Yeah - I know..

It's been awhile since I posted anything. Sorry. First I was busy, then my internet was down, and then I got sick.....guess it just wasn't meant to be.
Anyway, now I am better and the internet is co-operating again, so I can tell you about my Saturday. It was one of the best days I have had in a long time. This year I have determined to simplify Christmas at our house. Last year was insane. I was stressed and sick, and frustrated and didn't even care if the house was decorated or anything else got done. Scrooge, that was me. So this year I decided that I wasn't gonna let Christmas get the best of me, I was gonna get the best out of it. And that meant simplify. So, no cards this year. Sorry. If you usually get a card from us, we still love you, and are thinking of you, but I had to cut something back, and that was the casualty. Then we only put up the Christmas decorations that we actually liked. Way fewer ornaments on the tree, and lots less stuff just sitting around.
We also decided to not travel at all this Christmas. Every year we travel to either Ohio or Florida, which totally eats up our break and our Christmas spirit. Not only did I want to be home this year, but I wanted to be in my own church for Christmas. That is a rare occurrance since we usually travel. I am so, so excited about that - just to enjoy Christmas with our church family this year.
I also told the kids to be simple with gifts - think it through and make choices, then let me know so I could get it done a little early this year - and they did, and I did. Of course nothing's wrapped, but fewer gifts are fewer boxes to wrap!
Cookies - I was ready to pick a couple and do them, just to have a few, and also to have a good time baking with my girls. But not too many, because that can also be a stressor. And that is actually where this post started. Dana came over on Saturday because she had something she needed my son to do for her. So, since she was coming she said why didn't she bring ingredients for cookies and we could do some baking. She knew all about my holiday simplification plans and was ready for me to say no, I didn't WANT to, but instead I said sure! So she arrived with bags of groceries
and lots of suggestions. After we narrowed it down to about 10 types we realized we still needed some stuff so we headed out to the store. While there we also decided to buy ingredients for tortilla soup. One must keep up ones strength while baking cookies!
And then we started the cookie making marathon.
Dana started with one recipe, and I started another and Kelsey assisted us both. It was quite humerous to say the least. And messy, and silly, and yummy. Before long we had Carissa drawn in too. And by the time we needed to make the soup she had enlisted a friend to help too. Paige was so excited - apparently her mom never lets her cook because....? She makes a mess, or hurts herself, or it takes longer, whatever. Paige peeling carrots was hilarious!

We took a break to eat dinner, and watch "The Reduced Shakespeare Company" DVD and then just kept baking....and baking.....and baking. By the time we were done we had almost 30 dozen cookies. LOL. Yes, we were (and are) insane. But it was FUN! Not stressful. Not a chore. FUN. And now I have cookies for the holidays. :D Believe it or not, when we finished at 11:00 p.m. Kelsey still had to make brownies for lunch at Karen T's the next day.
By Monday, I was sick. Worked half a day, and spent 2 1/2 days down with the flu. :( But no panic - I'm all caught up with my simple Christmas. And I'm much happier, less stressed, not as crabby and beginning to enjoy the season! Awesome!