Another reason to love homeschooling: my boys got to spend their morning baking cookies from scratch! They looked up recipes and made them. From left to right, we have: 3 ingredient sugar cookies, M&M cookies, and chocolate chip cookies made with our favorite vegan chocolate chips (the cookies themselves are not vegan).
Christmas parties and celebrations are back baby!! As a fully vaccinated family (now), we are fully embracing the holiday season with Christmas parties, family get togethers, a Christmas concert, and many celebrations. Usually I would be stressed with how busy my Thursday was. Working all day, only to scurry out of the house the minute my business was closed to be someplace, followed by spending the night at a holiday party, coming home at bedtime, and heading straight to bed. No time for anything extra.
This year, I was giddy with excitement. Even as my children spent Thursday morning baking 70+ cookies from scratch so we could bring them to the party, I was excited. Not only to spend time with people I geniunely enjoy and haven't been around much in the past (nearly) two years, but I'm simply thrilled a near normal holiday season is here.
I've never paid much attention to the saying, "you don't know what you have until it's gone." Naturally, the pandemic made that quote a reality for us. I can say I will never again complain about the crazy schedule of our holiday season. I'm loving every darn minute of it this year. I'll talk too much, drink too much, eat too much, laugh until my face hurts, and be kept running until I collapse after the New Year and every single part of it is worth it.