Baby It's Covid Outside

 

 Our holiday will be a party of two this year due to the ongoing pandemic, but we are grateful that friends and family who have suffered from the virus are on the road to recovery and we look forward to a vaccine in the future.

Although I have hundreds of cookies cutters, I can never resist adding new designs to the collection.  Cookie deliveries to family and friends will include a gnome for the first time as well as a new Santa, Ms., and a cute little elf.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas . . .

 

 

and a New Year filled with real hugs, fewer masks and less social distancing.

 

 

 

 

It's Been a Turkey of a Year!

 

The Covid pandemic has forced us to cancel another holiday celebration, but my tradition of sharing cookies with my family will continue.  I will wear my mask and deliver them to individual homes, rather than sharing them at our large, family gathering.

In addition to traditional fall designs. . .

.  .  .humor was definitely needed this year!

Since 2020 has been such a crazy year, I decided to take inspiration from a popular emoji and create "pooturkey"!  

Love, NO hugs and social distancing are the reality this year, but we look forward to gathering with our extended family as soon as it is safe.

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Megan and Sophia's Special Day

The announcement came in the mail, it was official, the first of our "great" nieces/nephews was getting married. 

 

 

Unfortunately, Megan and Sophia's wedding plans had to be altered due to the Covid-19 pandemic. They opted to keep the date and have a small ceremony with just immediate family members in attendance.

Although, I was unable to attend the event, I was happy to make wedding favors for their special day.

 Love, hugs and cookies for a special couple!

Carrying On Family Traditions

 Great-niece, Mary Grace, is carrying on the family tradition of baking.  This year when we  were unable to have an Easter celebration due to the Covid-19 virus, she baked a "vintage" Easter cake for the first time.

Next on her "to do" list was decorating sugar cookies.

Someone very special was recently diagnosed with a serious illness and Mary Grace thought cookies might cheer her up.  She opted for "Cookies and Love" as the theme, pink because it's the recipient's  favorite color and purple for Hodgkin's disease  We also created a prescription label for the package.

I thought Mary Grace should have some cookies of her own to enjoy, so I baked a few other designs for her to create.  It was fun to share my hobby with this special girl.  "Patience and Practice," is what I tell everyone when they ask about decorating cookies, and I think MG's ready for it.

                           
    Love, hugs and family traditions, thanks to Mary Grace!

Quarantine Graduations

In addition to great niece, Kendall, and her cousin, Kyle, celebrating their graduations this year, we also had two friends who experienced virtual college commencements.  Although we couldn't attend parties as planned, I still baked cookies to let them know I was thinking about them.

Congratulations to University of Iowa graduate, Jack .  . .

. . . and to University of Illinois graduate,  Andrea.

Cheers to the resilient class of 2020!

Kyle's Day To Shine

It's great-nephew,  Kyle's day to be in the spotlight as he celebrates his high school graduation.

Due to the Corona virus, his second semester will be remembered for cancellations and social distancing, rather than a prom or a traditional graduation ceremony.  Hopefully, as time passes the pain of the loss of traditional senior activities will be replaced by understanding that the world shut down to keep him safe.  

What stories he will have to tell the next generation! No doubt, no other graduates in our family will have cookies that included masks, a virus and toilet paper.

 Congratulations, to Kyle and the resilient class of 2020.

       

She's Still Goin'

When I wrote a blog entry for great-niece, Kendall's sixteenth birthday I included some quotes from, "Oh the Places You'll Go," by Dr. Seuss and I repeated that theme when she graduated from high school.  Four years later, she's still goin'.

You're off to Great Places! Today is your day!

No virus, toilet paper shortage or social distancing will dampen her spirits.

When she had to exchange senior break, spring formals, and a graduation ceremony for on line learning, she returned home, enjoyed her loving family and added a cute little puppy to her life.

She's my glam girl, so there's a hint of sparkle in her cookie collection along with pearls and carnations, the flower and jewel of her sorority.

In a few months, she will be moving out of state to begin her new career with 3M.  I'm going to miss her, but I can't wait to see what the future has in store for this remarkable woman.

  
Congratulations to Kendall and the resilient class of 2020.

Sue is Amazing

My good friend and former colleague is retiring this year after 30+ years of service to Elk Grove High School.  Sue graduated from EGHS, raised her children in Elk Grove and said she was going to "walk" when her first grandchild graduated this year.

No one deserves a retirement celebration more than Sue, but the Coronavirus got in the way. Social distancing and shortages of crazy things like toilet paper may be our temporary "new normal". . .

but at least I can deliver some cookies to commemorate this milestone event.

Sue may be saying good bye to EGHS. . .

. . .and leaving the beloved Grenadier behind.  .  .

however, Sue is amazing, and there is no retiring from that.

Congratulations to a special person, may your future be filled with love, laughter, family, friends and beautiful beaches!

Avery Jaye is One!

It's been one short year since great niece, Avery Jaye, arrived, and what joy she has brought to our family.  In addition to Mom and Dad, she has a large extended family of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins who love her.  Every time we see her, we are in awe of this special, little girl.

The year of her birth will be an interesting one for her to study when she gets older.  Here are just a few highlights:
-Lori Lightfoot became the first African-American, female mayor of Chicago
-the U.S. Women's soccer team won their second consecutive world championship, and fourth overall

-a record number of women were elected to serve in the U.S. Congress
-the first all female spacewalk
-President Donald Trump became the third President in U.S. history to be impeached
-16 year old, Greta Thunberg, was named "Person of the Year" by Time magazine

. . . and we all developed creative ways to practice "social distancing" as a result of the coronavirus pandemic that has gripped the world and altered our lives.  As a result, her birthday celebration was cancelled, and the special cutter that was purchased for her special day went unused.

However, we are all healthy and look forward to many future celebrations with this beautiful girl.

Avery has brought so much  joy, laughter and love into our family,  she is truly a blessing.  It's been so much fun watching her develop, I'm looking forward to the months ahead as she approaches "the terrible twos."

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO 

A VERY SPECIAL GIRL!