Holiday Baking

I was so bad yesterday. I had planned on getting 3 out of 4 cookies done while Michael was helping his friend in town and I only did 2. Now we're playing catch-up. Yesterday I made the banana nut cookies (minus the nuts, I guess I should call them banana chocolate chip cookies) and the apple cream pennies (which aren't apple cream pennies yet because I still have to make the filling). I had planned on making the marmalade cookies but when Lindsey showed up, I got lazy. We just sat around watching cartoons until Michael came home.

Once we get these cookies done, then I can make some fudge and tomorrow we'll fry up some rosettes. On Christmas Eve, I'll be busy bagging up the bread, plating the cookies, and baking a ham for the "luncheon" my mother-in-law puts on every year. She says this is her last year, but she's been saying that every year since Michael and I met 14 Christmases ago. Christmas day I'll have to make a fruit salad for Christmas dinner. This is new...we've never had Christmas dinner as a family in all the years Michael and I have been together.

Lindsey is getting so excited for Christmas. Last night she asked, "Is tomorrow Christmas Eve?"

"No, tomorrow is Christmas Eve Eve."

She laughed for about 10 minutes when I said that. It doesn't take much to get her laughing, apparently.

I thought having Michael help this morning would make the baking go quicker and more smoothly. It's been a little quicker, but not so smooth. He cleans and bakes at the same time. Seems like a silly thing to complain about, but I had just poured myself a tall glass of iced tea. I didn't put any ice in it because I had planned on drinking it right away and didn't see the point. When I wasn't paying attention, Michael dumped it and washed the glass. I went to take a sip and it was gone. I asked where he put it.

"That was iced tea? I thought it was old Coke so I dumped it out."

Time to go fill up another cookie sheet.