The Cameron Christmas Baking Weekend

For ages, Grandma Anne has been making her famous fudge, divinity and sugar cookies. This year the cousins and I got in on her secret recipes and got to taste our sweet success all weekend long (and for the rest of the holidays until we can finish all of our homemade holiday delights!)

Aunt Carol, Grandma and Bailey get started on the first batch of fudge. There is a fine art to not burning the sweet concoction on an electric stove.

Wilder adores his cousins (Russ, how does this work again? I think we decided that we'd just call them cousins, no funny nonsense about once removed, twice reunited, or 3rds.) Wilder always wanted to head-butt Bailey -and give her lots of kisses.

The Ball + Walking Wilder sequence. Photo 1.

Photo 2


Photo 3.
It's crunch time! We've reached the right temperature...

...Time to add the marshmallow goo! Mother and daughter make quite a team!

The Supervisors.
Wilder was pretty clingy on Saturday, so this is basically the only time I got to stir -though he's crying while Aunt Carol holds him. My participation in actual candy making didn't last long, but it was wonderful being together and seeing the recipes in action!

Making divinity. Be sure it's a low humidity day if you're going to attempt this sensational holiday treat!

Wilder dances in his penguin p.j.s and sings in Wilderese, "I'm not going to be-ed, I'm not going to be-ed!"

Three generations between them only make them better buddies.

Wilder enjoyed watching Celtic Women and Roy Orbison's Black and White concert on PBS while he fought the sandman off tooth and nail. At 11pm I finally resorted to an untried, but very true, trick of driving around the block. It worked, of course.

Sunday was super sweet with Grandma's sugar cookies!

The dough committee assessing the current rolling situation. All in all, it was decided these cookies turned out to be delicious. Grandma always said that the more the kids roll them, the better they taste. Hm... must be a secret ingredient called fun!

Yep! And here we are adding that ingredient to the dough!

Bailey: Cookie Decorator Extraordinaire.
Rem and Bailey finish off the last of the dough.
Mother and daughter team up to quickly place the walnut halves on top of the fresh divinity mounds. It's a job that requires speed, accuracy and a love of fluffy white goo!

"Great Grandpa, will you put my shoe on for me?"
Ah-hah! The bed-defying walking mini-Brian is found staying up late again -yet heads off to bed much more peacefully than the night before. But not until after watching "America's Funniest Home Videos" with Great Grandpa. He had to see who won the $100,000.

Monday during Wilder's morning nap, Grandma and I made our own full batch of sugar cookies and divinity.
These are my waiter sugar cookies. Mustache included.
Wish you were here!

My, this was a weekend to remember. I know I will always treasure the memories of Christmas goody making, walking the lighted neighborhood, playing all together, the wonderful family meals all at Grandma and Grandpa Cameron's house with the cousins.

It must be from having my own family and perhaps getting to that age when you know your time with your grandparents is limited, but this visit meant so much to me and I am so deeply touched by our time together. I didn't grow up near my Aunt, her family or my grandparents, so I consider this catching up -and we have a lot of that to do. "Thankful" is such a small word compared to what I feel for this experience, but I guess it will do. Thank you for such a wonderful time with you, family! I love you so much and look forward to our next visit very soon!