A Summarized December Recap

We began December with the intent that baking cookies at the beginning of the month would give us treats to give the whole month long.  Right.  Nice dream. They were gone by the end of the night. 

Worked on the December Daily and made it to day 6.  Woohoo!?

Dumped a box of ornaments into the three tier stand and called it a day.

Finally, made something found on Pinterest. Print and frame.  My kind of decoration making.

Went on a tree search after vowing not to go on a tree search.

Brought home a tree from that tree search after vowing not to bring home a tree. Couldn't resist the pleading in those eyes.  Not Emily's.  My mom's.

Located 1950's Elf on the Shelf in my basement.  He's related to Chuckie. Not sure what happened to his hands.  I don't dare ask.

Visited Caribou and Starbucks an average of 2.4 times per week. The addiction to hot chocolate is raging on.

Had a Bake-A-Palooza with Jenny.  Made a lot of butt widening treats.  Diet begins January 1.

This is Murphy, aka the Taste Tester.  He's not mine, therefore, why he was taste tester as I wouldn't have to clean up anything later in the day.

Bought cupcakes at a place called Cupcake for my sister's birthday. They sure know how to make cupcakes and it's a good thing otherwise naming their cafe that would have been asinine.

The Cupcake cupcakes.  I ate the coconut one. I'll go back for more, but this time I will not follow the google map directions.  Ending up by a dumpster in a back alley in downtown Minneapolis = once is enough.

Squeaked out a few Christmas cards right in time. Wrote nothing personal on them. To the recipients reading here:  I love you and thank you for being my friend.  I mean putting up with me is he....ck.  Kisses and hugs.  To those that didn't get a card, I love you, too.  The sentiment is the same. I just ran out of patience in making the cards.

Shopped at Anthropologie.  Everything I bought was for me. Although I didn't intend that to happen, it doesn't sadden me.

She's a believer and is afraid of Santa. Not the best kind of combination.  So we visited a metal one at Pier 1. Later she wrote a letter to Santa and super sealed it with duct tape, so no one could peek. She wouldn't tell anyone what she asked for and then the day before Christmas eve she told me.  She asked for an elf. Sigh.

We decorated cookies.  I didn't say we baked and decorated.  We bought and decorated and forced the 14 year old to join in.  Good times.

The 9 and 13 year old were completely into it. So was the 14 year old one mentioned previously.  He just had to act like he wasn't.  I'm onto his wily ways.  Being moody = 14 years old. Poor kid having to follow the expected emotional roller coaster thrust upon him by society.

It's true.  The older you get - the less decorating you need to do to feel fulfilled. Left = 9 year old.  Middle = 14 year old.  Right = 13 year old.

I made my first felt ornament.  It's also my last.

She found the pickle during our Christmas Eve festivities.  I saw her 14 year old brother see it five minutes prior to her finding it.  It goes to show you that Christmas love inhabits every heart.  Even the nonchalant gingerbread cookie decorating 14 year old heart.

Finally, we watched Charlie Brown. We had to.  It's the law, especially when you live five minutes from where Charles Schulz grew up. Mostly we watch it, because Charlie Brown knows his stuff. Be kind. Have hope. Never give up. Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown. You're never a blockhead to me.

And that's my December recap.  Sure we did more, but you get the picture.