Friday, December 21, 2012

Cookie Baking Marathon with the Grandkids



I'm all through with cookies, although I don't have any at my house.  I baked with my granddaughter, and with my daughter and grandson, 7 kinds,  about 54 dozen.  They are using them for gifts and have shared them at school and at work.   I don't want to eat another cookie.  Not from taste-testing, I really only tried a few.   My boyfriend made the dozen or so I brought home vanish quickly.
Amber loves gingersnaps and makes them perfectly round and bakes them just right!


 My grandson, Gary, 16 years old, just passed his driver ed exam.   Yikes!
Took a homework break to help us out with the Spritz and was quite good at it!
 He also sampled the others and said, " I'll come out again
 when you've made the chocolate chip cookies!"


My daughter and I bake cookies every year.  
     Laughing and baking away!


Well, now I'm just about over a 48 hour bug of some sort that knocked me off my feet, so now I'm behind with my Christmas preparations, more that ever.  I'm so glad we got the baking done before I got sick!
Today, I realized that this illness made me jump-start a diet, because I  haven't eaten for two days, have totally lost my appetite.  So now, I just have to start eating the right stuff, right?  Tea and chicken soup for tonight, though.  I am drinking lots of water, appreciating my general health, (usually very good), as I  recover from this nasty setback.


Thomas , in the back, next to one of the wise men


  I took Thomas, now 2, across the street to see  baby Jesus in the neighbor's nativity scene,
and while I was trying to get a picture, he hopped on the camel.  Didn't understand that it was not a riding toy.  I did get a picture of him next to one of the kings, but he's extremely hard to photograph, never still for a moment!    He didn't think much of Santa either!


I went to a school program for a third grader friend who was awarded the Student of the Month Award.  At first, I cried when I saw the children, reminded of  the precious ones we lost in the Newton, Ct. shooting.  But my heart was uplifted to see the  eager young faces of really good kids with their marvelous  teachers. The speaker talked about Respect.  Each month they focus on a quality of building good character.   I am so thankful to see young people and their caregivers and nurturers learning compassion, trustworthyness, good workmanship, leadership and respect.
 The teacher read this:

List of Christmas Gift Suggestions
                                                              by Oren Arnold
 to your enemy- forgiveness
to an opponent-tolerance
to a friend-your heart
to a customer-service
to all-charity
to every child- a good example
to yourself-respect
I am really glad I got to make cookies with my grandkids, and take my friend to her grandson's school program.  Whatever things I didn't get done. as far as my decorating and shopping is concerned isn't important.  Last weekend,  I did manage a night out with my sweetie. We went to historic Cape May to see the Christmas festivities.
 
Shop windows were splendid!
The magnificent  parlor tree in Congress Hall, Cape May, N.J.
Charlie Brown Christmas in a store window
Hey, remember these?
 You can by these reproduction bubble lights from the "five-and-dime"
 in Cape May, or from catalogs, like the Vermont Country Store.
 Some reproduction toys in the nostalgic  5 and 10 cent store in Cape May, N. J.

In the middle of the craziness getting your house ready for company,
 making sure you've cooked all the right food, bought all the right presents,
remember what we are celebrating and what really matters.
God sent his son Jesus, to show us how to love one another,
  how to care for one another,  and to save us all from sin. 
Merry Christmas!  Celebrate the gift of God's son!
May your hearts and homes be filled with love,  peace, and hope!  
Love, Linda 

1 comment:

Manuela@A Cultivated Nest said...

Christmas blessings to you and your family!