Do you believe in magic…
…in a young girl’s heart? (Love that song.)
Cookie making magic that is.
When Valerie of A Canadian Foodie invited my daughter K and Kevin’s daughter Miss. E over to her house for some cookie making, I knew there was going to be some magic in the air. I just wasn’t prepared for how much magic. Check it out:
As if baking huge gingerbread men and sugar cookies weren’t enough, the kids got to choose a toy from Santa’s bag too!
Valerie, you sure do love Christmas! That’s my kinda gal! 😉
The kids got to make delicious gingerbread men and sugar cookies, decorate their cookies, enjoyed some play time together, and choose a toy from Santa’s toy bag. There were way too many pictures to post on here so I chose the best ones and put them in a slideshow cause I’m so OCD like that 😉 Hope you enjoy the slideshow as much as my kids enjoyed their cookie making day.
Now K has gingerbread men to go along with her gingerbread house she made last weekend.
To be fair, the house was pre-made. She just had to decorate it and make the tree.
Ok, so the gingerbread men were kind of big for the house, but you can’t have everything perfect, right?
Thank you Valerie for creating such a magical day for my kiddies! I think cookie making will be a tradition we’ll be enjoying every Christmas. Check out Valerie’s post for more pictures and a rockin’ Christmas poem she wrote. What do you enjoy most about the holidays?
So did I get that song in your head? Well in case I did, here’s a video of the song along with the lyrics. Until next time, friends and family. Enjoy! 😀
luvtoeat 
OH my gosh! So cute! Love that slide show! Which plug in did you use for it? Mine is different and I prefer yours. I LOVE that song. We used it in my Peter Pan Play that I did with my Kate Chegwin students a couple of years ago and I can never hear it without picturing them all singing it in their Peter Pan costumes. (We did the sound track together, and made it into a musical) The gingerbread house it ADORABLE. Now I know why Miss K doesn’t want to eat them. They are cute there!
Also, what setting did you have your camera on when you took the bulk of those photos? I have so much to learn about my DSL and most of mine of the little ones were blurry as they couldn’t hold still. My instant camera would have taken better photos than the setting I had mine on!
Now I have an idea for Easter if I am not back to work yet… because if I am, I may not be able to do this… but, if I am not – I have THE BEST easter cupcakes that we will have to make for session two!
XO
Valerie
Hey Valerie!
Honestly, I don’t know what plug in I used. I’m technology challenged remember? (Gary made that photos cd for you.) I’ll ask Gary and get back to you. That Peter Pan play sounded like it was a huge success and a lot of fun! You totally spread joy to everyone who’s around you, my dear!! I just ate one of her gingerbread men…hope she doesn’t notice…teehee. They are SO GOOD, I just couldn’t resist. I’ll face the crying (if there’s any) haha.
I think I had my setting on autofocus (the one with the square). I’m just learning to use it too. One day I spent a whole hour reading the whole manual and it went in one eye and out the other ;-). So much info to absorb! You’re thinking about Easter already!? Lol. Gotta love that enthusiasm of yours :-D.
Thank you Valeria for a wonderful experience. Hope that our little Holy Terror didn’t wreck your lovely home too much.
Dude, you’re supposed to comment on her blog, not mine. Amateurs…lol.
Hahaha! 😀
LOL.
What a beautifully decorated house, and that kitchen – wow! that is my dream kitchen.
The kids are adorable and it looks like everyone had a blast with the cookie making.
Aww . . . what a great idea. They must have had SO much fun!
I want Valerie to come over and make my house nice and cozy for Christmas! Seriously, I love the decor!
How cool is the little slide show and the gingerbread house? K did a great job and looks cute in every picture.
I suddenly feel inspired to make cookies today. I must admit it’s unlikely I’ll act on the inspiration though. LOL
Hey LeQuanis, I love the slide show. You know how I am about photos of kids and people-me likes (smile). Weird I don’t have any on my blog, huh?! Back to the point though, there were some really adorable pictures of you & K and your whole family. That’s not always easy to have happen when the cameras are at work. We all know how easy it is to get mediocre photos of ourselves. I have quite a few;) Anyway, very nice!
Oh, and I wish I could have been there with you guys. I love gingerbread men. Plus, Valerie seems like such a positive person. I’m sure I could learn a bit of that from her. Well, that and how to make ginger bread men:)!!
p.s. Hey, I just realized that must be Valerie’s grandmother’s recipe for gingerbread men-neat…
Yes Stella, I think you need to put a picture of yourself on your bloggie so I can finally put a face to that sweetness. Um…mediocre pictures…from you!? Are you kidding me? I’ve yet to see a mediocre shot from you. All your photos look so professional.
