Countdown & treats

{3 more days!!!}
{The Better Homes & Gardens team made the adorable glittered construction paper chain garland over the chalkboard for us & I love it!!  It's one of those things I'd planned on making more of but didn't.  Glad we saved it.}

Yesterday our babysitter. Lizzie, surprised us with a box full of homemade cookies.  Her mother is a friend of ours and teaches at the high school with Dave -and has brought cookies in for the family before from Lizzie- which mysteriously never seem to make it home. 
So this time Lizzie brought 'em home to mama.  ahhhhhh yessss...  I was all alone when she dropped them off and got to work on them immediately:


But, unlike my husband, I didn't eat them all and saved some for my family. 
(I tried... there were too many.)

I also have a neighbor who is one of those people who seems to do it all.  (Melissa, if you're reading, this proves my point because -somehow- you even  have time to pop in here!!)  She & her daughter Claire dropped off some pumpkin bread the other week and I didn't get a picture of it because it was gobbled up too quickly but it looked like this and it was Heaven:


{photo from allrecipes.com}

I'm always so touched (and thrilled to be the recipient!) when people bake for the holidays and share it with others.  It's just one of those fun things that I try to do every year but don't always get to.  (like this year...  although there's still time??  maybe tomorrow??  There's always Tollhouse break'n bake.)  

Do you have any special pre-holiday tradtions?



xoxo, Lauren

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

25 comments:

Sophie said...

We dont have many traditions as a family, but I have my own silly little things that I do. Every year, I change the pose of the angel on top of our tree. This year, she's demonstrating a move from Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'.

Me and my mother always make mince pies, too. I think we are doing that this afternoon and we should be dropping some off with the neighbors. (:

Anonymous said...

Happy times....take care! smiles...

Melissa Marie Head said...

Yum the cookies look great! I always want to bake cookies for all but somehow run out of time.

Jennifer said...

I love to bake and (this year) have found the time, but making several kinds of cookies is time-consuming! Over the weekend my mom had my sisters and me over and in a couple of hours we had knocked out many more cookies than I would have managed on my own. Baking parties are the way to go!

Ruthie {Look Learn Love} said...

Those cookies look amazing! It's always great to surround yourself with people who bake (& share) - that's my motto! :)

Tammy@InStitches said...

They look wonderful ! Tomorrow is when I plan on baking cookies with my son. Hope you have a very Merry Christmas, Lauren.

Kathy said...

Great post...yummm. I do homemade Baileys around Christmas time for my friends and ME! Easy recipe and so thick and smooth i will even have some in my morning coffee shhhhh...

Unknown said...

Christmas would not be the same without the homemade cookies and candy! Today is baking day for me. Most of the time I start a week before but this year I have been too busy and so I am devoting the entire day today to make my Christmas candy (toffee) and snowflake cookies. And I should be starting NOW but instead I am reading my morning blogs!!!!

Marianne said...

We bake our hearts out every year the weekend before Christmas. This year we did 21 kinds, but have done up to 50 in years past. Crazy family tradition that's been going on for about 65 years in my family. I did a post on it the other day if you like to see the madness. Happy Holidays Lauren!

Leigha said...

Everything sounds delicious! Our pre-holiday tradition is to infuse vodka. My favorite flavor/hostess gift is peppermint. Put six peppermint candy canes in a one pint mason jar and let stand (for at least a few hours, but the longer the better!). Enjoy!

Merry Christmas.

Leigha

Aubrey {All Things Bright and Beautiful} said...

Yum, yum and more yum! I totally blew off baking this Christmas and now I'm feeling a little guilty...but probably not as guilty as when I had eaten half of what I baked! (c: Pumpkin bread with LOTS of butter is definitely a fave!

http://loveallthingsbrightandbeautiful.blogspot.com

Julie said...

Oh my GOSH, is it really only 3 days left till Christmas? GAHHHH!

Those cookies look might tempting and gorgeous to boot.

Mary said...

Cookies, cookies, kid's school parties with helicopter parents, hunting/gathering and spending many days setting the table for a big seven course dinner. I love taking out the placesetting diagram and putting it all in the right spot. It's a great time of year to fuss. Your house looks amazing!

traci zeller designs said...

Oh yummy! Now I'm hungry. I've got some homemade fudge a friend made around here somewhere ... but I hid it so well from my husband and boys that I can't remember where it is!! ;-) Love your Christmas countdown.
xoxo!

Gretchen O. said...

What a pretty Christmas Countdown! And a plate full of cookies...mmmmm. I am glad I am not the only one NOT baking up a storm in the kitchen...I prefer non-bake goodies. (peppermint bark is so easy!) Merry Christmas!

gretchenopgenorthdesigns.blogspot.com

3 Peanuts said...

Love our garland and chalkboard. Merry Christmas. Enjoy those babies!

All That Jazz said...

That green garland is so you! I love it! How simple yet elegant. I am loving green this holiday. I wonder if it will transfer into my decor after the new year....
I have not gotten to do any holiday baking yet this year~ no time! I am hoping to make peppermint bark this week. I have a great recipe where you use Saltine Crackers as the bottom layer~ it's divine!
~xo/michelle~

~merk~ said...

I Melissa!!! And you too!!! Merry Christmas!

Christen said...

Yum, cookies!! Love the garland around the frame; it is very whimsical. I just wrote a post about a few of our favorite traditions:
http://lovelifelists.blogspot.com/2010/12/traditions-by-number.html

Tessa said...

I have a rather sweet one that involves antique malls and nutcrackers with my 8 year old. Just posted about it earlier today too!
http://nineandsixteen.blogspot.com/2010/12/pre-christmas-tradition.html

Merry Christmas to you and your beautiful family!!

Loretta Fontaine (EcoHappy Blog) said...

Lauren- Send Lizzie over to my house! Those treats look so yummy!

We made cookies at my Mom's with the recipe (Ethel's sugar cookies) she used when we were little. They're decorated and all ready for Santa tonight.

I just posted photos on my blog of a lunch I had at my home inspired by your Better Homes & Gardens holiday article! (I'll tell you again how GREAT your home looked!) http://applesandrubies.blogspot.com/2010/12/pure-style-home-holiday-inspired-lunch.html

Merry Christmas Eve to you and your beautiful family!

vosgesparis said...

Wishing you a happy Christmas eve.
Desiree

daphne sy said...

HOLY YUM!! great cookies. .Merry Christmas to all:)

carpet cleaning roseville ca

Ory said...

Congratulations to you on your spread. What a high!...
I enjoy being inspired by your work.
Since your children are young, you might enjoy walking in the yard at night with flashlights and see what there might be there to excite them. Nature can surprise you in the evening hours. Afterwards, smores by an outside fire or roasted hot dogs that they cook themselves topped of with hot chocolate or apple cider. They can then put up a blanket over their beds and read books with the flashlight before they pass out. God bless you and all the best to you. You are so young to have achieved so much keep at it you will always be an inspiration in some way to others.

All my best, A new follower.

Ory Roberts from Katy, Texas

Linda said...

I want to know about the light in your foyer. I love that. Where is that from?