Monday, December 19, 2011

No Ungulates Were Harmed In The Making of This Post


Alternate titles:

Dough!
So Many Cookies!
Friends, Films, and Food!
Sandy, Hand Over Your Family's Secret Cookie Recipe!


What I wanted: A movie night with friends, an excuse to bake favorite cookies, an opportunity to spread holiday cheer.

What I got: The best gifts of the season... laughter, companionship, good food and sharing (sharing is a key component of "good food",) a lot of happy memories, and a beautiful reminder of how rich our lives are, because of our friends.


James has been accepted to the school of his choice. He leaves in January. Massachusetts is lucky to have him. James, congratulations!

*Please note that I did not discourage him, or beg him not to leave us. I am practicing maturity and selflessness. We're going to miss him. A lot.


Suki and Alex have been accepted to schools too, but I am not letting them leave. No. They are better off here. We need them. They can't leave us! It's too much! It's too soon! Noooo!

**Please note: I need more practice.


These people. I love these people.

I made five six seven different cookies!
So much dough!
The chickens gave their all to keep the bakery operating on full power!
So many eggs!

Chocolate Sugar, with cinnamon and cayenne pepper
Maria's Lemon Garden cookies
Chocolate chip cookies, with oats, please
Jammie Dodgers
Oatmeal Raisin
Vanilla Sugar cookies
Peppermint cookies


James came early to get his hands on some dough. They started with one plan, but quickly moved on to a less conventional approach. Cookies were Incepted... cookies within cookies, within cookies. At times they were like four cookies down.




I wonder what Crumpet thought of all this activity? Suki's little fish is always there. Quietly observing. Almost stalking us, in her stealthy, murderous way. She will nibble you. She's done unspeakable things.

**shudders**

Where was I... ?


So much attention to detail. All this focus and work for a cookie. Imagine what they could do with metal, paint, gears, wire...


Squirrel and Moose-tache

They could build a robot squirrel... with a thing... a hand? It would be a robot nut cracker... picking, and cracking nuts.


Nick arrives in time to lend his cookie wisdom and genius. They invited him to cut cookies, and he knew right away what to do. "A bell makes a good Darth Vader head," he shared with his receptive friends. And so the fun kept rollin'


Enchiladas are in the oven. William and I made five trays of cheesy-saucy goodness. Diana is on her way with Charles, Eric, Lucas, and Max, and they have pizza, and tickets to the Badger game. Okay, they shared the pizza, but the Rose Bowl tickets are too good to share. We understand.


Nick and Maria

Nick is showing Maria the ways of The Force, and chocolate, and rolling dough. They have gone to the dark chocolate side.


I love it when William smiles.
I love it when I make my goofy jokes, ridiculous puns, geek references, and he still smiles.
Thank you, William.
I love you.


Not cookies. Geekies. Warm, delicious, homemade geekies.


The Bird House filled up. Guests kept arriving, departing, returning... until the midnight hour. There was so much good, so much happy, so much sharing, and mirth.

mirth/mərTH/
Noun:
Amusement, esp. as expressed in laughter: "his six-foot frame shook with mirth".


I wanted to make sure that was the word. Yeah, definitely: Mirth.


Andy, Nick, Tots, and Eli


Four engineers, four FIRST 2102 Team Paradox engineers, on hand to oversee the construction of Darth Vader's cookie mask. Passion FIRST is everywhere.


James demonstrates heat transference with Me Gusta.
I like it.


Our friends are so generous, and full of surprises. Belinda came with cookies and a cookie jar! She made her delicious ginger snaps and shared the recipe.
The recipe. The recipe I vow to strictly follow the next time I attempt to make B's delicious cookies!

Also, please note the white plate with powdered cookies. Those came with Andy, sent by Olivia and Sandy. I tried to hide them, to scurry away with them, unseen, but I failed. And now they are gone. Everybody fortunate enough to have one of these cookies asked me about them, raved about them. Sandy. give. us. your. secret. recipe! Or better yet, keep 'em coming. Make it a tradition. You bake, and we will rave, and thank you.

And now, a joke:

Darth Vader: Luke, this is your father. I know what you're getting for Christmas... a cookie of my head.

Luke: That's impossible!

Darth Vader: I felt your presents.



"Just for once, let me look at your face with my own eyes."

"Perhaps I can find new ways to motivate them."

Nick, "Obi-Wan has taught you well."

"You are unwise to lower your defenses!"

Whoa, a talking cookie. But we ate him anyway.


Lining up for choco-milk, Andy, Nate, Sammay, and Maria.
I see Annie behind the Rosemary.

I want to say Hi to everyone who came, and thank them for making it such an amazing night. The trouble is, I know I will leave someone out, like Stan, or Bobbie, or Sharon. Or what if I forgot Kyle and Emma, or Kiley, or Claire? I would feel real bad. So. If you came, or tried to come, or wanted to but couldn't, or came then left early, or arrived late: Thank you! Thank you so much! You made my holidays really special, and good.


Darrahl and Nathan and A Grand Day Out

Dim the lights, pass the popcorn. Shhhhhh... the movie is starting.


We'll remember this night for a long time...


I Grant you... friends, films, food, and ungulate towers of holiday joy.

5 comments:

Janece said...

So much Christmas cookie joy and cheer. Love the fun, creativity and friendship! THANK YOU for posting photos and sharing the energy. So glad it was a fun and successful eve!

Tiglizzyclone said...

Can you pass some of those cookies this way? Purrtty Please?! I am partial to chocolate. Geekies too....

judy in ky said...

Even the ungulates have fun at your house!

Pigeon's Mom said...

what a great group of young people...

Jennifer said...

Magnificence! Entirely! But, say more about this "accepted to school" business!!!