Valerie is the kindest, most joyous soul you could ever meet!! She spreads joy, love, and magic everywhere she goes. Yes, that IS her Grandma’s rockin’ recipe. You’ll fall in love at first bite 😛
That looks like so much fun — can we make cookies next time we see each other?!
I am sooo down with that, girl! Call me when you’re in the cookie making mood, or just call me 😉
Hi Le Quan, I just wrote my comment and it didn’t go through, have to try again! I enjoyed your heartwarming post about baking for Christmas with your children. It reminds me me of what a magical time of year Christmas is for small children and how like Valerie, we(adults) could all benefit from spending time around such good influences. Ps. Valerie’s house is beautiful:)
I adore Valerie & her blog, I’m so envious that you live near her to have a day out with her….., I’m in love with her Christmas decorations, I’m feeling very inadequate about the ‘not so much’ decorations in my apartment. What a great post Lequan., your kids must be almost beside themselves with all the Christmas lights and cookie making and gingerbread houses.
Aww! It looks like the kiddos had such a good time! Definitely love the giant ginger bread men!
It must be so fun seeing how the kids are enjoying themselves with festive fun and activities. Sometimes, you just wish they don’t grow up as fast – is that what you are thinking sometimes?
Looks like everyone had fun including the adults. It is so nice and brave of Valerie to invite kids over for cookie making. I remember those messy, cookie making days 🙂
Sounds like you got a new camera. The pictures look great. I would also like to know how you did the slide show. That’s such a neat idea.
lequan, thanks for sharing the joy with us. To see you guys having so much fun is heartwarming! Love the giant ginger man and the decoration on the ginger bread house. By the way, there is a Stylish Blogger Award to be claimed by you at my blog. It was given to me by Elisabeth and one of the rules is to pass on to other bloggers whom I think are fantastic and you are one of them in my list. Thanks again for sharing with us all the wonderful stories and recipes. HUGS!
I definitely have that song stuck in my head now, lol! And I definitely believe in cookie-making magic! What a wonderful day…Valerie sure decorates beautifully for Christmas! I especially love the pretty red candles and the Christmas trees. That is a pretty awesome gingerbread house too — maybe you have a future foodie on your hands? 😉
LeQuan,
What a nice post. Seems like everyone had a wonderful time. Good family fun! Hope you and your family have a fantastic holiday season.
Be well
So much fun! Beautiful decorations at Valerie’s house, and how fun for the kids to bake cookies with her 🙂 Loved the slide show and Do you believe in magic is one of my daugther’s fav songs!
This warmed my heart. I’m sitting here, trying to finish an essay, and now I just want to sing and dance and eat a lot of cookies. You released my inner child! What a beautiful post. I loved seeing this festive house, those adorable children, and all of those delicious cookies. Aren’t children just wonderful? You are such an amazing mother. I love hearing you write about your family. Your love and care is so evident. Thank you again for always leaving me such thoughtful comments on my blog. I look forward to your words each time I post. You are one of the reasons I keep blogging! Thank you so much for sharing with me tonight. I hope you have a wonder-filled Friday!
Aw I love that you brought your kids to a fellow blogger’s house for a cookie-making afternoon! you and your kids are welcome in my house anytime. 😉
I LOVE all your christmassy ideas and decorations. And your kids are so adorable!
this is SO great! i am in the holiday spirit just reading yours and Val’s blogs today 🙂 i seriously have not made a single cookie this christmas – no time for christmas baking this year! i wasn’t really too sad about this until last night, my hubby and i went over to a friend’s house and she put a big plate of baking – i ate SO much, knowing i had none at home!!! Val’s home is beautiful – i love her big open kitchen and fireplace. what a thoughtful and fun thing to do, fellow bloggers baking together! maybe when i have some kiddies, i’ll join in the fun!
Cute gingerbread house and gingerbread men 🙂 and I love how Valerie decorated her house. Can she come and do mine? LOL
I’m not good in decorating stuff as I’m too “simple”
That is a magic!! I do believe in magic although people would think i’m a weirdo – so what? :D. That’s so nice of Valerie to host such a warm-hearted party! It seemed fun to adults and the kiddos. K looked so happy while making the gingerbreadman. It was like she was showing E how to do it. Valerie’s house is beautiful and I love her Christmas decoration! 3 Christmas trees in the house?! Good pictures of you and K. This makes me want to have kids so that we can have fun in the kitchen (hopefully my kids will love being in the kitchen with me).
I will be gone to Thailand today so Merry Christmas to you and your family LeQuan!
Have a great time in Thailand, Tanantha. Merry Christmas to you and your family as well!
Hi LeQuan
I am feeling a little out of it at the moment – got off a plane a few hours ago, after a 23+ hour flight and honestly, I hardly know if I’m coming or going.
