Party Prep

Getting ready for our annual Santa party is no small feat! Here are some of the totals for this years event!

• Approximately 700 cookies
• Hundreds of paper plates, napkins, and cups
• 112 Guests
• 72 Petit fours
• 60 Reindeer Treat Bags
• 30 Ziplock bags
• 27 different cookie recipes (a record!)
• 20 different cookie cutters
• 24 Eggs
• 14 Sticks of butter
• 15 pounds of flour
• 12 hours straight that the oven was on each day at 350 degrees!
• 10 pounds of sugar
• 8 2 Liters for punch
• 7 Basketball, cheerleading, dance practices, and scout meetings in the midst of it all!
• 4 hours of sleep a night the 2 nights before the big day
• 3 bags of M&M's
• 2 rolls of wax paper
• 1 pound of cocoa powder
• Every kind of chocolate chip variety made
• Countess sprinkles and cleaning!

And it is the best week of our holiday season! The kids and I have a great time. Lindy, Paige, and Erin have never loved the baking so much. Each child chooses their own cookie for just the two of us to make. This years contributors were:

Kyle - Kitchen Cupboard Cookie

Ethan - Buckeyes

Lindy - Santa Stars

Paige - Gingerbread Men

Erin - Happy Reindeer

Each year when our little guests depart they receive a small bag of reindeer food (oats mixed with a shake of gold glitter). We set up an assembly line so that everyone participates. Kyle punched tags, Ethan and I tied bags, Erin and Paige scooped oats, and Lindy sprinkled in glitter. Bill takes pictures and maintenance's whoever is holding up production!

We love working together as a family to have such a special event. Our guests are so appreciative for a place to come and see Santa and for the kids to play and have a good time. To the kids it is as exciting as Christmas Day. Seeing their hard work enjoyed by so many really helps them understand the meaning of the season.

Lindy loves working with dough,

cookie or bread, she is quite the

little baker.

Lindy displays her hard work.

Good thing Ethan helped me tie bags or I would

not have been able to keep up!

Erin was not too excited about her bag holding

duty but her aim with the scoop was not too good!