper eating an ornament in the puppy picture? Naughty...better not let Santa see. I love that you collect cookie jars and don't put cookies in them. Although, let's be honest, how often do homemade cookies last long enough to keep in a jar?

    I struggle giving my favorite quilts away. I just always make sure it's going to someone I love and who I will see often, so I can have visitation rights. Nothing feels better than going to a friend's house and seeing them use a quilt you made.

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  12. Both your Dad and Cooper look happy. We didn't put up a tree this year because of the new cat/kitten. She is into everything as it is so we decided to wait on that temptation until next year. Have a very Merry Christmas.

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  13. What a wonderful picture of your dad. He looks very happy with his beautiful gift. I loved the comparison pictures of Cooper and what an adorable cookie jar. I'm glad you had fun making memories with your family.

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  14. Giggling over the picture of Cooper under your tree. My Rusty doesn't even notice our Christmas tree. Your quilt looks fabulous in your Dad's chair. Do you share your family sugar cookie recipe? Like you, I've never made them from scratch. We're die hard Chocolate chip cookie fans at my house. Hope that you and your family have the very best holiday ever!!!

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  15. It looks like your Dad loves red as much as you do!

    Love the picture of Cooper then and now. What a great Christmas gift he was! Was he a surprise?

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