Sigh.  There is nothing more joyful in life than a plate of cookies.  Especially at this time of year, when they are responsible for so much peace and good will toward men!  I think they are peaceful, anyway.  Baking makes me happy.

The cookie exchange this year was overflowing with yummy things, and I had a wonderful time meeting some amazing women, all around my age with children, doing wonderful work here in Lusaka for the UN, World Vision, the Gates Foundation, and so many more.  The company was great.  And the cookies were good too!  Ginger cookies, russian tea cakes, rum balls, pecan sandies, buckeyes, chocolate snowcaps, thumbprints,  chocolate caramel shortbread, sugar cookies in all shapes and sizes, and somebody’s Greek grandmother made a batch of delicious yogurt things.

Eli and Jake also went to a few cookie-decorating parties:

The best was at their friend Isaac’s house.

They had just gotten out of the pool and Jake was so excited about the frosting he didn’t notice his shirt!

Eli was excited about the frosting too.

We also made gingerbread boys, and when we got tired of rolling those out, rolled one big piece of dough to cut shapes for a gingerbread house.  Note to Mimi and Oma: please send Red Hots!  This year, we made a church.

I love how both of their tongues come out when they’re concentrating.  This year there was again a family of gummy bears out back.

A can of frosting later, we were pretty happy with our project.  It turned out great!  Daddy is going to have a big job next year though, they are saying they want to make a whole gingerbread train….