My Favorite Christmas Cookie

My Favorite Christmas Cookie is probably one you've never heard of its called Krumkake.. Its a norwegian cookie I guess. It looks like an American ice cream cone but its not strong enough to fill with ice cream. I guess people have filled it with whipped topping like a Lady Finger... but the ones I have eaten are barely strong enough to be held.. they seem to crumble so easily. 
They are sweeter and softer than an ice cream cone too! My Guardian used to make them often while growing up and finally in the last few years I finally had gotten an Krumkake iron off of Amazon and learned how to make them myself. Of course I don't think the cookies ever taste the same as the guardian used to make since she probably had an old antique Krumkake iron... 
If you ever want to have a new adventure and try a new treat buy a Krumkake iron! an old post on Krumkake here

Of course I love those Royal Dansk cookies as well. My guardian used to sometimes buy the Pepperidge Farm cookies and share some with me it was like getting a delicacy :) We liked the Milano and the Pirouette

I am not a sugar cookie fan.. I will eat them but not often and I hate to bake them. Mine never turn out well. I leave that up to Rick. A few years ago an Army wife introduced me to Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip cookies. She said her dad used to make them every Thanksgiving and Christmas and when she was on her own she asked her dad.. he said the magic is on the back of the bag of peanut butter chips and she never knew they were that easy.. So James, Skylar, and I got hooked on these cookies as well. 

https://www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipe-details.aspx?id=5366

Saturday, December 6, 2014 St Nicholas Day!

Its St Nicholas Day! Surprisingly it isn't very popular here in the states wouldn't most American's want to spoil their children ridiculously? My Guardian's mother is from Germany and her father is from Norway so I grew up with some extra special cultural traditions that they passed down. Some I have found on my own in order to share the German and Norwegian cultures with my kiddos since they are no longer around. 

St Nicholas would leave children often coins and oranges in their shoes so for St Nicholas Day Barnaby and Merry (Our Elves) brought stockings from St Nick.. Filled with their ornament for the year, some school supplies, chocolate, chapstick, and a craft... Skylar hasn't yet come down this morning to see Barnaby and Merry after she was asking about them so much.

I hope you all have a Happy St Nicholas day and be sure to share his story with your kiddos.

Snow blew in their door from the North Pole.. its magic snow it doesn't melt ;)

They left the kids new stockings. Skylar decorated herself with 1D and William's has Mickey Mouse

Ooh they got new clothes.. Merry is sporting her Georgia Bulldog Sweater dress and Barnaby has his aviator jacket on. Did Santa let him drive the sleigh? Or has he been doing reindeer training?

Santa Claus is real.

There once was a man named St Nicholas. St Nicholas lived to 343 ... He is known for miracles, secret gift giving and filling shoes (stockings) with coins for those who were good. In my last post I did say I grew up with the true meaning of Christmas both Christian and Commercial. Jesus even received gifts on the day he was born. As he was a gift to everyone. So I tell my children Santa Claus is very real. 

A year or two ago Skylar had some friends over so she was about 10 or 11 years old. Her friend Victoria who is just a year older and her friend Kara who is a few months older were playing out back and if Skylar's outside William must follow. So I sat outside with them to keep an eye on William so it wouldn't be their responsibility. I overhead Victoria tell them that Santa wasn't real. She didn't think Heaven or Hell was real either. My jaw dropped. I wouldn't have normally said anything TO the child but I do know this child's grandmother (who raises her) goes to church frequently so I said Victoria how can you go to church and listen to the preacher and not believe him when he talks about heaven or hell? She said my aunt never lies and she told me Santa is fake and heaven and hell isn't real either. Again I am just shocked. I said Santa is real look up St Nicholas. She's like yeah St Nicholas was alive but he's dead now. I just was dumb founded and decided it was time to drive her home. HAHA I just looked at Skylar and pointed at her and said REMEMBER THE POLAR EXPRESS (referencing the movie.) The movie has been a big deal in our house. Its one of our Christmas favorites along with Small One (which tells the story of Jesus's birth). So in theory Skylar could know more than she asks but in some ways some of her mind she is still so innocent. She could read this very blog at her age (she's 12 now). She still talks about our elves Barnaby and Merry (Elf on the Shelf). She hasn't let on but this year she didn't sit in Santa's lap but Rick nor I didn't really push it either. I am sure she is loosing magic slowly but I'd like for her to hang on to it as much as possible.. She did collect a down payment from the tooth fairy recently. Hopefully the tooth fairy will send the rest soon. I don't plan on stealing any of her magic away or telling her anything any time soon. We have had a lot of growing up recently and some things just need to stay the same. Maybe she does believe in St Nicholas magic. I hope so... aside from Jesus's birth I think the magic of St Nicholas is important too.

What I always wondered was... well let me tell you a story.. When Skylar was 4 or so we lived in an area that didn't have a mall. So my boyfriend's uncle drove us to the nearest city with a mall (Rome, GA) so Skylar could see Santa. She sat on Santa's lap and did the whole thing and then we had to travel to I believe was like a Santa breakfast type thing. Undoubtedly Santa had a wardrobe change in between the two events if you know what I mean. I thought to myself will she notice? From birth till the age of 4 she also had seen the same Santa at an Auction we used to attend every Thanksgiving night we would see Santa. I really miss that tradition. I always wonder what is going through the kids minds when they see Santa at one location then go to another location to see Santa? Skylar's never really been the kid to over think things or at least out loud. For years people were surprised that she hadn't asked about her biological father since I have been married since she was 4 to her step father. She just never asked so one day I did bring it up and we had a talk. So I wondered at the age of 4 did she notice Santa's wardrobe changes? Between breakfast, the mall, and the auction? What's the story? Do any of your kids have an explanation about Santa being everywhere? I have even spotted him driving down the road in a MINIVAN! (By the way the Tooth Fairy drives a pick up truck and her son is my my son's dentist of all things LOL) 
Tell me what you've told your kids about Santa? Have they noticed Santa is everywhere? What are some things that they've said? Any funny stories? 

Barnaby is our trouble maker and Merry is always trying to keep him straight and ends up getting in a mess herself!

Santa at the Redbud Auction in Calhoun, GA

Oh yes we went through a period where she was terrified of Santa. Santa would be at the front door of the auction and Skylar would be at the back door hiding under a table. Yes my boyfriend and I were one of those parents that made her sit in Santa's lap fear or not.. She's not scared for life she got over it after she wanted some Dora Ice cream and I told her she had to ask Santa for it since I couldn't find it on my own ;)