It's the Most Wonderful Time

It really is, you know. Despite my whining about the snow and the cold and not having enough money to buy people what I really want to get them, there's something incredibly magical about Christmas. I slow down a little at Christmas and let myself get caught up in the mystery of it. Seeing a Christmas tree, even my lil fake three-foot out of the box and arrange-your-own-boughs tree... it just sets a peace in my soul that nothing else can.

I made cookies today, with Tracy. We made buckeyes, those so-rich-I-can-only-eat-ONE peanut butter balls, and the peanut butter cookies with the Hershey's kiss in the middle. Sensing a theme? I'm on vacation until Wednesday and today was a perfect day to stay in and bake and feel domestic. The snow continues to descend from the heavens- we've got at least 6-8 inches on the ground. We had so much left over chocolate from dipping the buckeyes that I've gone on a dipping rampage. I've dipped left over peanut butter cookies that we had no kisses for, mini cinnamon graham sticks and a whole bag of pretzel rods- TWICE. I finally got rid of most of the chocolate. I couldn't let it go to waste!! And now I have even more cookies to give away.

One of my favorite memories of growing up was when my mom allowed me to pick which cookie cutters we would use for cutouts. She has at least 15 different shapes for Christmas and I was allowed free reign over which ones I wanted... so much power! The sleigh... the Santa... the star, of course... the Christmas tree... and the angel. And the teddy bear!! I still get excited when it's time to help my mom with the cookies. I'm excited that I can bring a few to her this year, already constructed.

Happy pre-holidays.