Merry Christmas!

From our family to yours... MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Fortunate

I think that this time of year we can get so caught up in the stressors of life that we miss some of the fantastic things that Christmas has to offer. The beginning of this week was full of class holiday parties and the arrival of my parents.
On Monday, I had the car loaded with goodie bags, teacher gifts, backpacks and my schedule for the day... which is quite full on Mondays.
Boomer was to sing at a nursing home with his Preschool class... a school that does not have transportation so it meant running back and forth a total of 4 times that morning.
I wouldn't have missed it for the world. The patients at the nursing home were so thankful to have them there and I started to think about my own grandparents and, slso, the Mr.'s grandmother. It has to be so difficult to be in the same surroundings day after day and the thought of any visitor would be amazing.
Boomer sang very well and made me quite proud.
Goosie had ballet that same night and her teacher invited us into the classroom to see her perform a Nutcracker doll dance. She amazed me with her skill and beauty.
This is all I could have dreamed of for Christmas... healthy, beautiful, amazing children.

Repurposed Shutter

I have seen a few people take an old shutter and use it in new ways. Well, the Mr. found a shutter for me to use to display Christmas cards and the best part... it already had some green paint! He used a wire brush to weather it and remove all the loose paint. Then, I used a burgundy paint and brushed over the shutter in spots to keep it looking worn. With some clothes pins, we now have a way to display our Christmas cards!

CAKE! Because we truly appreciate teachers!

Well... during the "ice day," I was able to complete 5 large bundt cakes and 5 little cakes as well. They are devil's food cake with white chocolate and mint milk chocolate drizzles. There was a wonderful aroma in the house yesterday!

Snow Day!!! Um... I mean, ICE DAY!!!!

We interrupt this blog for a nice coating of ice on the roads and little babes snug in their beds! I'll be baking and entertaining my children... see ya'll tomorrow!

Tutu order... a Christmas gift

One of my dear "customers" had ordered a tutu this past Summer for her niece. When the girl's little sister saw the tutu she asked, "Where's mine?" So... that very special Aunt asked me to make a tutu in the little girl's favorite colors: pink and orange!

Holly, Jolly Hairbows

16 hairbows, to be exact. All ready for a ballet Christmas party...

Baking... Round 2

I am imagining a rather plump, motherly figure walking around a kitchen stadium carrying a "2" sign instead of some hot, young chick as a "ring girl." We... well mostly the Mr., baked again today.
He was on a roll... chocolate chunk cookies, chocolate peanut butter cookies and two types of fudge. I managed to make two quiche for the freezer and finish a tutu order for Christmas. I am so ready to tuck myself between the sheets and settle for a long Winter's nap! We have had snow, high winds and terrible wind chills... we should have bought the electric mattress pad we were contemplating!

Baking Round 1...

Okay... the holiday cookie menu so far:
peppermint bark
toasted almond chocolate bark
peanut butter blossoms
oatmeal craisin cookies
M&M chocolate chip cookies
and... more tomorrow
I barely sampled any... burp... excuse me ;)

It's beginning to look a lot like...

CHRISTMAS! I promise I'm going to work harder at updating this blog! Happy Holidays to all of you