Black Forest-inspired Cookies!

So guess what?!

SpaBoy helped me stock up on all of mom and dad's Aveda favorites and, I

have been very busy making cookies because mom, dad and the Ranger...

Are on their way and will be here tomorrow afternoon!

I'm so excited, I can't sit still. Which works in favor of this little project of mine!

The last time I sent my parents cookies, my mom refused to eat them...

She said they were too pretty to eat! So at this moment, the

mitten and snow globe cookies I made around Christmas last

year are still sitting on the bookcase in my parents' family room!

So I told my mom that I'd have plenty of cookies waiting for them

when they visit this time and, that I would insist they eat them!

The theme for this cookie collection was inspired by the long walks our

family used to take in Germany after every dinner meal through the dark

forests of Bavaria. It was my favorite time of day... I was fascinated by how

my Oma knew exactly which wild mushrooms we could pick and which ones

would kill us instantly if it ended up in our soup! And, every time we came

upon a deer feeding stand, I would tell my Oma how very much I wished we

would see some deer! She would always nod and say, maybe the next time...

That experience is also why I decorate our Christmas tree with

plenty of woodland creatures and bright red glass mushrooms!

Now when I hatched this plan I was short one deer cookie cutter, so of

course, I put out an S.O.S call to our friend Beth at CopperGifts.com!

Who put her wonderful husband to work designing one

perfect deer-shaped copper cookie cutter just for me!

I have to tell you... As excited as I am to see my parents and the Ranger...

You must know what his being on leave to come home means, right?

It means we have a date for deployment #4. Just thinking

about it makes me feel like I'm going to thrown up...

Proud but Terrified still sums it up. That part of this Army-mom

gig never changes. But for right now I'm only going to focus on the

wonderful things we have planned for this visit. And, boy! Do let

me tell you... The agenda is PACKED! But first, I take delivery of

my new Jeep tomorrow. Yes. Sadly, the mini Cooper had to go...

As much as I enjoyed it, the fact is that it was terribly impractical as a daily

driver. When it was just a weekend toy, it was fine; however, after I sold

the Expedition and started driving it every day is when I realized it just

didn't fit into my lifestyle. By the time I loaded my gym bag and my

yoga mat and my cycling shoes, there was barely enough room for

my purse, let alone me! And, while cruising with the top down,

listening to my iPod was fun on weekends when traffic is light,

commuting in my Mini in a sea of SUV's just wasn't my idea of fun!

I can't tell you how many times I came this close to being toast!

So I left Mini at the Jeep dealer yesterday and drove away in a loaner

they gave me until mine comes down from Richmond, Virginia... I

fought hard for her though. I sold her as hard as the saleswoman

sold me on the Jeep. And, in the end, I walked away quite satisfied!

So while I baked this afternoon, the man that loves me

put a reorg smack-down on my area of the garage...

To ensure that my new Jeep will fit...

I know... I miss her too!

But I'm sure looking forward to seeing eye-to-eye with my fellow

commuters tomorrow and arriving to work relaxed and unafraid!

Before I forget, I have to tell you about my latest obsession with collecting

these giant Martha Stewart copper cookie cutters. As you know, Martha's

Martha by Mail catalog business was discontinued in late '04. And, when

it went away my heart was broken forever... Because let's be honest, while

there are a few things worth having, most of the products under the Martha

Stewart name at Kmart and now at Macy*s are crap. Well, crap might be a

little strong, but not when you compare them to the things once offered in

the Martha by Mail catalog. I have several fabulous things I picked up from

the catalog that are still going strong in our home today! Sadly, I wasn't

creating decorated sugar cookies back when Martha by Mail offered these

amazing giant cookie cutters. Now the only way to get them is to wrestle

other collectors for them on e-Bay and other auction websites... Which stinks!

Nevertheless, I hope to eventually own them all... Wish me luck!

After all his hard work in the garage, Army Dad deserves cupcakes!

He's a marble fudge kinda guy!

While my cuppies baked, I put the finishing touches on a pair of socks

for a friend. She liked the sock cookies I created for the sock marketing

team so much she asked me to make a couple for her to give to someone

on her DTC team. While I was at it, I couldn't help make an extra one

to thank SpaBoy for coming through for me on the Aveda products!

So now that the cookies and the cupcakes

are done, I'm ready for some company!

I hope everyone enjoys these cookies

as much as I enjoyed creating them!

Especially my Mom! There shall be no

excuse as to why she cannot eat them...

And, since there is little chance they'll

survive the flight back to California...

Mom will be forced to enjoy them here...

With me!

As I baked for my family today, I received an e-mail from a friend

that recently lost her mother. Tonight I am sending all my love to

her and to anyone missing their parents. Believe me when I tell you...

I am so very grateful for what is about to be!