I'm dreaming of a White Christmas

Baltimore will be having its white Christmas this year. There is more snow on the ground right now than we usually get in the whole of winter. The total amount for our area is listed at 20.5 inches.
To make our life a little easier (not much!) we shoveled twice yesterday while it snowed. This morning we shoveled the rest of the snow, the little bit that fell after it got dark, and the fort of snow at the end of the driveway left by the plows as they cleared the road. The kids played, of course, and went sledding.
See our snow photos HERE.

Lucky, lucky kids

Our kids are lucky - very lucky. We let them open their gifts before we leave on our holiday travels! Ever since we wrapped the gifts last weekend the kids had been begging to open them. They had poked, squeezed, and shaken every package, and couldn't wait any longer! Today was rough on them. They knew Jim was coming home early for our "Christmas" but they didn't know just how early. All day they were trying to distract themselves... but it wasn't working well. They sorted out the presents... and put them back under the tree. They played on the computer. They sorted out the presents... and put them back under the tree. They returned their library books and dvd's. They ate snacks. They sorted out the presents... and put them back under the tree.They took "naps." They took baths. And just when they couldn't stand it any longer, Jim came home. After a quick living room clean-up we let them do what they had been waiting for all day long. Presents!

Holiday traditions

We have quite a few holiday traditions in our family, and today we followed through with a Baltimore-based one. We headed up to Kenilworth to see the model trains they have set up around their center fountain. These are not beautiful, prize-winning layouts; they are FUN! It is as if you were told to use every toy figure you had (or could find!), and to somehow fit it all together. The kids had so much fun pointing out favorite characters (Bugs Bunny, R2D2, Jimmy Neutron, etc.) and pushing buttons to make different parts of the set-up move. My favorite? The Wizard of Oz section, complete with yellow brick road, flying wicked witch, and turning tornado!

Plates of cookies for Christmas

(cranberry cookies - a favorite for many people!)

This year I did a better job of planning out my holiday schedule. I knew I would need to start on things earlier than in previous years - if I wanted to get it all done without a meltdown!

This weekend will be my marathon. The cookie dough is all made, portioned out, and frozen. I will spend one day baking sheet after sheet of cookies, and one day dipping sheet after sheet of chocolates. Then I will make up cookie plates for friends, family, and the office. Hopefully there will be some left over for us!

This is my list of Christmas treats:

candied pecans
Oreo truffles
Buckeyes
Martha Washingtons (new this year, a cherry-coconut-pecan cream filled chocolate)
cream cheese mints
date pinwheels
frosted sugar cookies
cranberry cutouts
molasses crinkles

Are you hungry?

Pop Culture for Lunch

I had to sort through some stuff stored away in the basement recently. A good portion of the previously unopened boxes turned out to be things from high school, including a bunch of portfolios from art class. I wish I had time (and the studio stocked with supplies!) to do more of that sort of stuff. Oh well. For now I focus on the family part of life.

HERE you will find an interesting combination of art, pop culture, and parenting. Apparently some people have the time to keep up on their hobbies. Oh, if you look beyond the art you will find some unlikely match-ups; my favorite: Batman vs. Darth Vadar.