Making Memories AND Messes

I'm a very task oriented, organized person.  I make lists, cross things off and feel happiest when I'm being productive.  I typically avoid chaos, unpredictable things and messes.  This is usually a strength of mine, but it can sometimes get in the way of a good time.  I've been baking sugar cookies at the holidays for my whole life and this year was no different.  I bought all the ingredients, picked out the perfect cookie cutters and was ready to knock this project out.

I laid out everything to make sure I was ready to start one morning and I realized that I could include Olive in this project WITH me.  I love teaching her how to do new things and introducing her to fun family traditions so this was going to be perfect.  It wouldn't be as fast or as efficient as doing it myself, but it would definitely be more FUN.  I pulled up a chair and told her we were going to make cookies together.  She excitedly cheered out a big YEAH!

She went straight for the flour and loved digging in it!  She checked out the cookie cutters and was curious about that large spatula.  She was jabbering a mile a minute and most of it was incoherent baby babble.  It cracked me up and I knew she was really enjoying herself.  I had fun watching her and photographing her first Christmas cookie baking experience.

 Olive was so curious about the flour that she decided to give it a taste.

Ho Ho Ho from Santa Olive

 It took me less than 10 minutes to clean everything up when Olive went down for a nap.  She had a great time and I enjoyed sharing this experience with her.  Looking forward to making Christmas cookies with her for MANY more years.

 We gave the cookies out for our neighbor gifts and co-worker gifts.

They were very well received!!

Are you making memories AND messes at your house today??