The Eve of Christmas Eve

I saved all of my baking until today.  I wrapped presents yesterday and wrapped soap.  I went into town and delivered soap and picked up the last couple of things that I just decided I could not do with out, and went to the giant Publix on Thomasville Road and bought potatoes and pickles, olives, etc.  Last night I finished up the script for the Christmas pageant.  I looked up new jokes for my brother to use during his part.  I searched the Internet for certain bible passages, listened to You Tube videos for the music and got a lot of things done.  But I left my baking to today.  I tend to do too much in case you have not noticed, so by leaving it until today I could not loose my mind.  

I baked four loaves for my Mother's recipe for Nut Bread.  Two came out great, the other two came out odd looking, but hopefully they will taste alright.  I made mini cranberry orange loaves, refrigerator cookies and chocolate mice.  Kim and I always make chocolate mice.  It goes back to the year before the mice infestation.  I do not have very good linear memory, but I remember that we saw them made on TV and have been making them ever since.  Kim's are fancy with painted eyes.  I always make blind mice.

Chocolate mice

Aren't they cute?  They are made by dipping maraschino cherries in chocolate.  Then while the chocolate is still wet and gooey you push a Hershey chocolate kiss up to the chocolate covered cherry then slip 2 slivers of almonds in for ears.  Then if you are like me, you are done.  Just let them sit on wax paper or foil to harden up.  Or if you are like Kim, using tube decorating icing to make eyes.  First two drops of white, then in the middle a smaller drop of blue or green or whatever eye color you like.  That is it.  Easy and cute.

So my presents are wrapped.  The car is semi packed, the food is as ready as it needs to be until I get to Dad's.  I need to pack and get to bed.  Oh, and print the Christmas pageant.  We have a little bit of everything to please all the parts of Christmas that bring joy.  Ending with the girls doing a Rockette number to Amy Winehouse singing, I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus.  Snappy and not too long.  I mean you can only kick for so long. 

I hope everyone enjoys this holiday season however you celebrate it, or don't celebrate it.  I love this time of year.  I love the music, the lights, the decorations, the presents, the smiles and sparkle in the children and the child like grown ups eyes.  The Christmas specials, especially, Olive the Other Reindeer, and all the sappy Christmas movies.  So may the joy and love of the season fill your heart.  And may this coming year be filled with challenges that are not more then we can handle, the joy and happiness be overflowing. 

Happy Hanukkah
Happy Christmas
and next weekend my sister Sioux will come up to celebrate New Year's with me. 
What a wonderful way to welcome the new year in.
love to all