Christmas thoughts

Today Elizabeth, one of my coworkers, asked me about Christmas. How things were going and all that. I actually answered honestly instead of the usual fine, or good, or GRRRRREAT!
I want to say that it has been super-fantastic-awesome! Not that it has been bad. But I don't have the usual traditions that I am used to and that is mostly due to this whole thing called marriage.

It's awesome that I am married and Brandon and I get to start our own traditions. But at the same time I was happy with my own traditions. I don't really want to change. And while I keep some, like with my family, I am also adding his family traditions and starting our own.

My perspective on Christmas and the spirit of it that I love and enjoy so much is not at all in Brandon. It's just a new thing.

What I love about Christmas is the hope and the joy and the love of the season. There is all this hope. The hope of the Savior coming and fulfilled that we read and hear during the season. The hope for presents, the hope for snow (that's me!!), the hope to hear Santa's sleigh, the hope that everyone can be there together to celebrate.

The joy of seeing a person get a gift, the joy of finding that perfect gift, the joy of music.

The love of family and spreading joy and hope to others. (sigh)


So I just wanted to share that thought.
Or those thoughts.

~Becky

Christmas Cookies!!

On Saturday mom and I had our Christmas Cookie Bake Off!!
We've done this for who knows how many years now. We bake a ton of different treats for the holidays and share with friends and others who have really helped us out this year.
It was a little different this year since I am now married and had to go back to Canby to my parents house.

We started at 9am...

The stage is set...



And we're off!!!


Mom starts with a Neapolitan rice krispie treat


I love making Spritz! And these poinsettias look awesome with the little drages in the middle!


Oh Christmas Trees...oh Christmas trees...


Peanut Butter Blossoms with Almond Kisses and Raspberry Drizzle


Chocolate Blossoms with melt away mints


And the classic Peanut Butter Blossoms!


These are delicious Mint Cutout cookies!


Look! I have little green men!! hee hee! ;)


Yum...here they are finished and drizzled with chocolate!!


These are my new cookies for the year! I found it in a magazine. They are called Chocolate Peppermint cookies. The chocolate cookie dough turned out really gooey and I gave up trying to fix it to follow the directions and cut out circles. So I rolled them into small balls and flattened them with a cup. :) And they turned out AWESOME!! And then of course they are dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with crushed peppermint! I ran out of white chocolate so I used regular chocolate too!


My Peppermint bark! Yum!


Mom's Fudge. It's not the crazy, rich, about-to-die-from-chocolate-overload fudge. But it's still good.


And Peanut Butter Balls.

12 hours later... we are finally done and ready to share!

I love Christmas time!!

~Becky

p.s. If you would like a recipe of one of these delicious treats just let me know and I'll hook you up ;)