Cookie Making Marathon: Day 2

So remember how I said this is a tradition I've been doing for years. It started back in the olden days with my God-children. The two still at home are now 15 and 16. I didn't think they'd be interested in cookie making now that they're cool teenagers and all. But I was wrong. They asked if they could make cookies, too. They wanted to include the younger kids so I packed up the cookie making supplies and traveled to where they live now (about a half hour drive south) for another round of cookie chaos. This time it was much crazier. My friend, Dominique, was at work and her husband decided to leave and go do some Christmas shopping, I guess. Which left me with 2 teenagers and 4 kids under the age of 5!! I felt like I had just run the Ironman afterwards. All I can say is... somehow I survived to tell the tale.

This is 5 yr old Reuben and 3 yr old Maia rolling out their dough.

This is 15 yr old Alexis helping not yet 2 yr old Jack.

Here's the girls icing their creations. In all the madness, I missed pics of 16 yr old Adryan helping 2 yr old Mekhi. It was naptime for the two little ones so they didn't last long in the cookie making process.

Okay since you're all now confused, I'll explain a bit. My friendship with Dominique started in the 7th grade. By the time we were 19, Dominique had Ashlee, Adryan and Alexis. Yes... she started very young. She is now re-married and has added Reuben and Jack. Ashlee is now in Columbus going to school. (In case you're reading this..I hope that's what you're doing Ashlee!) Ashlee has added Maia and Mehki to the mix. Yes... also an early bloomer. So Dominique is my age and the mother of five and grandmother of two. To say her life is crazy would be an understatement. But she has a house full of beautiful kids. I bought the little ones matching penguin pj's, of course. So here they are modeling them. Here's Maia and Mekhi. They're virtual twins only about 16 months apart in age.

And the whole group. If they made these pajamas in sizes big enough for the older kids I absolutely would have bought them! Boy was it impossible to get this pic. So I gave up. Jack wouldn't cooperate as you can see. And trying to get all of them to look at the camera and smile at the same time was not even happening.

I was exhausted after last night but I had fun. The kids are all a riot! After Reuben got his pj's on he decided to run through the house saying he was "Nacho Libre" and even made me tie a blanket on his back for his cape. I enjoy spending time with the older ones even more. I've definitely had a hand in raising them. It's nice to see that they're blossoming into cool little adults in spite of the difficulties of being born to a teenage mom. If my A's are reading this... I just want you to know how much I love you and I'm proud of the people you're becoming.

I need to make a few more cookies for some family celebrations tonight and tomorrow. But I'm not sure I have the energy. I'm just about cookie'd out! Well, time to get to work. More later.