Joe Gets a Leg Lamp!

We had a wonderful Christmas with Joe's family.
But Joe couldn't hide his happy grin after all his siblings surprised him with a leg lamp. He can't even remember how many years he had put a leg lamp on his Christmas wish lists. He certainly didn't expect it this year... but was this close to buying it himself. Very close.
Besides he got a Red Ryder b-b gun from his favorite cousin to go with his lamp, plus an Indiana Jones hat. It was like all his childhood dreams had come true.
This is a picture that Joe himself took to depict his glorious Christmas day. I was just happy to be with Joe as a little boy at heart.

Leg Lamp Cookies, Frosted

We frosted our Christmas cookies tonight. It was fun... but we are glad we do this only once a year! I think we have enough leg lamp cookies.
You can't forget the pink nightmares!
Enough of cookies.... The bare-looking front of our house was bothering me. It needed something Christmasy. But I didn't want to get anything too commercial and fake. Our floral designer at my work Jeff made me a twiggy wreath, using twigs from his garden. Can't get any more natural and real. It fit by our front door perfect. For Christmas I put a silver bow... which should be good for the New Year. I want to re-decorate it for different seasons in the future. Thank you, Jeff!
From our home on Mitchell Avenue, Merry Christmas to everyone!!

Leg Lamp Cookies!

Once again, we are making Christmas cookies to share. Tonight was our first round... Joe used up a whole batch of cookie dough to make nothing but leg lamp shapes.
It was me who made a little mess of flour....
Joe's leg lamp cookie assembly line.
Here's Joe holding his cookies freshly out of the oven....
Another round maybe tomorrow night. We still need to frost these cookies!

Should've Been a Snow Day!

It started snowing... I think on Friday, and hasn't quit. This morning our car couldn't have gotten out of our driveway. The actual snow accumulation might have been 14 inches, but snow drifts were up to four feet. Joe used his snowblower for the first time this season. He was out clearing our driveway for an hour and half, so he could drive me to work.... Really it should've been a snow day for everyone!! But there were people Christmas shopping at every store in town.
The picture below is Joe the snowman after the first time he ran a snowblower today.
Joe took a break from blowing snow and ventured out to take some pictures of the crashing waves at the breakwall. Tonight we admitted that the winter is REALLY here. Joe is resting up in anticipation of blowing snow again tomorrow morning.

Christmas Spirit

Yesterday I baked cardamon bread. Joe was overly happy! I was worried that my bread making skills were out of practice the whole time I was waiting for the dough to rise. But the result was very good. Moist and soft with a touch of sweetness.
The day before I printed our Christmas cards. Now our dining room table is filled with them. In a couple of days the ink should be dry... I love that faint ink smell!

Snow... Drifting

Posting some white snow pics for our readers who live a bit too far from the North Pole. Not a lot of snow at our house, but snow seems to be still coming, and blowing this evening.
Joe's grill looks so cold....
Under our tree now sit a few wrapped presents... it's getting more like Christmas around here.