Anyway – I believe in magic, especially COOKIE magic LOL Strangely, though I did not see this post previously, I bought a bag full of the cutest cookie cutters back with me and was planning to use them ASAP after landing, and er, soon as I stop feeling like a zombie, of course 😉
Will write you later, but now I need to eat something – my stomach feels like a drum…soooooo empty, and I need to squeeze in a little more sleep before I whisk my boy and self off to the dentist *yuck* for yet another appointment 😛
hugs
I saw Valerie’s post on the luvtoeat family’s visit and I was so JEALOUS! What a fun time! I lvoe the picture of K pressing down on the cookie cutter, and I’m so happy that Gary adn L got to tag along (and presents from Santa’s gift bag? Valerie is clearly a pro!)! And I think it’s so funny that Valerie has a Thermomix Silpat sheet 😛 Those ginerbread men look dee-licious, and I think Miss K and E were superb bakers! Nice job on the gingerbread tree, too, K! I remember making gingerbread houses when I was little (and when I say “made”, I mean “covered with icing and candies, half which went into my mouth on the way tot the gingerbread house” 😉 I’m glad you and your family had such a good time! I hope it becomes a yearly tradition, because really traditions and family and friends are what the holiday season are all about 🙂
Did I read Valerie’s comemnt right? Did you finally get an SLR?? How do you like it? I’ve been salivating over one of those for a while, but I think I’ll wait until we have kids to get one 🙂
honestly, im not just saying this, but this is the most beautifully decorated home ive seen anyone create and it SCREAM CHRISTMAS! these are the best photos, and again (not just saying this) THE BEST CHUBBY GINGERBREAD MEN THIS WORLD HAS EVER SEEN! i feel so gleeful looking at these photos- if i could have one wish, id teleport into ur house and enjoy some hot cocoa as i melt away watching your family get into the christmas spirit ❤ you are A MIRACLE MAKER ❤
Lequan,I loved the pictures…all of them 🙂 The gingerbread house is SO SO cute, nicely decorated.
Yay! Much fun. Making gingerbread cookies with kids is so much fun. They have such a great time!
You are giving me a little extra motivation to make a batch of gingerbread cookies this year. The recipe is out waiting for me.
Oh Lequan, Sorry that I missed this wonderful post. I’m pretty busy these two weeks due to the boys school holiday. Anyway it is really fun that the kids had such an enjoyable time making cookies together.
I like the gingerbread house, looks cute with the BIG gingerbread men standing in front 🙂
I have to say – you and Val are just adorable and I can’t imagine two nicer people becomign friends from the blogosphere. What a wonderful magical time you shared together and that’s kind of the whole point isn’t it!
Love the post and your fab pics 🙂
Ciao, Devaki @ weavethousandlfavors
LeQuan, this looks like so much fun, it makes me wish I were a little a kid again. I love how Valerie decorated her home for the holidays. It totally captures the spirit. And cookies? Best party ever 🙂
Wow, LeQuannnnnn. I LOVE it. This is such a perfect example of how food brings families together — not just members of one family, but many different members of more than one family! There’s so much warmth in your pictures that it makes my heart all nice and fuzzy inside. Teehee. 🙂
Love you lots LeeQs! 🙂
xoxo Aletheia
awww it’s cute kids like yours that make me think I want to be a pediatric dentist! 😛 I love the cookies they made. Baker pro’s in the process of making right? Gingerbread houses definitely tend to look better than they taste, though real gingerbread is pretty much nothin’ short of awesome. hehehe
How have you been??? I hope that the family has been doing well and you guys are in holiday mode already! 🙂
So cute and fun!!! A perfect gingerbread house and adorable kids to boot! And mmm, I want those cookies!
Thanks for your sweet comment! I just wanted to wish you the best holiday weekend with your wonderful family;-)
I do love this song 🙂
How wonderful…the kids look like they are having such a perfect time. The gingerbread house is perfect!
I hope you all had a very magical Christmas!
Hi Lequan!!!
Happy belated Christmas/wishing you and your loved ones all the best in 2011 🙂 I hope that the holidays have been kind to you full of warmth and minimal snow.
Happiness, health, propserity in the new year.
xoxo
This looks absolutely amazing! When I was younger my Mom and I would make candy and cookies around christmas together, I can remember the smell vividly, yummy! I recently started to love gingerbread men when I “had to” learn to make them as they are my husbands favorite, I have tried several recipes now! I love putting cream cheese icing on them, I know not the usual type! I have only mad one gingerbread home, and boy, they are a lot of work, so I will save that next experience till Bailey is old enough to participate and I might even find pre-made pieces as the candy and icing are the fun parts, right?! Well looks like you guys had a great time 🙂