A Change of Plan...

Yesterday, I had another marathon baking day, finishing a few more cookie types and making the dough for cut outs. I had a minor disaster when all the pecan Tassies stuck to the pans...threw out the entire batch. No Tassies this year. Otherwise, everything went smoothly and ,in the end, I had the kitchen back to normal. (which means you can see the countertop!)

Snickerdoodles cooling on the rack, the next batch in the oven

My trusty Kitchen Aid took a beating, but was lovingly cleaned at the end of the day. Job well done!

The fancy decorated cookies come tomorrow.
Here is a sample of the finished cookies: Cherry snowballs, one surviving Tassie, Rangers, Peanut Blossoms, Chocolate haystacks, 7-layer bars,Chocolate M&M pretzels, Italian Wedding cookies, Chocolate dipped Ritz bits, Double chocolate chip cookies, Snickerdoodles, and Lemon Poppyseed tea cookies.

I also made some Toffee-chocolate candies and the dough for sugar cookie cut outs. The only thing left to do is Spritz and fudge. Then I pack up boxes for the kids who can't be here, and a few friends. We got a box from Andy's in-laws in Japan, and once again have bags and boxes of mystery snacks! Mr Wazoo especially likes sampling them and figuring out what each one is. I send my home made cookies and some snacks they don't have there, like Chex Mix. Mine gets there for New Year's Day. Theirs is always on time for Christmas...sigh.

The cookie stash is growing!

Our gift from Japan. It's a mystery to us what these things are...

The box going to Japan. There will be Chex Mix and some Godiva treats, too.

Chocolate Toffee candies

Molly got her holiday fluff and buff, so she's all ready for her close-up

Today I'll be on the road. I am going to NC to get Carolyn for Christmas. We'll chill there overnight and head back here tomorrow morning early. Andy, Chikako and Dechen come tomorrow evening, and then the fun begins.

Merry Christmas to everyone out there in blogland. Enjoy you day as much as I hope we will.

Countdown to Christmas!!

Back from NC and in high gear to get the final tasks accomplished before Christmas. First, and most important, I am DONE shopping!! Yesterday, I wrapped the gifts while baking the first batch of Christmas cookies, and got them under the tree.

The last two quilts are bound, wrapped and under the tree.

The tree even looks good in the morning sunlight!

Oooo!! Presents for everyone.

We had one procrastinating customer bring a tee shirt quilt for her grandson, and we couldn't say no. I quilted it quickly and she'll have it in the mail today. I'll bet she was binding like crazy last night. Not me! I watched Holiday Inn for the umteeth time, and went to bed early. I will be baking all day today, so I needed my cookie-sleep!

I'm sure Grandma is happy to have this done!

Ha ha ha!! Me either!!

Panto: Dazzle, of course.

Have a jingle bell day, dear readers!

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No quilting...just family fun!

We are in Charlotte for the weekend, visiting Carolyn and preparing for our stellar Christmas gift from her...we're going to the Packers game!! The Packers play the Charlotte Panthers today, and we have tickets! Merry Christmas!!
While we've been here, Mr Wazoo assembled an IKEA dresser, and I set up the Christmas tree and repaired the quilt I made years ago for her bed. The binding had come undone on one side for about 4 inches. No biggie, a few minutes with needle and thread, and she's good to go.

New dresser with the appropriate decorations

Tree up and ready for the ornamentation

Bento Box quilt, all fixed.

The cat watched me sew, making sure I wasn't doing anything wrong.

She tries to squeeze her fluff into the smallest window perch!

While we took over the apartment, Carolyn participated in a Christmas 5K run. They gave the participants a shirt and headgear to wear. Here are a few pictures of that.

Long underwear under your clothes was the order of the day, since the temperature was 28 degrees!!

The Charlotte skyline behind the runners.

It really is a beautiful city.

Our weekend is winding down, and after the game and dinner out, we'll get a good night's sleep and make the drive home tomorrow. It has been a rejuvenation weekend, sleeping in without a dog waking me up at 6 to go out...Molly has been staying with her pal, Bullwinkle, and his family. She has had the time of her life with new smells and lounging on their couch by the fire. Ah, a dog's life

I'm ready!!