December

By the time Thanksgiving is over, Christmas shopping is in full swing and I get inundated with custom jewelry orders.  I'm not complaining, just explaining why I haven't have time to recount in great detail the nuances of our daily life on this here blog.  Having a business at home that works well with our family has been a huge blessing, and I am so thankful that it's FUN unlike say, medical coding. 

In order to feel like my life in December is not all about jewelry and a toddler I have taken breaks here and there to decorate for Christmas and bake.  We have a Christmas tree (a real one at that) for the first time in years!  Oh yeah, I forgot I already told you that.  My favorite ornaments are those we've brought home from our trips to Bermuda, our Caribbean cruise, Montreal, California, Florida, our honeymoon (Williamsburg, Okracoke).  And I like the ones from my childhood like this jar-lid ornament from preschool thirty years ago. On the back is a frog made of fingerprints and I still remember making it.

Our favorite cookies (double chocolate with white chips and either peppermint crumbles or Craisins) have gotten easier; I used to make them from scratch and now I just buy the envelope mix and stir in the extras.  I would like to know, however, why one can't purchase pre-crushed peppermint candy.

Even though I've taken breaks to embrace Christmas amidst the busy-ness, I've been kind of stressed (ask Steve).  But now that my jewelry order queue is finite (the deadline was Sunday) I feel like I can relax a little and enjoy my family and friends again.  So if I don't get right back to blogging about our household minutiae, know that we are all doing well and enjoying much yuletide cheer.