Christmas Traditions: Sugar Cookies

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is decorating Christmas cookies with the girls. We decorated the snowmen above for Santa Clause. Not pictured: Maddie's snowman completely covered in mini marshmallows.

My mama was the queen of creating traditions. When Jess and I were little girls, we would each invite one friend to go Christmas shopping and craft Christmas ornaments the first Friday in December. Our traditions are so special to me because of her.

Now that I'm a mama, I get to pass them along to my girls. However, this specific tradition does not involve shopping or Mesa Mall! Each year, the girls have several friends over to make Christmas ornaments (carrying down the old tradition) and to decorate one dozen sugar cookies each, which they get to take home and share with their families (creating a little of the new). It is so fun, and such a mess. In fact, I caught one of the girls chugging sprinkles out of the jar this year! Is there such a thing as too many sprinkles? 

I've passed along my sugar cookie recipe to so many friends and loved ones. It's not mine, but because of all the hundreds of cookies I've made from this recipe, it practically is. Pass it along and enjoy! Merry Christmas!

The Best Rolled Sugar Cookies (click link)
A few helpful hints: Make multiple batches of the dough and freeze it for Valentines, St Patty's Day, Christmas, etc. I roll the cookies thin, cook them on parchment paper for only 5 minutes, and remove them from the hot cookie sheet immediately to cool. Freeze them right after you decorate them so they remain soft. Thaw an hour before eating. 

Sugar Cookie Icing 
My rendition:
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp heavy cream
2 tbsp light corn syrup
1-2 tbsp of milk (to obtain the right spreadable consistency) 
1/4 tsp of almond extract (which makes this frosting in my opinion)
food coloring and sprinkles of choice

Piper's finished gingerbread man. It was delicious.

Piper*Kinley*Makaeli making ornaments (3rd Grade)

Tallie*Charlee*Brynlee*Kenna decorating cookies (1st Grade)

Family Hike

Weekend Attire

Mother Gothel

On the way to church Sunday, John asked Maddie, "Who died for your sins?"

Maddie: "I know this one!! Rapunzel's mother!" #mothergothel

Some Jack

A collection of the little man over that past few months.

Sunrises and Sunsets

Everyday God gifts us with an incredible view out our picture window. This morning was the sunrise.

Usually it's the sunset reflected off the Bookcliffs.

Every now and again, it's snow or a promise.

#Bunnyhillfarms at #thehouseonthehill

Cousins and Crackers

It's the little things. Maddie, Jack, and Finn.