Category: Holidays (Page 9 of 12)

The Christmas Tradition of Decorating Cookies

December 29, 2012 / Katie L. Carroll

Fortunately there was no licking of the ladies or men this year at the annual Christmas cookie decorating extravaganza. Looking back at that old post from 2008, I realize I’ve been making cookies with my twin-not-twin sister’s kids for many years, since the lady-licking nephew was two and a half years old (the same age The Boy will be next year at Christmastime).

Well, now that I’m feeling old (are traditions supposed to make you feel old?), here’s the cookies from this year’s efforts.

My sister’s cookies…she’s such a show-off with her crazy good cookie decorating skills!

My younger nephew’s cookies…I’m guessing that sleigh covered in all that white frosting was one sweet cookie!

My niece’s cookies…the big snowman (saved to leave out for Santa on Christmas Eve) and the angel are my favorites.

My older nephew’s cookies…love the eyes on the gingerbread man!

And here are mine!

What holiday traditions did you partake in this year?

Katora’s Winter Solstice

December 20, 2012 / Katie L. Carroll

I’m guest posting today at Lorrie Unites-Struiff’s blog with an original Elixir short story. Find out how Katora, Kylene, and Bhar celebrate the Winter Solstice.

Don’t forget, today is the last day to buy Elixir Bound for $1.99. I’d love for you to support my publisher’s website and buy it from the MuseItUp bookstore, but you can also get it on Amazon. (So that means it’s also the last day of my shameless self-promotion…for now!)

I’m off to do some last minute shopping with (and for!) The Boy. Let’s see, tonight I need to address those Christmas cards and finish decorating the tree. This weekend is the annual Christmas cookies decorating party with my niece, nephews, my twin-not-twin sister, and my mom. Pictures next week! And I’ll have some more thoughtful posts coming in the New Year.

In the meantime, peace and love this holiday season!

Group Poetry

December 14, 2012 / Katie L. Carroll

My family likes to play games on holidays. At Thanksgiving this year, we decided to play a particular favorite poetry game.

The first person writes two lines of poetry at the top of the paper, folds down the first line, and passes it on. The second person adds one additional line and folds over the previous line, and so on until the page is full. So each writer sees just one line of poetry before having to add his/her own line. It can get pretty ridiculous!

Admittedly, they all end up somewhat offensive and slightly plagiarized, and none of them make much sense, so I just picked one that made me chuckle. Enjoy!

The lily wilted on the vine

Her veins they dripped with turpentine

It was an ugly Valentine

It had stripes in its center

They could buy, who not rent her

Spending money is the root of all evils

So hoard it all from the poor peoples

Raise a glass and salute them

Salute them for how they fought

The angry clowns who were addicted to meth

Made by the locals in the town of Bathe

He leaned back his head and drained the carafe

Down his scarf and into his banana hammock so as to set his sausage afloat

Well, I hope no one was seriously offended by that…it’s really mean to be all in good fun!

Christmas Cookies with the Kids

December 27, 2011 / Katie L. Carroll

I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays! One of my favorite things to do this time of year is to make sugar cookies with my niece and nephews…and this year I had my own little one with me. Granted, The Boy is still too little to really enjoy the whole cookie-making experience, but I couldn’t leave him out just because of that.

As the kids grow, the cookies just get better and better. And we even had a gingerbread house to decorate too.

Can you guess which ones are mine?

Magnetic Poetry: Mother’s Day

May 9, 2011 / Katie L. Carroll

The ladies and I had a lovely brunch yesterday to celebrate Mother’s Day. The weather was gorgeous and several of us kept the festivities going when we walked around the green and checked out a craft fair.

With my status as mother-to-be I got my first ever Mother’s Day presents in the form of cards, flowers, and delicious homemade banana bread (thanks goes out to The Boy…yup, it’s a boy!). The hubby decorated the refrigerator with ultrasound pictures of the little guy, but that wasn’t the only thing that ended up on the refrigerator.

That’s right! As with all the gatherings at my house, the guests were encouraged to express themselves with poetry. There was a whole new crop of words that had been added to the magnetic poetry kit since the last installment and the phrases were flowing. Here’s what the guests had to say:

spring morning garden leave s little want ing (there’s nothing I can really add to this beautiful sentiment…but notice I still added something by pointing that out)