Amanda's Cookie Extravaganza and More...

Several years ago, I began hosting Christmas parties for my friends.  I honestly don't even remember when the first one was...so if anyone does happen to remember (Stacey?), please tell me.  I can't even remember which apartment I was living in during the first one (maybe Madison?).  ha ha.  But no matter... it was a while ago.  Over the years, the guests may have changed...but one thing remained constant.  The Cookies. 

When I had my own place, I was a cookie baking fool for the whole month of December.  Stacey renamed my Christmas party, "Amanda's Cookie Extraganza and More" one year.  I liked that.  :)  So much so, that the following year, that is what went out on the invitations!  However, since I moved home to IL, I have hardly baked anything at all.  I am not sure what happened.  I miss baking all those crazy cookies...and I miss sharing them with everyone in the world that I know.  But I just can't seem to get motivated to bake.  :(  It makes me sad.  I'm hoping that maybe...just maybe...this blog will inspire me to run to the kitchen and start baking something.  :)  That would be awesome.

The last party that I had, was in 2009....TWO YEARS AGO!  I am making the decision right now....RIGHT NOW....there WILL be an Amanda's Cookie Extravaganza and More in December of 2012.  I need to get back to hosting.  I miss it.  My favorite part is sharing all the cookies and seeing everyone go back for another one.  :)  I also miss having all my friends in one place together for a few hours, visiting and eating delicious finger-foods and desserts.  There are a lot of wonderful memories from those get-togethers.

I found some pictures from the last few years of parties...and I will post them now.  This is just a smidgen of the fun that we have. 



from 2007:

The Pulte Girls

The old Shepherd Hills crew

The Girls

from 2008:

The. Cookies.

Cole

This is what always happens when Preston is in charge of taking a few pictures.

Old friends are the best.

Making the boys pose

And it's inevitable that this (or some form of it) happens every year.

2009:  In 2009, after I'd moved back to IL...Brad and Stacey were kind enough to co-host the Christmas gathering at their house back in TN...

The 2009 Cookies

Me and my Stacey-friend

And then I had a party in IL in 2009, as well...

The IL Cookie table



Mr. Snider and 3 of his former 5th grade students

That concludes my trip down Cookie Extravaganza lane...  Stay tuned next year for updated party pics!  Maybe we can do something in TN again...anyone game?