Sisters Sweep Cookie Swap-etition

Lexi (as host) was too polite to claim her prize -- Most Prettiest for a candy-stained-glass-window Spock that was so awesome it hardly qualified as a cookie -- but Lauren and I had no such qualms.

Lauren's hand-made fortune cookies won Most Fanciful; the fortunes included gems of wisdom such as, "Confucius say: Put down your cell phone already," "Beyonce say: If you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it," and our personal favorite, "Emmett say: Bend your knees."

Our own classic chocolate chip cookies tied with Jenny's for the Best Tasting vote; and Jenny (as host) graciously ceded the prize to us. This was gratifying, of course -- and we loved the apron/oven mitt prize package -- but we did wonder if the event's confectionary democracy might have been a bit skewed by the fact that we arrived with three children in tow, all of whom voted for our cookies as a matter of principle -- or loyalty -- or knowing which side their bread is buttered on -- as much as any objective belief in the cookies' inherent superiority, and may not have been above voting for them more than once, for all we know.

Still, we'll admit: Victory is sweet!