Christmas Advent Calendar: Day 5

Tory and I made homemade Chex Mix today on our fifth day of the Christmas advent calendar. Nothing feels like the holiday season more than the aroma of homemade Chex Mix cooling on my counter top.

Which is silly I guess, because the ingredients are available all year round. I could make it a million times throughout the year, but I never do. It's a Christmastime tradition I reserve for December when I make big batches of the salty snack and stuff myself to the brim. It's my absolute favorite, more than any other holiday treat.

The tradition dates back to my childhood when my mom would make heaps of homemade Chex Mix. My sister and I were so crazed over it, my mom would hide Tupperware containers of the good stuff all over the house so ensure it'd last throughout the month.

The original Chex Mix recipe calls for pretzels, mixed nuts and bagel chips but I've crafted my own version over the years. I'm not a big fan of any of those ingredients, so I up the ratio of Chex and use Cheez Its, Cheerios and regular peanuts.

Tory helped by pouring the mixture of cereal into the bowl. She lost interest halfway through, and I ended up finishing it on my own. Good thing it's a low-key recipe.

To ensure I won't eat it all myself, I plan to package some of the Chex Mix in cello bags and give it away to the neighbors, the mailman and garbageman, along with cookies collected at Sunday's Cookie Swap. That activity on our advent calendar can't come soon enough ... I can barely resist the Chex Mix goodness calling me from my kitchen.

Christmas Advent Calendar: Day 4

For our Christmas advent calendar activity today, Tory and I made cinnamon applesauce ornaments.

My little baker helped stir the applesauce in a bowl before I mixed in the cinnamon. In between taking big fistful bites, that is.

I remember making these ornaments with my mom and sister when I was a little girl. It was one of my favorite things to do at the holidays back then, and one of the memories I most look forward to creating with Tory. 

I couldn't quite remember how to make these, so I used this recipe I found online. I guess it's not rocket science, simply mix applesauce and cinnamon together, but I downsized the recipe to one cup of applesauce to limit the amount of ornaments we made. Quickly I figured out an easy trick to keeping the ornaments' shape. I used a spatula to wipe away the excess applesauce mixture from the cookie cutter and baked them in a 200 degree oven for two hours. 

Before I baked the ornaments, I poked a hole in the top so we can use them as tie-ons to our Christmas presents. Or maybe we'll hang them in the Christmas tree. Either way, I had a great day in the kitchen with my baby girl. 

Christmas Advent Calendar: Day 3

Today's Christmas advent calendar activity called for decorating a felt Christmas tree. I purposefully kept today's event simple because I knew I'd need a breather after yesterday's Cookie Swap.

As we lounged around the house today, playing toys and reading books, Tory wandered over to the felt Christmas tree on the wall, with her baby doll tucked underneath her arm, and began pulling off the felt ornaments.

She just melts my heart.

Auntie Lindsay gave Tory this cute Santa Claus book yesterday that says "ho ho ho" on the very last page.  We read the story about a hundred times today and by the end, she was saying Santa's jingle right along with me.

By December 25th, we should have it down pat.

Christmas Advent Calendar: Day 2

What's a girl to do with dozens of freshly-baked sugar cookies? Host a Christmas Cookie Swap for all her friends and family! That's exactly what Tory and I did on the second day of our Christmas advent calendar.

This is the fourth year I've hosted a holiday cookie party and each year's party is a little different than the last. In 2009 and 2010, a few of my close friends and Minnesota family gathered to bake Christmas cookies. Last year, Andi and I hosted a couple's holiday cocktail party and cookie swap. This year with Andi's busy work schedule, I decided Tory and I would host a Christmas Cookie Swap together with kids in the mix.

I sent these invitations to all our party guests a few weeks ago. Either today was a good date for everyone to get together or the simple fact kids were welcome meant almost every person I invited to the party came to celebrate. There were 20 adults and 24 kids in all (who were mostly under the age of six except for Andi's nine and 10-year-old cousins). My house was plum FULL of people and my heart just couldn't have been happier. This is the reason for the season (after the Jesus part, of course).

