Cookie Tradition Cancelled

Today we had scheduled to decorate cookies with my friend Deborah and her kids, Miles, Claire and Hazel.  We've done this for the past two years and so it's another one of those new traditions that I am just loving carrying on into another year.  Unfortunately we were side-lined today.  Deborah's family has been struggling through a cold/flu illness since last week and Miles was still feverish this morning.  Koen didn't know our midday get-together was cancelled until he came home from school.  Needless to say, he was so crushed and upset.  I had already made the dough for our cookies though and so I cheered him up with the promise of he and I having some special baking time in the afternoon while the little guys were sleeping.  It turned out to be a really nice time together.  It was also a great recipe for Koen to help with.  I had made the dough in the AM, but he helped me roll the dough into balls, he also helped unwrap the chocolates and then he was great with gently pressing the chocolates into the cookies as they came out of the oven.  It worked out to be a very nice activity for us (and I was really impressed at how great of a job Koen did with it all, he actually was a huge help!).  I had such a nice time with my cookie buddy that I staged a picture with the timer and the camera propped up in a bowl of fruit.  Here we are working away (Koen seems entranced by the timer light on the camera, so his face it a little goofy).

And here's the finished product.  I've been waiting until tonight to try one, but they already passed the Koen and Tavin test!

Thanks for a "sweet" afternoon, Koen.  I love you, bud!  And Deborah, Miles, Claire and Hazel...we hope you feel better soon and have a healthy holiday!  We will re-claim the tradition next year for sure.