Sunday, December 20, 2009

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

We have officially arrived at what is to me the best part of the Christmas season: the Happy Anticipation phase. We've moved past the Cheerful-Hustle-And-Bustle phase, right through the Panicked-It-Will-Never-All-Get-Done phase (which, given how terrible a head cold I had last week, teetered dangerously on turning into a Screw-It-There's-Always-Next-Year phase), and now I get to do what I look forward to every year.

Enjoy it.

Gifts are all bought (though not wrapped - there's still time for that). Cards have been mailed. Tree is trimmed, halls are decked, and "Santa is watching" has been completely worn out as a parenting tool. Nothing left to do but eat too much. Ah, how I love the holidays.

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A follow up on my oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Jessica (she of the perfectly lumpy cookies) arrived with her family Friday night, and first thing Saturday morning we had a cookie tutorial. I think we've decided I might have been overmixing the dough by using my standmixer. I'm proud to say I made my own batch of perfect cookies today, and promptly gained 45 pounds. Thanks, Jessie.

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Peppermint bark follow up - on the suggestion of a posting on another website, this year I'm making it with a layer of dark chocolate underneath. Mmmmm.

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Merry merry, everyone.