Cookie Baking Night (06/28/2022)

Tonight is Cookie Baking Night. In attendance this evening: Carissa, Allison, Rylar, Enzo, Abigail, and special alumni guest, Ethan. Tonight is Carissa's Cookie Baking Night graduation. In a few short days, she will turn 17 years old. She is, of course, welcome to continue attending Cookie Baking Nights, but this allows us a chance to celebrate the time she's had here, and it gives her a little freedom as she moves into the busy year ahead as she soon will start her senior year of high school. 

It is also her birthday choice. For supper, she chose Mac&Cheese, hash browns, and raspberries. For her "cookie" this evening she chose a classic, dirt cups. 

It's not a graduation night without a graduation cap and picture boards. 

Since Ethan (now 19) was joining us this evening, he read us our Bible lesson from the Jesus Storybook Bible. 

For the first time this summer, we took a walk to the local gas station and picked up a treat. 

The fourteen years that Carissa has been with us at Cookie Baking Nights has gone by quickly. We have enjoyed them and look forward to watching her grow into the young woman God plans for her to be. 

Come back and visit us soon, Carissa. 

Another Cookie Baking Night and another Cookie Night Graduation has come and gone. As usual, a fun time was had by all. 

Cookie Baking Night 01/13/20

Tonight was Cookie Baking Night. In attendance this evening: Ethan, Carissa, Allison, Rylar, and Enzo. Tonight was Ethan's birthday choice. He turns 17 in a few days. For supper, he chose pizza (with banana peppers) and for his cookie, chocolate chip cookies.

Tonight was also Ethan's Cookie Baking Night graduation. As the nieces and nephews  turn 17, we have a graduation party. This gives them the opportunity to make the decision if they want to keep coming to Cookie Baking Nights on a regular basis or not or as we like to say "join the ranks of alumni". It also gives their aunt and uncle a chance to have a little closure, look at all the pictures we've taken over the years, tell sappy stories of how we remember when they were "this big", and genuinely celebrate the blessing it's been to have them here all these years. 

We love you, Ethan! Our doors are always open to you. 

Cookie Baking Night 11/20/17

Tonight was Cookie Baking Night. In attendance this evening: Emily, Ethan, Carissa, Allison, Rylar, and Enzo.
Tonight was a special night in two ways. It was Emily's birthday choice, and it was Emily's Cookie Baking Night graduation. In a week, Emily will turn 17 years old. (This boggles my mind). She has moved from child to teenager and is moving into young adult. Cookie Baking Nights do not hold the same awe for her as they once did (and that is expected to happen for everyone). I suggested to her that we honor and celebrate the time she's spent here with a proper celebration. She agreed that would be a good idea. But one question bubbled to the surface (with a little bit of panic in the voice), "Does this mean I can't ever come to Cookie Baking Night again?" Nope. You're welcome anytime, kiddo.

For her "birthday choice" meal she chose: Lasagna (a vegetarian pan, please), garlic bread, peaches, and punch (punch because it is a graduation after all).
For her cookie she chose: Oreo stuffed chocolate chip cookies

Now I ask you, what's a graduation without a hat and a couple picture boards? Oh, we had them!

("Do I really have to wear the hat?", she asked.  Yes. It's a graduation. Humor your aunt, please). 

What's an Oreo stuffed chocolate chip cookie you may ask? Exactly what it sounds like. Take an Oreo cookie, wrap some chocolate chip cookie dough around it, bake it, and voila!

The gang's all here

We read a lesson tonight from Leading Little One's to God and Emily read the Scripture for us one last official time. 

For Emily's game choice tonight, we dug out the air hockey table and played a few games. (They always loved that). 

Emily's graduation gift was the tied fleece blanket she made at Cookie Baking Night several years ago (she's asked many times when she can take that home with her). 

It was a fun night and a little bittersweet for the aunt. We all shared our favorite Cookie Baking Night memories about Emily. We will miss her as a regular attendee. 

Not "just another" Cookie Baking Night has come and gone. This one was a landmark in time, the start of a tradition, with other 17-year-old graduations to follow in the future. And, as usual, a fun time was had by all!