Not Your Ordinary Cookie Exchange!

I have to tell you that when a group of Mattson women (and a couple of men) get an idea in their head to make something happen, we make it happen. My cousins and I have given each other small gifts for a long time, but this year, my cousin (and Team: Lily Ink Pad member) Amy, decided to host a cookie exchange at her house in Mankato, Minnesota. We were also welcoming some new members of her family and I thought, let's go! Cookies AND a party? I'm there! My husband couldn't go, so I convinced my sister that this would be a great sister weekend. She informed me that my niece Clare would have to attend with us, and I thought-- "What fun! I get to be an aunt all weekend!" In preparation, I had to go all out--Stampin' Up-wise. I own it all, so I should use it right? I made my "cookies" and needed a cute box to put them in. Here's what I made:

Stamps: none
Paper: Early Espresso, Whisper White, Pretty In Pink
Ink: Early Espresso
Accessories: Big Shot, Tasteful Trim Die, Fancy Favor Die, 1/2 inch Circle Punch, 3/4 inch Circle Punch, 2 1/2 inch Circle Punch, 1 3/4 inch Circle Punch, 1 3/8 inch Circle Punch, dimensionals

I first saw this idea on a Demonstrator Only Idea Forum sponsored by Stampin' Up! called Stampin' Connection. Lisa Young created this using Crumb Cake. I was out of that, so I changed it up a bit!

My "cookies" are my Grandma Leone's very special candies. I'll share that story at a different time. I have yet to finish the Cookie Exchange story.

My sister and I (and Clare) left Shawano, WI, at 7 pm on Friday and got to our hotel at 1:30 ish am. Yep. Our 5 hour drive turned ugly at the Twin Cities (known to some of you as St. Paul/Minneapolis). We hit the blizzard. Yes, Blizzard. When newscasters use that term in Southern Minnesota, they mean it. Saturday am we woke up to Clare singing in her pack-n-play and looked outside to see nothing but whiteness. Good thing, Amy's house was like 10 minutes away. Try an hour. (We had to get some things at a store first like formula and baby wipes). We arrived and I unpacked the boxes of presents, the cookies, and Clare's stuff while  my sister took Clare in. The snow was already over a foot. We had a great party...all made it safe and sound. When  we left, we had to dig out, got stuck, had help from my uncle and Amy's husband Matt, and then worked our way to the hotel. We were within sight when the cement, I mean snow, held us up. Nic and I worked for about 45  minutes on moving about 20 feet when a Texan. Yes, a Texan named Nate who was a human snowblower helped us out. The transmission may have lost a few years, but we did get to the parking lot inside. Are you worried about 9 month old Clare? No need, she snoozed the entire time in her fleece, blankets, and car seat. Never knew anything was up! What a day!

The good news is that we have some amazing bakers in our family and the shoveling allowed us to eat a few extra cookies that night! Sunday's drive back was pretty good--normal winter driving for us Wisconsin Girls, but did take extra long as Clare needed a few more breaks than on the way there!

Happy Holidays!