The Year That Was

See, it's like this: I'd love to do a deeply philosophical, intro-spective, and moving post about the end of 2009, but I CAN'T! I'm just TIRED of 2009! I've got kids in college, kid graduating high school, kid in the workforce, kid moving back home, my dog dying on me just before Christmas, and I STILL haven't made any Christmas cookies!!!!

Right now, I'm sitting in the lobby of a very old (think Art Deco) Hotel in Hot Springs, Arkansas, sipping my very own drink, feeling very happy (the first 2 things are not un-related), and waiting to get dolled up for a New Year's Eve Gala Dinner-Dance. Which should, if all goes well, get me into 2010. With champagne, I might add.

All this to say, it has been a year to put behind us. Let's have new beginnings (NOT "change!!!!") and a new outlook. We're driving home tomorrow afternoon, possibly with a new dog(s), and life begins again.

Then I'm making those cookies. Enjoy your year. (be nice to me, & I might send you some cookies)

Christmas Eve

It's Christmas Eve! WHY are you reading blogs????? Go celebrate the Reason for the Season!!!!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas

It's beginning to smell a lot like Christmas at my house. Why, do you ask? A simple reason: on Monday, we made 32 (that's thirty-two) pounds of fudge. Don't believe me? Here are the numbers: 30 cups of sugar (which worked out to about 13 pounds), 5 large jars of marshmallow cream, 4 pounds of real butter, 7 1/2 pounds of chocolate, and over 6 1/2 cups of evaporated milk. Plus, the required 30 minutes of cooking on the stove, and the seemingly interminable stirring at various times to incorporate everything.

The end result is the aforementioned 32 pounds, somewhat evenly spaced between 5 rimmed baking sheets. The kids all got a very soft square while it was still warm, and we're giving most of the rest away to friends. It's what we do - I love to make it, but there's no way on God's not-so-green earth that I'd leave that much chocolate hanging around. Hey, I'm trying to LOSE weight here.

Add to that the Christmas cookies I hope to start making REAL soon now, along with the white chocolate-dipped Oreos & Oreo truffles I made on Monday. Hey, Santa's gotta have cookies, right?

So, all this to say, nest with your loved ones, make treats this week, and celebrate Jesus!

Happy Christmas to all, and to all a Good Night!