baking

wishing a wonderful christmas eve day to you and yours.



the weather is somewhat dreary today, but i feel very productive and awake. since mom gave the green light on christmas cookies last night, i'm going to be putting the dough together in just a bit since it has to be refrigerated before we can roll it out. i'll definitely double the original recipe, that should make just enough cookies to leave out for santa, and enjoy for ourselves.



hope you are having a wonderful, restful day at home and aren't needing to rush out for last-minute christmas shopping, as i'm sure the shops are a nightmare!

a cozy evening...

happy holidays to you and yours on this, the night before christmas eve! the presents at our home are finally all wrapped. tomorrow will include a large-scale cookie baking operation and paper star-making roster of activities!



after a very long, busy day of finishing up our christmas shopping amidst large christmas crowds and wrapping up said gifts, it's nice to finally sit on the couch and relax. i had a minor little scare, when it seemed that hundreds of pictures on my camera's memory card had been lost, but thanks to an exhaustive photo recovery program (downloaded for free), i'll have them back soon enough.



there is something i absolutely love about vintage christmas cards and pictures. the best features of christmas seem to be absolutely heightened in these nostalgic images, laughing and smiling faces and jolly santas bouncing across victorian snowfalls and town squares. delightful!

cookies!!!

every christmas at our house involves a pretty hefty day of cookie baking. this year, we've had a lot of dinners and such that have involved making sweet treats of other kinds, so in an effort to not all blow up like balloons, we've put cookie baking on the back burner.

besides the pre-christmas break cookie-making session i had with my boyfriend (who surprisingly turned out to be a wonderful and willing baking partner!), i am yearning for some cathartic cooking.

shopping

somehow there is still so much christmas shopping to do! my christmas list has a way of getting much longer towards the very end of the holiday season. and i usually don't wait until the last minute to check it all off. but today, you'll find me out and about, scooping up those last couple packages.

wish me luck!

lebkuchen!

only two more days until christmas!



throughout the christmas season, we love to go to the davenport hotel in downtown to take in lots of free christmas events. after thanksgiving, we always go to christmas tree elegance. at this time of the month, we like to look at the gingerbread houses (this year on display from december 12 to 25) of the christ kitchen gingerbread build-off and display.

today marks the fourth sunday before christmas...only one week to the most magical day of the year! we enjoyed the day with a lazy start to the morning, a gathering with wonderful friends (who i consider family), and topped a delicious meal off with some spiced wine at home.

christmas relaxation is in full swing here...a wonderful holiday season to you and yours.