Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from my family to your family!

ruined Christmas surprise

I ruined another Christmas surprise. I seem to do it almost every year. I don't mean to. In fact this year I was being so careful not to buy myself anything in the month of December. But then I was in Target picking up a few items and I passed the bulletin boards. Usually the last week of December I get organized for the new year (not that the organization carries through for the whole year, but that is another post!) That week, one of the things I do is take down last years pictures that we received at Christmas and put up the new ones. I have been needing a larger bulletin board and decided it was time to buy one. It was not! When I told Tom about my new bulletin board, he got this funny look on his face. I have seen this look before... it is the one that says I had spoiled another one of his Christmas gifts! He went outside and got a roll of cork and told me he had planned to make me a bulletin board. The good news is that now I have a larger bulletin board in my office and will have a bulletin board by my potting table in the garage! The bad news is that I ruined another surprise!

A visit to Santa

We went with Kelly to take Amelia and Asher to visit Santa at the mall.

What a great experience!

Amelia's first glimpse of Santa:

Asher wasn't that excited to meet Santa:

Amelia sitting on Santa's lap:

Santa reading to Amelia:

Asher, Santa, and Amelia:

Santa gave Amelia a candy cane. She loved it. Even if it was messy:

Christmas Candy

There is a tradition in both Tom and my families of making Christmas candies and cookies. My Dad did not cook, but he did make fudge and peanut brittle at Christmas time. Tom's Father

also was the one to make candy. Several years ago, Tom took over making our traditional Christmas goodies. Tom decided that if he was making candy and cookies for our family, he would make some for our neighbors also. The tradition has grown to include our family,

neighbors, postman, banker, church, etc. I think there will be around 20 plates this year.

This was his ingredients list:

3 lbs butter

10 lbs sugar

72 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

3 bags of raw peanuts

1 bag of powdered sugar

12 oz. coconut

24oz box of Rice Krispies

6 bags of marshmallows

8 oz. of chopped pecans

24 oz evaporated milk

1 can condensed milk

4 cups Karo syrup

2 bags of pretzels

vanilla

red and green food coloring

Amelia decided that she wanted to help Papa.

Amelia in her apron waiting her turn to stir.

She was not sure what she thought about the red color.

She liked dropping the coconut balls into the chocolate,

but she did have to be reminded not to lick her fingers!

Tom putting the plates together.

one of the goodies plate

the card Tom enclosed with the goodies

the inside message

Amelia helped deliver the plates to our neighbors.

Having her participate made this years tradition even more special.

Christmas Reflections

This is my favorite time of the day during the Christmas season. I get a cup

of hot chocolate, put on some Christmas music, turn off the house lights, and

enjoy the Christmas lights. It is so peaceful and helps me keep the real reason

we celebrate in mind-- the birth of our Savior!