Shared Traditions

With a house full of kids, it seems that Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without cookies....


but how do we make sugar cookies without cream of tartar?  Can we buy almond extract here?

After locating a recipe that only included ingredients we could buy here, Katelyn, Anna, Jack and Michael invited the neighborhood kids in and explained our tradition.

They set to work rolling the dough - missionary style. Without a rolling pin they figured out that our water bottles work just as well.

Without cookie cutters, they decided to use our butter knife to carve out images: crosses, churches, angels, hearts, ornaments, stars, etc.

Thankfully, we've learned how to be patient from the people here because our little portable electric oven doesn't bake cookies nearly as fast as my double oven did in Michigan.

When the cookies were finally done, our kids were super excited to share them with their friends. Their friends were super excited to try these yummy Christmas treats.




Making cookies was a great way to spend time together on the day of Christmas Eve.