I served pinwheel roll-ups, meatballs, meat and cheese, cinnamon almonds and a hot chocolate bar. My friend Val brought fruit to share, another friend, Alyssa, brought a delicious olive tapenade and my friend Julie brought juice boxes for the kids. There's barely any leftovers so you know the food was a hit! All the recipes are featured on my Pinterest board.

I had the big idea of hosting a frost-your-own-cookie station for the kids this year. Yesterday, I was kicking myself as I was knee-deep in sugar cookie and frosting making but today, I'm so happy I pulled it together. The kids had an absolute blast decorating their cookies. I loved watching each kid squirt piles of frosting on their cookie, dump boatloads of sprinkles on top, add a few M&Ms for good measure and shove the sloppy cookie right into their mouth. I looked over once and saw my girlfriend Julie's little boy squeezing frosting directly into his mouth. Head tipped back and all. Another time, my friend Suzanne's little girl was literally drinking the bowl of sprinkles like a cup. The kids had so much fun! I apologize to all my friends who's kids were jacked up on sugar highs this afternoon.

I used our three-season porch as the scene for the actual cookie swap. It works perfectly because it's just cool enough out there to keep the treats chilled and there's a door to close to keep the children at bay.

Tory eyeing all the Christmas treats

My very favorite photo of the day is this one -- someone's kiddo just couldn't resist taking a bite of the delicious cookies. As the party was winding down and I began to tidy up, I saw this perfectly-bitten Peanut Butter Blossom left on the tray. This photo makes me smile every time I look at it.

We attempted a group shot of all the kiddos at the party. This isn't all of them, of course. Some kids refused to be in the picture and others kept running away. I think this captures the essence of the party, all in one freeze-frame moment.

I may be sweeping up sprinkles for weeks, but it's all worth it. Another fun Christmas Cookie Swap in the books!

Christmas Advent Calendar: Day 1

My entire body is aching from exhaustion. Today's Christmas advent calendar called for "baking Christmas cookies" and baking I did. Whoo boy. It hurts to type I'm so tired ....

I'm hosting my annual Cookie Swap tomorrow and I had big ideas to have a frost-your-own-cookie table for all the kids coming to the party. I wanted the party to be so special - part of my determination to go above and beyond this Christmas - so I bought boatloads of ingredients and baked sugar cookie after sugar cookie today. I AM EXHAUSTED (have I said that already?) and weirdly, I'm super proud of the Tupperware containers sitting on my counter, bursting full of delicious cookies.

Part of my vision for the Christmas advent calendar is to do each activity together with Tory. But let's be honest, there's no way I could bake 12 dozen cookies with a toddler in the mix. I kept her occupied for some of the time by allowing her to taste cookies samples.

My sous chef approves of this recipe

Half way through baking, she demanded to be held and I spent the remainder of time kneading and rolling dough one-handed. Not easy. Therefore, that's why my kitchen looked like this when I finished. Yowza.

My saving grace in-laws, Janie and Jim, arrived just as I was finishing baking. Tory flocked to them and began to lead Grandma and Grandpa all over the house to show them our Christmas decorations. In the meantime, I raced to clean up the big mess I'd created. Janie and Jim played with Tory all afternoon so I could set up for the party tomorrow. I don't know what I did to deserve in-laws like those two, but I am forever grateful. I truly appreciate all their help with Tory.

In addition, Janie came armed with outdoor Christmas lights for my house and Jim volunteered to hang them for me! Seriously, aren't I lucky to have them? Now we have Christmas lights on our house and I'm so excited.

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I made 12 dozen sugar cookies today and I have two extra batches of dough in my refrigerator waiting to be made. I just didn't have the energy to create (and clean up) another floury mess. Later this week, Tory and I will make the rest of the cookies together. I'd like to let her decorate some herself - ones we won't be gifting to the neighbors or our friends and family coming to the party tomorrow.

Sugar cookies are my favorite Christmas cookie, and the best recipe is my mom's. I can (and will) eat 6 of them for breakfast when we go home for the holidays in a few weeks. I attempted to make a sugar cookie recipe I saw on Pinterest earlier this week, but the dough didn't turn out quite right. So when in doubt, stick to what you know. I dusted off my mom's recipe and my cookies turned out perfect.

