Happy Birthday Elizabeth! Who's Armando? Perhaps an aldergator?

Happy 20th Birthday Elizabeth! Elizabeth Siegel is one of my best friends who just happend to celebrate her birthday! Since she's away at college, I decided to send her a birthday gift via mail in the form of cookies. This girl is one of the funniest, sweetest and coolest people I've ever met. And as a fellow foodie, I knew that she would truly appreciate some cookies. Now, I've learned a lot about Elizabeth just in the 2 years I've known her. She's a unique person and only a unique cookie would do! So I dug through my collection of cookie cutters and knew right away which cutter I wanted to find. You see, along with Liz's hilarious personality comes, well, hilarious moments. Let me explain. Last year she traveld to Florida and brought back the cutest and most awesome souvenir I've ever seen. A little green rubber friend, we like to call Armando. Now, Armando is not your ordinary gator. In fact, he's maybe a crocadile, I'm not sure. What I do know is that he is NOT a lizard. Let's just get that straight!!! Anyway, Armando graced me with his presense at a bridal shower, and my life has never been the same. This lil' guy finds his way into our adventures often. He loves chocolate brownies from Ted Montana Grill just as much as he loves hanging out in a dorm watching episodes of Scrubs and eating Warhead's Sour Spray. He's quite the trooper. So, I figured, in honor of Elizabeth's birthday I would send her Armando Cookies. Now that's a one of a kind gift!

'Til The Cows Come Home...

Or rather, 'til they leave the farm. My stepmom's uncle, better know just as Uncle Jim, was a dairy farmer for many years. How many? I'm not quite sure, but he grew up on a farm, so I'm assuming all his life. He lives up in Woodstock, and built a new house on his farmland. So everyone went over a few weeks ago to see the finished house and to celebrate his semi-retirement. I say "semi", because I'm sure he'll never give up farming completely. Along with retiring, came the decision to sell his cows. Uncle Jim's dairy cows hit the road a few weeks ago and I figured that cow cookies were just an obvious choice of dessert to bring to his party. Not that there is a shortage of baked goods at The Kagel Family gatherings or anything, but I know Uncle Jim has a sweet tooth for some of my baked goods. The cow cookie centerpiece was a huge hit. Moo.