The Christmas Cookie

It's seems as though every Christmas that comes and goes has an underlying theme to it. This year's theme was "cookies". I have never seen so many cookies, been given so many cookies and eaten so many cookies as I did during the month of December.



I was given a cookie that was "a blast from the past". My mother used to make these cookie wreaths.



And I was given some new and very creative cookies.



In addition to cookie gifts, I was invited to a Coffee House that served, of all things, cookies!



Mason's 4th grade class hosted a Coffee House to present the poetry that the students had written.



Mason presented his three poems (written on the index cards) to a room full of parents. He spoke slowly, clearly and left the parents laughing at a funny poem.







As usual, Mason couldn't resist being silly.



I have to end this post quickly. I have a little black dress waiting on me. After all, it is New Year's Eve and we have big plans. Hope everyone has fun ringing in 2012.

Happy New Year to All.

A Tropical Christmas

What actually makes a Christmas tropical? For starters, living in Florida where holiday light displays include alligators.



Where homemade gifts from a brother to a sister can be made out of palm fronds.



A place where gifts from Santa (new bikes) can actually be used that day.



It's a place where a surf and turf Christmas dinner can be grilled outdoors.



Where even a friendly game of Apples to Apples draws a special card.



A tropical Christmas usually ends with a quick trip to a crowded the beach for a sunset celebration.



It's a place where you can hop on a beach hayride with Rudolph.



And make a toast to another Christmas come and gone.



Bye Nana, we miss you!



Bye Grandpa, we miss you! Please join us again for another tropical Christmas in Florida.



Next post, the Christmas cookie.

Decking the Halls with...

things we are loving this week.

Finally a tree with ornaments, not just lights!


Finding reasonably priced airline tickets for a young lady's
first solo trip to Dallas for New Years




A young boy who still enjoys Cookies with Santa and making reindeer food .


Scoring a good gift at a Yankee Gift Exchange. Even better for taking the best gift to the exchange, it was passed around at least four times.






Making the best out of our weather, who says we can't have a White Christmas even though we live in Florida?


Discovering new holiday ales.

Finding the "silver lining" in the extra postage needed for this year's Christmas cards. Not many families get to have a dolphin on their stamp.

Stay tuned, more holiday loves to come.

Lighting Up Our Holidays

The house is beginning to look a little more festive.



Nothing tastes more like the holidays than gingerbread men. Thanks Aunt Deborah, you are so creative!



We have been busy stringing lights.





But we took a break last night and headed downtown for the annual 5th Ave Christmas parade. Looks like Santa is lighting up his holidays.



How are you going to light up yours?