Fake it till you make it

So a holiday - Valenine's Day - is coming up, therefore the proverbial sign-up sheets appear as you enter your child's pre-school for the upcoming Valentine's "Exchange" (translate - party). They come up with all these different words so it doesn't sound like they party all the time around holidays - why not just call it a party? No one really cares.

Why is it I become instantly delusional and always write my name next to the most difficult item on a sign-up list for my kids' class parties? So, I signed-up for a dozen plain heart shape cookies so they can frost and decorate them at the "exchange-aka-party".

I do enjoy making real homemade cookies, really I do. Where I actually dust off my Kitchen aid mixer and find somewhere in my pantry flour, baking soda etc., pull out my Mom's beloved recipe for "Cookie Cutter Cookies" and appear somewhat June Cleaverish is a great feeling. And it is fun to roll out the dough, cut them out and try to get them to the perfect golden baked goodness with a hint of tan on the bottom signaling they are done.

So these are the nano-visions that flash into my delusional, over-achieving, right-side of my brain whenever I see the (usually) blank line for something home made.

But sometimes life takes over even when the best of intentions are sincere. So I got the flu, and really did not feel like digging in my very disorganized panty for all the ingredients. Our local Ralph's grocery store sells plain sugar cookies already in holiday shapes so I thought that may be my saving grace. NOPE, need to compromise. So it's time to "fake it till you make it" which is one of my creeds I live by.

I just got a plastic clamshell of sugar cookies, took them home and got out my metal heart shaped cookie cutter and faked it. Took me five minutes. Really. How are a bunch of four year-olds going to know the difference?

Before:

After:

Anyone can sign-up for, and bring paper plates and cups. It takes determination to sign-up for the things that come from the heart .... or at least a cookie cutter heart.

Getting ready for pre-school on the day of the Valentine "Exchange", Raina picked out the dress herself! I was shocked, since y'all know she rarely likes to dress-up. Did my heart good, though.