Our grands came over for a few hours on Monday afternoon. We had some fun activities planned. First off, they both were ‘hungry’ so we sliced some of their mom’s homemade sourdough bread and they enjoyed it with some honey on top. They also enjoyed some hot chocolate with marshmallows in their special Christmas mugs.
Then it was time for the dollar store aprons and cookie baking. I had to take photos fast because JJ was already unwrapping the butter.
We got everything mixed in with their help leveling the sugar and flour with very minimum spillage. Then it was time to roll the dough into balls and lay them on the parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
Poking a hole in each round with the end of a wooden spoon was fun.
Ready to go into the oven.
Once they were out with lots of warning not to touch the hot cookie sheet we carefully helped each other put some melted semi sweet chocolate into each hole.
We didn’t taste test till after their mom came back from some alone time and we enjoyed dinner together. We all agreed this was a good recipe. I’ll add the link to Charlotte’s German Hazelnut Cookies here. We did not have hazelnuts so we substituted pecans in this recipe.
After cookie baking, Addy and JJ were given the task to set up a Christmas village with these pop up cards we have received every year from my college roommate and her husband. I told the Grands to be extra careful with them since they are paper and won’t last forever. Over thirty of these pop up cards have survived over the years.
On the day the kids were setting up the village this year’s card arrived in the mail.
A cuckoo clock. We had a fun discussion about Cuckoo birds with Addy and JJ.
The vintage angels were my mother-in-law’s. They are sweet but when I think of angels and the verses in the Bible that speak of angels, I never think sweet as a description. They startled and caused fear and were powerful and not easily described. I prefer my wooden angel on the left.
The three mugs in the back are Josh, Dan and Katie’s mugs. The two in the front I purchased for Addy and JJ.
Today we will pick up our food items for our Christmas Eve and Christmas day meals. Tomorrow our daughter and hubby arrive from the west side of our state and celebrations will continue. Hope all is merry and bright in your corner of the world.
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 
Your home looks so full of Christmas cheer and lovely vintage keepsakes! The little red aprons are so cute on your sweet cookie bakers! And your collection of pop-up cards is a real treasure!
Merry Christmas!
Hello Ellen,
You home looks beautiful with the decorations. The kiddies look cute in their aprons.
I am sure they enjoyed helping out with the baking. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Take care, have a great weekend!
…the two of them look so clean and neat! Staged photos?
Haha, no, Tom. There were some chocolate spots on those aprons when we were done but our Grands are used to baking and doing other projects and this time they stayed pretty clean. JJ did have greasy butter hands but he chose not to wipe them on the apron. 🙂
I enjoyed your decorations and grands baking cookies. Love the aprons and mugs. Merry Christmas!
Baking day looks like lots of fun for all involved! (I can imagine the grands’ mama doing last minute shopping or wrapping. I am sure that she was happy to get things done and know that the children are having a grand time!) Your collection of pop up cards is impressive. What a cool tradition!
Your home is so pretty and festive! Merry Christmas to you and yours as you celebrate His coming!
As I looked at the photos of cookie baking, I was thinking those sweet children really know the comfort of being at Grandmother’s house. What precious memories you are making! I wish you a very happy Christmas!
Well that was sure a fun day for you and the grands.
I love your stockings.
What fun you had baking those cookies. I love the Christmas village cards. What a lovely tradition. They have fared so well. B x
I can so relate to that baking time! It is such a joy to see them learn and feel like thery are helping! I would have throught that you put hersheys kisses into those holes. Would that work?
Also love the Chirstmas village cards! Have never seen those! My grandmother used to give us a pop up manger scene card.
Hershey’s Kisses would totally work and if we make these again I’ll use them. It would be a lot easier, too!
Oh what fun you are having! Those cookies look delicious!!