DSC_0002_3.JPG
The sugar cookies are in the foreground, the butter mints are in front of Elise and Bobby is decanting the fudge.

I tell you, it is not easy to cook for Christmas in the trailer! Not a lot of space. We gave it the good ol’ college try, though, and despite the messes, I think everything will taste just fine. Yesterday, Elise and I made the sugar cookie dough and today we cut out the shapes with the cookie cutters and baked them. Tomorrow we ice them and put on sprinkles.

My mom forwarded some of our mail and in it was a magazine that I subscribe to, called Wondertime. It is by the publishers of Family Fun, I think, and I really like it. I was reading it last night and came upon two very simple recipes that I had to try. One was for butter mints and the other, a no-bake fudge. Accordingly, we ran out to the store today and picked up the few ingredients I did not have. Unfortunately, my calculations were wrong in a few areas and now we have way too much stick butter and confectionary sugar! But now we have delicious butter mints and fudge to leave out for Santa in addition to his standard plate of sugar cookies.

I talked to my parents tonight and for the first time in about 45 years, my mom does not have to prepare the Christmas brunch at her house, which is the most significant meal of the year for my family. My sister is hosting the brunch this year because she is a kind soul and because my parents’ house is undergoing renovation and is covered in dust.

We will be having homemade chicken soup for our Christmas Eve dinner along with bread and salad. Elise and Bobby both voted for corned beef for Christmas dinner so we will have that with mashed potatoes and maybe a vegetable or two.

I don’t know that we’ll get a post out on Christmas day, so let me take this time to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas. We miss you all and pray that your Christmas day will be filled with the love of those around you and the new year will bring you joy and wisdom and peace.