An ooey-gooey day.

'Tis the season to get in that kitchen and bake massive ridiculous piles of ooey-gooey, sugary, chocolatey, peanutbuttery, pepperminty sweetness... otherwise known as Christmas cookies. And yesterday, as part of my checklist of things to do with Elijah this holiday season, that's just what I did! I am getting to be a regular Martha Stewart these days, if I do say so myself. An afternoon of heart-warming sweaty baking in the kitchen produced the following...

1. A double batch of Toll House Cookies (one white chocolate/caramel chip, the other dark chocolate pecan)
2. A double batch of Peanut Butter Cookies
3. A double batch of Turtle Pretzels
4. A regular batch of this new kind of Chocolate Chip Cookies
5. A regular batch of Peppermint Meltaways

Elijah and I had such a good time together working. While I mixed, scooped, and baked, he helped played in the tupperware cabinet. What a good helper... maybe he'll appreciate the tradition more next year. Speaking of family traditions...

Back on Christmas Kickoff Day I made a list of things I'd like to do this year. So I thought it would be a good idea (as we are approaching the half-way mark) to see how we're doing with our goals.

• Crank up the long awaited Holiday tunes!
• Set up, light, and deck the Christmas tree
• Put out all the decorations
• Hang stockings
• Bake home-made cookies
• Make a crock-pot of hot apple cider
• Light the cinnamon, pine, and cookie scented candles
• Put lights up around the house
• Hang wreaths on the doors
• Swap out my regular Fiestaware for Christmas dishes
• Set the dining room table with pretty red and green linens
• Spend plenty of time with the Grandparents and Greatgrandparents
• Cook a delicious meal with our family
• Dance the CHRISTMAS KICKOUT DANCE
• See the lights at Garvin Park
• Go caroling
• See Handel's Messiah (ok, maybe Elijah can't do that. but I can)
• Go sledding -- no snow yet!
• Make home-made ornaments
• Make caramel corn
• Attend a cookie exchange
• Count down with an Advent calendar
• Celebrate St. Nicholas Day
• Read the Christmas story as a family

Well it looks like we're making some progress, but there is still so much holiday fun to be had!