the Cookie Caper

This morning we kicked off some extended family celebrating with a revival of the Cookie Caper.  My great aunt Eleanor started this tradition, inviting me and my many cousins to her home during the holidays to make cookies.  Aunt Eleanor was the sister of my paternal grandmother (who died when I was two years old) and she was bound and determined to provide a living link to my grandmother (her sister Doris).

And she did a really good job of it too!  You can't host a cousin-filled cookie making day and not make a memory or two along the way.

So this year when my cousin Susan suggested we revive the tradition with the newest generation - well, the answer was easy.  "We're coming!"

First up, mixing the dough... Isaac with my cousin Meg's daughter Margaret.  

Julianna and Lydia busy helping my Aunt Beth with a batch of Holly Berries (marshmallows plus butter plus corn flakes plus red hots - yum yum yum)

Getting serious about cookie making...

Susan keeping the older crew on track.  This was the easy part :)  Once the bigger set of cousins finished up we brought the littles in for some fun. 

When the two and under crowd stepped up to the counter things got a little bit busier for us Moms.  (check our Ryan, Susan's son, with just a teeny tiny taste!) 

Hello full kitchen (big kids doing crafts in the background)

Passed the camera to my cousin James and - yay! - photographic evidence that I do exist :)  All too often the camera is in my hands and I appear in exactly 0.8% of our photos! 

And seriously, is this little guy old enough to make cookies?

oh yes he is.  And pretty proud of his handiwork too.

And the men?  Golfing.  Frost on the course delayed their tee time a bit, but check out that gorgeous blue sky! 

Today was just the beginning - the whole crew, plus a bunch more, gather tomorrow for more good times.  As a child this family Christmas was always a holiday highlight for me - so thankful to be here for it this year!