Mom's Sugar Cookies
Make 2 1/2 dozen

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
2 3/4 cups flour

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cream together sugar and butter using a mixer. Add eggs and baking powder. Add flour, one cup at a time. Bake 7-8 minutes.

**Don't forget to cut the dough into Christmas shapes BEFORE you bake them. I made that mistake once and all you get is a biscuit-looking cookie. Not the desired outcome.

All this effort in baking will pay off tomorrow when I have containers full of Christmas treats. My big day of Christmas baking is checked off the advent calendar list and now it's on to the next activity - sharing them all with our friends and family.

Letters To Tory: 15 Months

Tory Girl,

Today marks 15 months since we welcomed you into the world. It's difficult for me to remember a time before you joined our lives and yet, the day of your birth seems like it was just yesterday.

You are officially a toddler now, evident by the level of engagement in all things you do - more creative play, conversations with Daddy and I, learning new things ... and tantrums. Yes, you are definitely capable of whining and carrying on to make a statement.

This month, I noticed a few new actions which prove your growing independence. Out on a walk during one of the last gorgeous fall days in November, you insisted on walking to the playground instead of riding in your stroller. You walked alongside me for a few blocks on the way to the school by our house and half way there, you reached up for my hand. It melted my heart when I realized how much my baby girl is growing up before my very eyes. You also grab my hand as you lead me from room to room in our house, anxious to show me something new.

I had to laugh at your independence the other day when you opened up the refrigerator door, slid open the drawer and helped yourself to a Babybel cheese. You bit right into the waxy coating before I could stop you! You are a cheese maniac and you'll sit like a perfect angel at the promise of cheese coming your way. Lately, it's my only kryptonite to get you to sit still in the grocery store shopping cart.

Some of your favorite places to play in the house are in Mom and Dad's bedroom and in the main bathroom. You've discovered how to flush the toilets and you love to sit in the shower with no water on. I'm not sure what's so exiting about that activity, but you seem to love it. If you're missing in action for a minute or two, chances are you're digging through my underwear drawer. Again, I have no idea why you like to play in there, but one of your favorite things to do is wear my (clean) underwear around your neck like a scarf. The other day after playing this game, a few of Daddy's employees came over and I was a little embarrassed you'd strung my undergarments all over the living room!

Chloe the Dog has become your best buddy this month. Until a few weeks ago, the two of you basically co-existed in this household. There was an unspoken rule between the two of you; leave me alone and I'll do the same. Suddenly, you're all about petting her and Chloe's not so sure she's ready to reciprocate the friendship. Honestly, you've done pretty well at "being gentle" with Chloe and we try to encourage you to let Chloe approach you by holding out your hand to signal you'd like to play. You have such a loving heart, Tory Girl, and you're always anxious to give Chloe a hug or any little kids you meet on a play date, at library story time or swimming class. I love that about you.

I quit my job this month, Beanie, so now we get to spend every single day together. I'm really excited to not only spend so much time with you, but also to further your learning and development. You and I are inseparable these days, and you've even started calling me "ma ma." I never grow tired of hearing you say those syllables to me, even when you're tugging at my pant leg for attention. We've been doing a lot of cooking together this month, and you love to help me in the kitchen. I give you special tasks like stirring the mixing bowl or dumping an ingredient into the pan I even taught you to sniff the yummy smells coming from our kitchen creations and it cracks me up every time you do it.

Speaking of food, some first-year molar teething this month caused your appetite to nose-dive. Thankfully it's come back now but for a while there, all I could do to get you to eat anything was give you some ranch dressing to dip it in. Since then, you've developed quite the love for dips and you'll dip practically anything in syrup, ranch dressing or ketchup. I even saw you dipping your sandwich in yogurt the other day!.

