Christmas Preparations

One of my favorite Christmas traditions as a child is making peppernuts every year. I remember one year Eric and I were mixing in the 14 cups of flour and Rodger was "helpful" enough to tell us to mix it with our hands. Sounded good. Sure, he told us that and then left the house. We were covered in sticky dough with no one to help clean us off. Now that is a picture I wish I had to scrapbook. Ahhh, the memories! Fast forward 25+ years and as a mom, I am proud to be passing this tradition on to my children. Every year someone asks me for the recipe. I give it to them but just smile because there's no way they'll make these delicious little cookies. It's just too much work for the average person and I'm just crazy enough to do it. We haven't baked all the dough from the first batch yet...thus far we've made 2292. Yes, this year the girls and I have been keeping track. I'm guessing when we are all done we will have made about 3000 little peppernuts. Wow...we are nuts!




My next obsession with Christmas is the tree and lights. Oh how I love lots of lights. I am really thinking about getting a pre-lit tree after the season is over this year. Don't think I'll be content with the pathetic number of lights on that tree...I will add more. :0

The girls had so much fun decorating the big tree in the family room. This year it is packed full of every ornament from the box. I just love it! Another tradition is for each of the girls to get a christmas ornament from mom and dad. I try to buy something that represents them for that year. Then I write their name on the back and date it. Olivia thinks every Elmo and princess ornament is hers. This year's ornaments will probably have something to do with a cello, Littlest Pet Shop and a princess.

The most special Christmas decoration actually defines the whole holiday season...the nativity scene. This morning Olivia was talking to each statue, apparently the "kings" were yelling at the donkey because he was too close to baby Jesus.

Have fun preparing for the celebration of Christ's birth. When we keep it all in prespective we don't have to worry about the economy and if there's enough money to buy too many gifts. We have already been given the greatest gift of all, eternal life. Not here on earth but in Heaven with the King, the author of life, the savior, our friend. Accept His grace and mercy, you will never be sorry that you did.