1st Annual Cookie Bake

This past Sunday I hosted my first annual cookie bake. My friends Karen and Kathryn came, Matthew came too. We baked for about 7 hours and made 10 different types of cookies/bars. It turned out to be more work then I thought it would be. By the end of the day my back and feet were really sore! I always thought it might be neat to be a chef, but man they must have to have some comfortable shoes. Maybe that is why Mario Batalli wears the orange Crocs. I baked more last night too, and I still have more baking to do tonight. I am being good though. I just taste half of a cookie, then give the other half to Eli then immediately put the cookies in the freezer so I'm not tempted to eat much more. Hopefully I'll have lots of gatherings that my mom isn't at to serve my cookies. Not that my mom can't have my cookies, but she is the master baker and my cookies pale to hers. My aunt suggested to my husband on Sunday that she thought I was somehow trying to outdo my mother. I don't think that is the case. I'm inspired by my mom to make the cookies. She does such a wonderful job each year. She has her standard cookies, and she taught me the joy of baking. My baking is not in competition but in cooperation. I have strived to find different recipes that my mom doesn't make and I'm learning to make my own favorites. Plus no one bakes at my in-laws, and a Christmas without Christmas cookies is just wrong.