It's The Thought That Counts

The best gifts communicate a message....the best gifts say, I LOVE YOU and I took time to think about what you would love to receive.  Sometimes, (or most times), the best gifts aren't on "the list". Sometimes, the best gifts aren't just the gifts, but some combination of the gift and/or the creative way it is given. 

The best gifts are from people who took their shoes off, put yours on, and walked around for a while...noticing life the way you see it.....then decided to add some beauty to your walk in a place where you would least expect it.

The best gifts are evidence of the greatest givers and enrich our lives :)

And sometimes, the best gifts are....cookies! 1,2,3,4,5 cookies! :)  What if that is a trick box and it is actually full of cookies :)

PART 2

I took Karly to gymnastics tonight, did some more Christmas shopping, and attended my God-son's 5th birthday party and then, Savannah and I had some more cooking to do.  She decided she didn't think my idea of Authentic Mexican Oreo Truffles would work out the way I hoped.....so we made these pastry puff things with cinnamon and sugar....kind-of like miniature Elephant Ears.  I actually fried them in lard....that is the first time I have used lard for cooking.  On the way home from the birthday party I said to Vannah, "Okay, when we get home I am getting my jammies on and then I'll get out the lard.".....that sounded so funny!

Between a gingerbread village, cookies, Oreo truffles, buckeyes, and Mexican (elephant ears)...we have been keeping busy with baking.  Here are some photos:

Making sure the lard is the right temperature and that it doesn't sizzle me when I add the thin pieces of dough....yikes!

Kenna hated the smell of the lard, so she found this mask and wore it around the house.....

SO MUCH DRAMA!...it did smell funky and create a haze in my kitchen.

The final batch of miniature elephant ears for Savannah's authentic Mexican cuisine experiment

The girls helping me with Oreo Truffles and buckeyes

Karly's Christmas village :)

She was very proud of her masterpiece :)