Cookies and Cocktails

For over ten years now my sisters and I have gotten together a day or two before Christmas Eve and made cookies for Christmas.  It's turned into quite the party!  Ten years ago the kids were babies...and their weren't quite so many of them!  And I remember, we used to make a lot more cookies.  Now I think we drink more then we bake!  We always have our signature cocktail, pomegranate martinis,  for starters.  For the past,  I don't know how many years, my oldest sister, Tara has been the hostess.

During the early years, it was just the four of us!  Now my mom and dad come too...but only for the drinks!!  HA!!  The kids all play in the basement and we bake. All the guys come on over after work. Most years we just ordered pizza for dinner.  This year Tara made Chili....6 pounds of it!!

This year seemed to be a comedy of errors!  After bringing break-and-bakes, I attempted candied pecans.  But they burnt...pretty badly.  The oven was too high!  My sister, Meg forgot the sugar in her sugar cookie dough (DUH!), Tara was not very happy with her Ina Garden Pecan Sandies and Erin dumped her whole first batch of bark.  After a few more tries, everything turned out great!

I have to admit, I did more baking this year than last (and I never even made those bake and breaks)! And I was determined to redeem myself after the candied pecan debacle!   I actually made chocolate chip cookies from scratch but instead of chocolate chips, I used peanut butter chips.  Made the whole cookie peanut buttery!  YUM!  My favorite.

After all the cookies were baked and cooled, the kids were able to come up and test the cookies.  They ate way more than expected but we did manage to save some for Christmas. After a few more drinks, a few helpings of chili, and a beautiful song written and performed by my niece, the night came to an end.  At least the night at my sister's!  I came home and attempted to get ready for Christmas Eve at my house the next day!!  More on that, later on in the week!!

A few fun photos from our day!

My sisters and I in the aprons that Tara gave us!  We decided they were not very flattering, but they sure were cute!

Well into cookies...and cocktails!

The hostess with the most-ess!!

What was left of the cookies after the kids got their hands on them :)

And for anyone who saw my Winter Challenge post on Tuesday!  Here's Tuesday's outfit, minus the poncho...but with an  apron!

I had hoped to have up my whole Christmas post today, but unfortunately Santa brought me sickness for Christmas...and took my voice!  So I spent most of the weekend drugged up and sleeping!  Both very much needed!! Feeling a little better today!  Hope to post the Christmas festivities somewhere along the line this week!!

I hope you all had a blessed Christmas and enjoyed the long holiday weekend!!

Katie

Linking up today for:
Monday Madness with Ashley at A Cute Angle
Manic Monday with On the Daily Express and More Pieces of Me