The Week Before Christmas
This week before Christmas has been a busy one. I finished all my baking-9 confections in all (iced cinnamon roll cookies, iced pumpkin cookies, peanut butter balls, chocolate truffles, spritz butter cookies, lemon bells, gumdrop fudge, cranberry swirl biscotti and chocolate fruitcake). I know fruitcake...yuck! Before you knock it, you have to try it. This is NOT your ordinary candied, dried fruitcake. It has coconut, chocolate chips, maraschino cherries, canned pineapple, walnuts and pecans. It is soooo good. I was in the kitchen from last Saturday until this Friday when I assembled all the treat trays.
I did most of the Christmas shopping on Wednesday morning and then Jarom and I went back out when he got home and we finished it up-gifts, stocking stuffers, wrapping paper-everything. I even wrapped it all the same day, except for some shirts that I still need to hand embroider. I'm sure I'll finish the shirts tomorrow, after which I can wrap them and I'll be all done with everything.
We delivered the treat trays this evening after I helped make cookies at the neighbors. We missed some of our friends but had a very nice visit with Sydney and we are planning to get together after the New Year. We may just get together for our birthdays.
Late this afternoon, I was at the neighbors. They were supposed to make sugar cookies but Leanne just had so much to do that they weren't going to do it. I didn't have any homemade sugar cookie dough but I did have some store-bought from Pillsbury, so I took it to them, after which I stayed and helped. Leanne rolled out the dough and Madyson cut it with the cookie cutter while I tried to entertain Trenton and keep him from trying to get the cookie dough off the counter. Once they were baked and cooled, Leanne and I frosted them and Madyson decorated them with sprinkles. It was fun.
Tomorrow, we will bathe the dogs. Tuesday, I will wash the dogs bed and blankets and any last minute laundry, pack our bags, the presents and anything else we need for our trip. Wednesday morning, we will hit the road for the 10+ hour road trip home. It is only supposed to be a 10 hour drive, but with the holidays and the fact that we will most likely hit the Portland-Metro area around rush-hour, it will be closer to 12 hours. We'll just have to see how it goes, at least we can share the driving and take turns.
I didn't get our Christmas cards out. They will be going out after Christmas. I really didn't want to fight all the people and traffic to mail them when I mailed the Culpepper gifts. I ended up having the Culpepper gifts picked up here at the house so I didn't get any stamps. I will get them after Christmas and mail them then. I'm sorry, everyone, that they are late!
I'm so excited to have Christmas with my parents and sister! I know I was home last year, but I didn't get to spend Christmas Day with my parents. We arrived the following Saturday. This will be my/our first official Christmas with my parents (on Christmas Day) in nine years. I can't wait!
Merry Christmas, everyone!!
I did most of the Christmas shopping on Wednesday morning and then Jarom and I went back out when he got home and we finished it up-gifts, stocking stuffers, wrapping paper-everything. I even wrapped it all the same day, except for some shirts that I still need to hand embroider. I'm sure I'll finish the shirts tomorrow, after which I can wrap them and I'll be all done with everything.
We delivered the treat trays this evening after I helped make cookies at the neighbors. We missed some of our friends but had a very nice visit with Sydney and we are planning to get together after the New Year. We may just get together for our birthdays.
Late this afternoon, I was at the neighbors. They were supposed to make sugar cookies but Leanne just had so much to do that they weren't going to do it. I didn't have any homemade sugar cookie dough but I did have some store-bought from Pillsbury, so I took it to them, after which I stayed and helped. Leanne rolled out the dough and Madyson cut it with the cookie cutter while I tried to entertain Trenton and keep him from trying to get the cookie dough off the counter. Once they were baked and cooled, Leanne and I frosted them and Madyson decorated them with sprinkles. It was fun.
Tomorrow, we will bathe the dogs. Tuesday, I will wash the dogs bed and blankets and any last minute laundry, pack our bags, the presents and anything else we need for our trip. Wednesday morning, we will hit the road for the 10+ hour road trip home. It is only supposed to be a 10 hour drive, but with the holidays and the fact that we will most likely hit the Portland-Metro area around rush-hour, it will be closer to 12 hours. We'll just have to see how it goes, at least we can share the driving and take turns.
I didn't get our Christmas cards out. They will be going out after Christmas. I really didn't want to fight all the people and traffic to mail them when I mailed the Culpepper gifts. I ended up having the Culpepper gifts picked up here at the house so I didn't get any stamps. I will get them after Christmas and mail them then. I'm sorry, everyone, that they are late!
I'm so excited to have Christmas with my parents and sister! I know I was home last year, but I didn't get to spend Christmas Day with my parents. We arrived the following Saturday. This will be my/our first official Christmas with my parents (on Christmas Day) in nine years. I can't wait!
Merry Christmas, everyone!!
