Let’s try this again! On Tuesday, I tried to write a blog about my cookie exchange experience, but sadly, I hit the wrong button and there it all went – poof! Gone! I was so frustrated that I didn’t try again. So now I’m trying again… but I will admit that since then I’ve developed a head cold so my brain is fuzzier than when I first tried. Let’s call this the cliff notes version of my previous blog. Sorry, folks! 
Our office ladies and pastors wives have put on a Christmas cookie exchange the past two years. I didn’t make it the first one – only my cookies did. So this was my first real experience other than the baking. I picked a way too complicated cookie last year. I had learned from my mistake and chose a drop cookie this go around. Also we all learned that a dozen cookies each was too much. It was a lot of baking, but in return we were all left with a lot of cookies to eat. We changed the number to a half a dozen cookies for everyone. This was a lot more manageable and gave me a nice platter of cookies right before the holidays with a lot of company coming into town.
I knew that I wasn’t going to the store before I needed to bake the cookies. This left me the option of anything in my pantry which was starting to become limited. Jeremy and I are in a phase where we eat everything before we go back to the store. Needless to say, I was low on a lot of items, but not pumpkin. We had purchased four cans before thanksgiving and had only used one up to that point. I decided on a pumpkin cookie from a cookie magazine. My mom is no longer eating sugar so she gave me a bunch of Christmas cookie magazines since she would no longer need them. It was hard to decide what cookie to make since I had so much inspiration! The pumpkin cookies were very soft and cake like. I really like baked goodies like that. 
Now I was supposed to frost them and sprinkle cinnamon on top. The day before I had purchased paper boxes that look like take-out containers. They had penguins on them and I couldn’t refuse the clearance price of forty-nice cents! Since these boxes were already purchased, I thought the frosting situation might make them a bit too messy. The cookies would be good both ways, I’m sure. They tasted great without frosting, but I’m also sure they would be amazing with frosting.
We met at my mother-in-law’s house (she is the Director of Operations at the church). We enjoyed a Christmas brunch, a small birthday celebration and exchanged the cookies. It was a good time and a nice way to start of my Christmas break. As of now I’m out of the office until January! Yay! I’m just like a kid! I love my Christmas break! I’m not sure that I will get to the blog again before Christmas so let me say Merry Christmas to you all!
Amy Scott's Thoughts 