Ginger Snaps

Today's Joy: Cookie Baking Part 1
Spent a lovely afternoon in the kitchen with friends and family whipping up all kinds of holiday cookie joy, Reader. The best part? This group always makes way more dough than we can use in one afternoon. Which means we have to get together again. Ah, ginger snaps, pecan tarts, snicker doodles & fruit-filled whatsits. Here are my favorite highlights:


Our Fearless Trail Leader Shares About Her Recent Trip to Savannah


Grace Grinds Her Own Nuts

World's Best Cookie

Making Snicker Doodles

Tart Dough

The Electric Cookie Gun

A Little Brandy for the Cookies, A Little for Aunt Chef...

Cookie Elf

Assorted Cookies & Pecan Tarts

A Little Quality Time with the Kitchen Aid...

Uncle & Aunt Chef

Aunt Making Ginger Snaps

First Snow of the Season at Our House (HGR Effect), Dec. 2010

Today's Joy: Oodles of Holiday Cheer.
What a wonderful day, Reader! We got our first snow of the season--4 inches of the wet, heavy stuff perfect for making snowballs. All that magical whiteness made the perfect backdrop for a holiday shopping trip to downtown Geneva, IL. Every store Mom & I visited was decked out in Christmas finery and smelled of hot chocolate or spiced cider. We had such a good time being out and about & sharing holiday cheer with our fellow shoppers. It's really nice to see the spirit of the season so prevalent this year. Would that peace, love & good will were always so common!


Mom & I Going Out Holiday Shopping

Carriage Rides, Downtown Geneva, IL

Mom & Brother

Candy Ornaments


Today's Joy: It's Finally Christmas Time!
Hurray, Reader! It's the 1st of December! It's finally socially acceptable to crank up the Christmas carols and walk around with a child-like grin plastered on my face. This year, the holiday spirit seems to permeate everything I do and I just feel good.

It started on Thanksgiving and developed into a full-blown case of holiday cheer the following day when I joined the women of my family for a Black Friday shopping trip. We laughed and oohed & ahhed, filling up the back of a Ford Explorer with wonderful gifts. Ever since, my thoughts have been full of what Christmas really means and all the ways we celebrate it: parties, church services, charitable activities, cookie exchanges, Christmas concerts, gift-giving and waking up on Christmas morning.

The miracle of Jesus is so much more real to me this year than ever before. In my heart, it's as if I'm hearing the story fresh and for the first time. A wonderfully joyful feeling.

This will also be my first Christmas living with Aunt, whose gorgeously-appointed Christmas tree could teach even Martha a few things about holiday decorating. So far, we are having a ball decking the halls together.

My candy cane obsession has reached a whole new level this year. Reader, there is something about the smooth lines of that red & white color scheme that appeals to my inner holiday decorator. Over the last 5 years, I have acquired candy cane serving pieces & accessories, as well as cranberry glass plates & stemware--making for an adorable candy-themed display.

A few new additions this year also mean I have enough ornaments, ribbon & garland to do a candy-themed tree. Aunt was kind enough to lend one of her small, pre-lit trees, which I did up with candy ribbon, red & white ornaments, candy garland and some fab sequined picks that look like holiday fireworks popping on top of the tree. Viola! We have a focal point for the dining room:


Candy Cane-themed Tree, In Progress

Only 24 days until the big day! Hope you're enjoying every moment too! Will keep you posted, Reader, on all the holiday cheer and delish recipes...