Christmas Preparations

I have to tell you, it was difficult getting into the Christmas spirit this year, but we're trying.  I'd really like to thank everyone out there for being so supportive with messages and cards.  It was so appreciated.  I never realized how much a kind word can change the outlook in a persons day.  I'm sorry to say that I didn't even start my Christmas cards this year, so please forgive me.  Honestly, we've been spending a lot of time together as a family and I've been hugging my kids a lot.

A big time saver for me this year was shopping on line.  I despise crowds and long lines anyway, so for me, it's totally worth it to price compare on line and then click and ship.  I was surprised at how many items I was able to get shipped for free by googling for online coupons for the different stores.  I saved a bunch that way.  If you don't do that already, check it out.  Wow!

We put the tree up on the first Sunday of December, like we always do.  Now that my kids are older, I just wrap most of the presents as I buy them and stick them under the tree.

The stockings were hung by the chimney on the book case with care and almost immediately the Christmas Elf starts filling them each day with little trinkets.   I'll tell ya, my kids get a bigger kick out of checking their stockings every morning than they do about almost anything else.  It's the most favored tradition in our family and one that I'm glad I started when they were little.  Almost every night the elf visits and leaves a small gift in one or two of the stockings.  The kids would always get up quickly on December mornings to see who got a gift.  They were allowed to remove it from the stocking, squeeze and shake it and even guess what it might be.  So much fun for such a simple thing!

How many different varieties of cookies do you make for Christmas?  We're whipping up about 14 different kinds this year.  We usually start around the 1st of December and make a batch per day until we're done, but with all the turmoil around here this year, we got a really late start.  As of right now, we only have 2 batches left to make, so I don't think we did bad at all.  Here's Chablis with the recipe scrapbook I made for her last year.  She's been adding new recipes all year and this year she really learned how to cook.  I'm quite proud of her!

Lucky always has to lay right in the middle of the kitchen whenever we bake.

Petey sits and hopes for a crumb or two to hit the floor....

Tony likes to help make and smell the cookies, but he sticks to his apples, thank you very much....

5 days until Christmas and we're back on track.  Most of the food for Christmas dinner has been purchased, house cleaning started, baking almost done, tree and stockings up and most of the gifts wrapped.  Christmas music is constantly playing in the background.  Hugs and kisses all around.

Mint Pastry Cookies

Gayle over at The White House Blog got me motivated tonight, and since I was home all by my lonesome, I decided to take down all the Christmas decorations and get my house back.  No, I'm not in a bah-humbug mood, it's just that our house isn't really very big, so after a couple of weeks of tripping over the tree and all the decorations, I'm ready to put everything away.  DONE!  Bring on New Years!

Anyway, Chablis and I wanted to share another really yummy cookie recipe with y'all.  I originally got the recipe from my sister, and we just modified it just a bit, but if you like sugary, flaky cookies stuffed with chocolate mint candy, then you will probably want to read this post....

2 cups flour
2 sticks UNSALTED butter
1/3 cup half and half OR whipping cream
Some sugar in a bowl
30 - 36 thin mint wafers  -   We use the Andes Candies......

In a large mixer bowl combine the flour, butter and half & half.  Beat at low speed for about 2 minutes.  Cover dough and chill for about 2 hours.

Then roll out your dough on a floured surface, to about 1/4" thickness and cut with 2" round cookie cutters.

Dip both sides of each 2" round in some sugar.  Place on a cookie sheet and lay 1 mint on each.  Fold in half and pinch the edges....

Bake at 400 degrees for 8 - 10 min. or until the edges are lightly browned....

Let them cool and then quickly hide them because I guarantee they are not going to lay around in your cookie jar for long.  These are ummm....uummmmm..... goood!!