Cookie Swap 2011

I love these crazy women.

 The Schnotlus Cookie Spectacular (TM) started five years ago.  The only fixtures are myself, Kathy (next to my mom) and my mom.  Every year we get a slightly different group of women and a slightly different mix of cookies, but we always have a great time.

 This year, our crafts were alcohol-inked gingerbread man tins to use for gift cards (ask me about how I got the wrong brown clay and melted everyone's original gingerbread men and I'll deny everything!) and layered "Candy Cane" candles in mini martini glasses.  This was the first year in a long time that my godmother, Beth, has been able to join us with her daughter Denise, and it's always so fun to see them.

 I decided this year I would make cake pops.  They took me ALL freaking night and I was an hour late to my own party.  Luckily the "Schn" part of the party was already at home.  I'm not sure they tasted good, but they looked pretty!! I found adorable chinese takeout shaped Christmas boxes with cutouts on the front and packed my cake pops in those with a small piece of floral foam to put the sticks in.

We clean up well :) I love that we have such an age range and such a diverse group of women, but we have a fantastic time!! Ashley (in white) is mom's friend from Mason, Kathy is a friend from the church we attended when we first moved down here, Lauren (in red, front) is Kevin's girlfriend, Gaby is a new friend who's military, Jennifer (behind her) left Public School with me, Beth is my godmother, and Rachel, behind me, is the most amazing Children's Ministry coordinator you'll ever meet!! Our youngest swapper was 20 and our oldest was...well, 39 ;) we'll call it 39.

We have everyone bring a dozen cookies for each person, and let me tell you, we all give the best cookie trays to our neighbors of anyone I know!