O Holy Night

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

At least in my kitchen. Tomorrow the kids are putting on some sort of program at school. I think they are going to sing some Holiday songs and do other things. It's a big secret for the parents. The parents are bringing in the sweets. I decided to bring in cut-out sugar cookies with a Christmas theme. After all, that is the big day this month!!!

I found this recipe on the web and it is delicious. The buttercream frosting comes from Mark Bittman's How to cook Everything cookbook. The frosting uses cream as well as butter to make this the most heavenly frosting ever. I only ate two of the cookies this evening.

Our tree is up, as well. We got a real one and the presents are surrounding it. The kids got to open one present each tonight. I always got to open a present early when I was a kid. They were so happy.

We might get to stay here for Christmas Eve and then after the Santa stuff on Christmas, we will drive up to Boston to see Pete's parents. I'm hopeful it will turn out that way. There's just something about watching your kids in your own home opening their presents under their own tree.

I received this in my yahoo email account. It went to the SPAM folder. I called my VISA company and they said don't click on the link. It was not a legitimate email. Wow. There are some nervy people out there. It seems the crooks are getting sneakier and sneakier. Like the two airplane tickets that someone bought in the Ukraine with my husband's debit card earlier this year. Yep, we must always stay on our guard, I guess.


Dear valued Visa Card Customer,

It has come to our attention that your Visa Card information needs to be
reactivated as part of our continuing commitment to protect your card and to
reduce the instance of fraud.
Once you have reactivated your Visa Card records, your card
service will not be interrupted and will continue as normal.

Your Case ID Number is: RT87R7ER8R8D

To reactivate your Visa Card click on the following link:

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Thank You.

Failure to verify your records will result in Card suspension.

Accounts Management As outlined in our User Agreement, Visa will
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It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Last Saturday Clayton and I had Breakfast with Santa. It's amazing how kids can believe and also refreshing. He told Santa he wants a dinosaur. Yep, he's easy when it comes to these things. But, both my kids are smart and they're asking questions that require me to come up with stuff. I can see how it will be a little easier once they know the truth regarding Santa. This might be the last year we have this magic of Christmas since we will be in NYC with the in-laws for Christmas. I will have to lie through my teeth for my kids to not learn the truth this year. The young cousins already know but don't have the wisdom (or unselfishness) to keep it a secret. I really don't want to go there, but I lost that battle. My husband is going to call his sister and try to explain that our kids still believe in Santa and we would like to keep it that way for now.

Speaking of the cousins, my husband are I are going shopping for them this afternoon. Last year our gifts were not great. How do you buy something for a kid that has everything? Seriously, the parents could buy us and sell us 10 times over. The niece wants whatever her big brother gets. Last year, she cried when she opened her gift because it wasn't like his gift. I think this year I will get identical Nerf things or something like that. Like I said, it's hard to buy for these very privileged children.

We are also going to finally get our Christmas tree today. We are so behind on this. Pete has been traveling so much and he insists on going to a farm and cutting it down himself. This, of course, takes preparation like remembering the rope to tie the tree to the car, remembering the snow pants and boots for the kids, etc. I would be fine just buying one that is already cut, but no, it's all about the experience. My experience as a kid consisted of getting the box out of the closet and putting the tree together. I do like the smell of the real trees better but I don't like stepping on the needles.

That's about it for this Tuesday. I'm a little lackluster due to a cold and really I would rather be sleeping. Oh well, how often does a woman get to go shopping with her husband?

it's that busy time of year...

As you know, the kids stayed home on Wednesday because of the weather. I finally went outside with them in the afternoon and helped build this snowman. It was a lot of fun once I got bundled up and went out there. But, the thought of playing in the snow didn't sound fun to me at first. I'm sure I loved it as a kid, though.
Here is Lilly leaping through the snow. She loves it. She's a crazy pup.
And here is the final product from our busy afternoon. I don't know what they named him. Was if Frosty? or Snowy? I'm not sure, but he did have a name.
The kids went back to school today. A welcomed break for this mom. Clayton was home Monday and Tuesday with a cold and fever and then the snow day on Wednesday was more fun than I could stand. :)

I've got a busy weekend coming up. Pete and Kendall will fly to Boston to see my in-laws. So, it will be a mom/son weekend. My neighbor called to request a dessert for a little party she's giving Saturday lunchtime. Tonight, I have my Girls Night Out at a nice restaurant. Saturday morning Clayton and I will be having breakfast with Santa. Saturday afternoon I will be baking cookies for the open house on Sunday at the Centre Volunteers in Medicine and Clayton will go to a birthday party on Sunday afternoon. Phew! I hope I'm not forgetting something.