It's almost time...

I have not really taken any Christmas photo's yet and only have this one tree pic as I took a test shot before posing some friends next to it.
Looking at the tree, I realized I should have taken a picture of it as soon as it was decorated, where every thing was perfect. Now as you can see, the garland is drooping, some ornaments are backwards as the tree has taken the blunt of being a hiding place, or place of adventure for Dyllan's action figures.
It is the perfect tree. So full and fat.
Looks better at night and I promise to take more pictures when It's lit and decorated with silver icicles on Christmas eve.

Baking.
For the record, I don't love to bake gingerbread people cause I'm always second guessing if they are done.
They are already brown so it's hard for me to tell sometimes.
Christmas time is the only time I really and truly bake from scratch. And it's a week long process. I baked from Monday till last Saturday morning.
I cheated on a few items to save some money. That tub of toll house choc. chip cookie dough from Costco? I baked the whole tub. All 96 cookies. I also used Betty Crocker cookie mix for my gingerbread people and oatmeal cookies.
But I did bake from scratch the following:
Fudge krinkle cookies
Peppermint cookies
Sugar cut out cookies made with Cream Cheese
Lemon Stars with Lemon glaze
Raspberry pointsetta cookies , half dipped in chocolate
~ I'll have recipes and more photo's posted soon~
Mon, Tuesday, Wed..we had playdate friends over for cookie decorating.
Sat. we had Brian's family over for my homemade Swedish meatballs and more cookie decorating!
Sunday (yesterday) The girls from my Scrapbook group
came over for scrapbooking, food, prizes, laughter and a cookie exchange.
I made a last minute appetizer that dissapeared with-in minutes! So easy when you are entertaining on a budget!
Line a cookie sheet that will fit in your broiler with parchment paper. Arrange one ream (roll) of Ritz crackers face up on the sheet. Slice 3-4 hotdogs of your choice 1/2" thick, place on crackers. Sprinkle with generous amounts of a chedder/jack shredded cheese blend. Broil till cheese is melted. Delicious!

~ Another rainy day here, to which I can't complain as we need it!
Going to take Dyllan to the store soon for our Christmas day dinner. It just the 3 of us so we are keeping it simple. I have a Jiffy Pop planned for Christmas eve plus some crafts to do with the family. On Christmas morning, I have a ready made Monkey Bread in the freezer and for dinner, I'll do ham, sweet potatoes, scalloped potaoes, mac and cheese, rolls and edamame beans. We all love these and they are fun to eat! Cookies for dessert and we are set!
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Hope you all are having a safe and warm Holiday and I'll catch up with you soon!
~Michelle