Happiness is Homemade

All of my children are so dear, so precious to me.  But lately, my son David has been the one who has put some extra joy into my heart.  He is nine years old, a perfect age to be little, yet old enough to say wise things, funny things, thoughtful things.  Young enough to still snuggle with me and hold my hand, but old enough to leave alone in a room and not worry about him.  (big milestone in the life of a BOY) 

On Sunday morning when the rest of us were in the house getting ready for church, Davy was already ready and outside, exploring.  We didn’t think about it at all……but later on, as we sat in our pew at church, he (sitting next to me) leaned in to say, “Now you know why I’m always smiling.”  “Why, Dave?”  “Because I spend so much time outside.” {insert big huge happy grin, here}

Just that little remark has made me smile so many times this week, and I’m smiling now.  Yes, if we could just spend  more time outside in God’s big world we would all be much happier.  A blessed and thoughtful little boy for sure.

Our son David has a thing for gingerbread cookies.  It all started in Kindergarten,. As I’m sure a lot of the schools do, David’s class went through a “Gingerbread Man” theme ….. David even got to make a gingerbread man out of brown felt in his class that year.  His name was Fred.  Good old Fred spent the entire Holiday with us and is still around here, someplace.  David loves to read any and every Gingerbread boy/girl/man/whatever storybook we can find (and there are quite a few out there).

Now that it’s that time of year, again, David remembered, and requested (several times) that we make gingerbread cookies.

I am pleased to report that yesterday, while David was at school, Seth and I mixed up a double batch of cookie dough, and popped it into the fridge, as a gift for Dave.

Boy, was that boy (*gingerbread boy*) happy!

After dinner, and after Rich left with the  older children for youth group, David and I pulled away the chairs from the table and got ready to roll and cut out doughboys.

Caleb made his own tray of them, too.  It’s wonderful to see how they turn out.  Charming, really.

We baked and we baked and we listened to Christmas songs, loudly.

The very best, most appropriate song came on as we worked.  “Christmas Cookies” by George Strait.  It was the best timing.  I laughed, bent over, and kissed Davy on the cheek.

He danced around the kitchen with glee.

After the cookies were baked, David and I decorated them with green icing.

I accidently got two trays pretty dark, so those became dog treats.  Christmas ones.

Caleb, Seth, and Sarah spent most of their time playing “Train” with the kitchen chairs, but every once in a while they would come visit, and do some tasting.

Here is Sarah, nose-down, in a frosted cookie, licking.  Her brother was shocked!

Eventually, the “Train” was abandoned, and as happy Christmas music played, my couch was torn apart.

David was so proud of our cookies.  This morning he picked the nicest one, to take to school for his teacher.  I ate two of them for breakfast with my oatmeal.  Yum.

There aren’t enough words to express how thankful I am for my very special son, David.  I’m deep down heart-glad we could work together and make such nice cookies for Christmastime.

David’s Gingerbread Boy Cookies

6 cups flour
1 1/2tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup molasses
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp ginger

Stir together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves; set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer for 30 seconds.  Add sugar; beat until combined.  Add eggs, molasses, and vanilla; beat until combined.  Beat in ginger and the flour mixture.  Cover and chill 3 hours.

Roll, cut out cookies, bake on lightly greased cookie sheets in a 375 degree oven.

Pipe designs on cookies with tinted royal icing.

Makes about 50