kris mcneil photography

5 on 5 is a photographic blog circle of friends posting 5 photos on the 5th of the month. Come take a walk through our circle. It will do your heart and soul some good. 

Happy New Year, all y’all!

December was a bit of a blur of travel and cookies and more travel and more cookies… This is what happens when one has kids in both college and the Navy.  And every bit was good even if our weather was a little warm.

Mom’s ornaments. My mom made dozens of little felt ornaments in the 60s and 70s. They were always on the tree when I was a kid, but she upgraded herself to a fancier tree once we all moved out. I had to have these cuties on our tree though even if only to have a little bit of her with us this Christmas.  

And did I mention cookies?? While my mom passed away only this year, we lost my husband’s wonderful mom in 2005. Every year with her we made these sugar cookies. Now we all have our own little tweaked versions of them, but we all still make them. We made them with our kids every year and still do. This year I passed the recipe to my son and his fiancée and gave them their own rolling pin. My other son got them cookie cutters for Christmas. We take this cookie thing pretty seriously.

Mix the flour in by hand. It’s the only way. This is my husband’s job.

Awesomeness. Frosting is key.

Don’t let the simplicity fool you. It has been claimed by others that these cookies have led to at least two pregnancies. All I know is that people were trying to conceive and after having our cookies – ta dah! Crazy, I know. I make no claims to this myself. Just passing on what I have been told by people who have had these cookies, but just saying, if you don’t need another baby, might want to be careful.

I mentioned the warm December we had, which while not great for roasting chestnuts on an open fire, has been nice for being outside while the south prepares to host winter guests. While everyone up north is hunkering down, we’re setting the table. All the berry bushes around town are full up with the banquet for the coming birds.

 The birds will flock in and pick this all clean in no time at all. 

Wishing you all the very best in 2017. xoxo

Please continue around the 5 on 5 circle with the delightful work of Kim Thompson Steel. You’ll be glad you did!