Getting ready for Christmas

We had a fun time getting ready for Christmas. Yola enjoyed using my cookie press to make Spritz cookies, and she also whipped up a batch of Chocolate Crinkle cookies--which she loved so much she took the recipe home.

Nemanja is a chocolate lover, so he helped me make fudge, which he'd never tasted before. He wasn't disappointed! After last year's horribly grainy batch (that went straight to the trash) I found a super-easy, absolutely delicious recipe for no-fail fudge. Mmmmm.

I planned to make three pies this year: apple sour cream, pumpkin, and raspberry. I taught Marie and Yola how to make a pie crust by walking them through the process step-by-step as I made mine. Both of theirs turned out great and they were very proud.


Before bed on Christmas Eve, everyone took their turn stuffing the stockings. Julianne, Caleb, and Elisa really enjoyed shopping for everyone this year, and it was a blessing to Brad and me to see them as excited about giving as they were about getting.