After a long day of baking yesterday, I gathered the guys for a round of cookie decorating. I hit the timing jackpot, because they were all excited to do it, and it gave them a nice distraction from their near-manic anticipation of Christmas Eve. We had a great time, and I got a welcome break from the laps they had been running around the house. Two boys running around the hardwood floors of a 100 year-old house sounds remarkably like a herd of stampeding elephants. Cookie decorating can be a wonderful tool for corralling a couple of overly excited kids.

And yes, I cheated and bought the bottled icing…it was the most kid-friendly option for their little boy hands. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.

Sure, it was messy. They also had the expected sugar high by the time we were done, because what it decorating without “sampling?”

By the time we were done, we had plenty of “masterpieces” that the kids can’t wait to show off:

And I got to spend some genuine quality time with my guys. That makes for a great day.