You've really shown a love for music and dancing. The other day at library story time, you stood in the center of the group, right in front of the teacher and her instrument, and danced away while we sang together. It's comical the way you shimmy your shoulders fiercely in stores when you hear a song playing that moves you. You'll even say "ye" (ye haw) when I sing "She'll Be Coming 'Round The Mountain" to you. One of your favorite tunes is the "Hokey Pokey" and you can almost do all the actions. It's impressive!

One of these days, you'll be jabbering a mile a minute. I can see the gears turning in your head. You're so smart, thoughtful and strong-willed. I love seeing the girl you're growing into every day.

I love you, Tory Bean.

Love,
Mama

Deck The Halls

Our halls are officially decked for the holidays. Whew! It took me four days to complete the task with my pint-sized helper by my side. Over the course of the last few days, I put up two Christmas trees, decorated the fireplace mantle and decked out the front porch. I was determined to display every piece of Christmas decor I own because last year, I hardly felt up to it with a new baby at home.

Andi doesn't enjoy decorating for Christmas so I don't object him to participating if he doesn't like it. We're not like other families who brave the outdoors to chop down a tree together or reminisce about homemade Christmas ornaments. I do enjoy all those things, however, so I make it special for myself by blaring my favorite holiday tunes and taking my time to make every decoration perfect. I'm looking forward to the day when Tory's old enough to help. If she's anything like me, she'll love the way a bright Christmas tree makes her feel, shining from inside the living room window.

When my parents moved into a smaller house a few years ago, they passed down their big Christmas tree to me. I know how time consuming it is to assemble as I assisted my dad with it many times over the years. It's completely worth the effort and I love being reminded of my childhood Christmases back home, all the way in Minnesota.

The tree looks a little lopsided, but it's only my awesome picture taking skills.

My mom also gave me her nativity scene last year and I love it. It makes me feel so grown up to have one for some reason, and it also reminds me of her. As a baptism gift last year, my cousin Jen gifted Tory a Little People nativity scene and I set it up in the living room, just below my fragile one. I think it's such a fabulous gift because it's actually something Tory plays with and it so far, it's kept her from touching my real set. I've been using the characters to teach her about all the Christmas Story and sometimes Baby Jesus even does everyday things with us like coloring and riding in the Little People airplane.

So far, Tory hasn't bothered the real Christmas tree. We talked about how it's a "no touch" and I positioned all the breakable ornaments on the top half of the branches just in case. Andi's mom volunteered to make Tory the felt Christmas tree I was eyeing on Pinterest and so far, "Tory's tree" has completely stolen all of her attention. The ornaments my MIL Janie made are absolutely adorable. I love the level of detail she gave to each one, sewing our names and initials onto some and adding pops of color to others. So sweet.

Secretly, I feel like the biggest loser for being one of the only houses on our block without Christmas lights at night. We have a few perfectly shaped trees in our yard so I investigated ways to string lights on them myself. But without outside power (and with our recent pest problem - which is behind us, thank goodness), I didn't want to run an extension cord underneath our garage door. Instead, I saw the most adorable rattan moose on sale at Target the other day and I decided to go that route for outdoor decoration. I love the way it looks on our front porch ... and it was a lot easier to assemble than Christmas lights in a tree.

Downstairs, I put up my smaller Christmas tree I purchased for my very first apartment in 2003. It was  a breeze to decorate compared to the mammoth one upstairs! I like to have one "pretty tree" upstairs and a "family tree" downstairs because that's the way my parents always decorated when we were growing up. The smaller tree is filled with ornaments from my childhood, a few Andi and I've collected together over the years and Tory's first Christmas ornaments received last year.

Top left: Flip flops from our Hawaii vacation in 2006
Bottom left: Tory's 1st Christmas ornament 2011
Right: My 1st Christmas ornament 1981

The fireplace mantle displays my most treasured Christmas decoration - the hand-sewn stockings Andi purchased for our family on our second wedding anniversary (cotton). They're so special to me (I just wish they'd stay turned outwards! I might have to take the mount apart and re-sew it on each stocking).

Now our halls are decked, I'm ready to host friends and family for my annual Christmas Cookie Swap this weekend and to host Andi's family on Christmas Day. Bring on the festivities!