So from sometime in December we have for your viewing pleasure....
Lights dripping from the roofline...
(no pictures of how NOT easy this was for Mark balancing on a step stool!)
And encircling the two front door fir trees.
I really like this photo with the front door window and Santa hiding behind the tree.
So come on in...!
And watch the sugar cookie mix be mixed...it must chill a couple of days,
so we'll check back in a few for the rest of the story.
But first...!! A new tree arrives...
And is christened with the happiness hug!
(Every year our Christmas tree receives this greeting.)
However, this year, this is a VERY new tree (for us).
And it's the kind that will NEVER droop. And NEVER need watering.
Yes, it is an A.T.P.L.
Artificial Tree Pre Lit. Six and a half feet tall.
Our first...we have always gotten a Real Tree, with the wonderful smell of
pine needles (and the enventual dropping of said wonderful pine needles),
and the crawling around underneath with flashlight, and water jug, to fill the reservoir.
We had to make this decision because we waited too long to buy a Real Tree,
and all the stores were sold out.
So into Lowe's we went and picked out our new tree...
(with 50% off because it was a display model...hurrahh!)
And after getting it home and making it welcome with a hug...
It was decorated with our eclectic collection of ornaments.
See our angel at the top?
She almost didn't fit, and actually she's balanced on the branches near the very top!
Okay, remember the sugar cookie dough cooling in the fridge?
Well, it's Christmas Eve and time to start baking!
Get out the rolling pin and spread flour on the counter.
Roll out the dough and pick a few cookie shapes.
Carefully press out the shapes.
Carefully load them onto the baking pan.
Bake them (not shown!), cool them on wax paper...don't stop...
Keep it up until all the dough is shaped and baked!!
I like this picture of how the counter looks during the cookie making.
The secret recipe is from my Grandmother,
many of the cutters are from my childhood.
A few are newer and from friends and family.
We don't decorate the cookies...
they are soooo delicious all by themselves!!
Oh my, look at the time, Christmas Eve has turned into...
Christmas Day!!
Santa was Here and filled the stocking that hung on the cabinet with care!
Yes, it's tradition to hang it on the cabinet knob,
because for many years we didn't have a fireplace!!
Dad got a camo shirt...so he can hide in the woods when it's time to take out the garbage...!
A happy Green Day Band fan!
And a happy mom who will now be able to see the temperature
without putting on her glasses!
(She asked for this to hang on the back porch to see from the dining room window!)
Now before we get to the afternoon festivities...here are some other decorations....
My thin Santa collection.
The one on the far right has put on a few pounds since last year...ha!!
Outside, a rather grumpy Cardinal poses for a Red and Green Seasonal Snapshot...
A Bluejay finally sits still just long enough to be photographed!
And a winter wisteria vine gets decorated by 4 Cardinals!
Okay, WHO brought the TREE in the house????
An overall view with Amanda reading an instruction manual
for this...
The Keurig coffee maker for dorm life next year!!
And now it's time for Grandma and Grandpa to be here!
Grandma immediately finds the cookie jar!
And then she becomes the first of the Scarf Quintet!
It's a gifting orchestrated by a dear musical friend from Tucson!
Joined by dad and daughter!
And grandpa!
OH NO!! I looked through the pictures and found none of me with my scarf...
but I DID get a beautiful scarf!!
I AM part of the Scarf Quintet!!
Thanks to that dear friend for sending these to us...ya know who ya are!!
From Grandma and Grandpa for the dorm...
Warm and very comfey blanket!
Well it's getting late and dark on Christmas Day,
but there's still time for one more traditional picture...
Grandma, Grandpa
and the Grand-kid.
Hope you had a Merry Christmas everyone...
and look forward to a happy healthy New Year.
Thanks for visiting us here at Hilltop!
