Christmas Goodies

I know I already posted a blog today, but somehow we managed to have a few minutes to just chill before getting Zoë to bed and I really wanted to get this post up before the actual Christmas Day post.  :)

This year I did something I've never done before: I made sugar cookies from scratch! I love cooking, but wasn't quite sure how I would feel about baking. I've made oatmeal raisin cookies from scratch before, but those are pretty easy cookies.

Sugar cookies for some reason have a reputation for being difficult. I went to the Food Network website to find a recipe. I came across Alton Brown's recipe for a very easy sugar cookie.

So, Zoë and I got to work.  She loves to do the hand mixer until it's time to put in the flour and other dry ingredients. Then, she hands the mixer over to me. The recipe said to chill the dough for 2 hours or overnight. So in the fridge it went for a couple of hours (probably 6 or 7) while we went and ran some errands.

When I pulled the dough out later that evening, it was hard as a rock. I really thought I had ruined my dough. Luckily for me, I have the BEST husband in the world. He came to my rescue and rolled out the dough.

He and Zoë had so much fun using the Christmas cookie cutters to make fun shapes out of the sugar cookie dough.

Zoë's favorite part I believe was adding the powdered sugar and sprinkles to the cookies after they were finished baking.  These cookies taste so good!

Friday afternoon we went over to our friends Todd and Melissa's house to hang out and let the girls exchange Christmas gifts. While the boys played video games and Evan napped, us girls got busy baking some cakes for Jesus's birthday!

The above picture is cake Zoë made. Both girls actually made their own cakes. They put in all the ingredients, mixed them together with the mixer, and then when the cake had cooled, they decorated them. It was so much fun!

So, today is Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve we spend the day celebrating Christmas with the Shuttlesworth's side of the family. Usually Chris's grandparents cook. But this year, we went to the Blue Gill for lunch.

I'm usually not a big fan of the Blue Gill, but they were one of the few seafood restaurants to actually be open. And surprisingly enough the food was actually pretty good today. (Not a norm in my opinion.) 

After lunch, we headed to my parents house to visit with them. It's been almost a month since we have seen them.

Grandma and Paw Paw got Zoë a Happy Napper!! She's been asking for a Happy Napper for about 6 months now. Thanks Grandma and Paw Paw!!!

She also got a present from Aunt Cyndi.

Daddy and Paw Paw enjoyed playing with that gift. Haha!

Tonight we did one of our Christmas traditions. We put together our gingerbread house.

I would like to say that it turned out this AWESOME because of me, but the pictures pretty much speak for themselves. :) But if it wasn't for me, we would not have the pictures. HA!

Thanks to our wonderful neighbors the Rowe's, we had reindeer food to put in our front yard this year! Thank you Emma for thinking of Zoë!

Now it's off to bed we go! Santa will be here soon. Merry Christmas everyone!