I hope everyone has been enjoying their holidays. I have certainly been enjoying the season. You might have even noticed I took a little vacation from the computer (not planned, just happened). It's been crazy at times, but fun nonetheless. On several occasions, our family enjoyed visiting Santa and different Christmas light displays. We watched Rebecca and Katherine dance in the Littlest Nutcracker. On numerous occasions, we snuggled up to Christmas classics like White Christmas, Rudolph, Frosty the Snowman, and A Christmas Story. We read countless Christmas themed books, including The Night Before Christmas.  I've listened to nonstop Christmas music since Thanksgiving (okay maybe a little bit earlier than that). My husband and I celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary (and even took our girls to visit the B&B where we were married). We baked Sherry cakes and countless cookies, with much of my cookie inspiration coming from Pioneer Woman . We made graham cracker houses.

Wow! I can't believe how fast the holiday season is flying by. I have/had so many plans yet there seems to be such little time. A common theme in life, especially mine (too many ideas, too little time). Unfortunately I also lost a few days because of Strep throat. I did take advantage of the down time to watch Christmas movies (White Christmas, The Santa Clause trilogy, etc..), so holiday cheer still ensued as I recovered. And I am feeling much better now. So today I plan on enjoying some holiday baking and crafting. And a cookie exchange tomorrow night! Bring on the holidays... Fah who for-aze! Fah who for-aze!  Dah who dor-aze! Dah who dor-aze!  Welcome Christmas, Welcome Christmas, Come this way! Come this way! 

The Christmas season is in full swing and Wow! it does get busy, doesn't it? I can't believe the last time I posted here was Saturday. It feels like that was just a day or two ago, but really it's almost an entire week. We've been busy decorating for Christmas and trying to keep up with the everyday stuff like work and school and meals and laundry, etc.. You get the idea. Earlier this week we went to the mall to visit Santa. For the past two years, our Santa pictures have been a family photo because that's the only way Katherine would get near the man in red (see here and here ). Well this year was different. As we were talking Rebecca into going up to Santa and telling her she needed to be brave for her sister (because Rebecca all of a sudden decided she was shy), we turned to see Katherine basically take a running leap into Santa's lap. It was the sweetest thing. She then made sure to tell him her wish--she wants pink cowgirl boots like big sis and......A