I finally have a little breathing room in my schedule – and boy, does it feel good.

We got home very late on the 13th and the very next day I had to shift into high gear to get ready for our annual cookie exchange. This is the third year that my neighbor, Patty, our friend, Darcy, and I have hosted the exchange. We go all out to make this a fun and festive holiday party. We usually have around 23 guests in attendance.

The party was on the 19th and I had tons of work to do. I had to take all the collected recipes and turn them into a spiral bound  cookbook to be give to each guest as a parting gift. I also had to bake six dozen cookies and prepare appetizers, design and print name tags and prepare ballots for all of our contests. In the midst of this I had to steal time for Christmas shopping, holiday decorating, and assorted other daily chores. I didn’t feel like I had time to breath. As much as I loved the two week vacation and time with my far away family, I have to say that it totally screwed up my schedule!

Isn’t this amazing? It is a giant cookie wreath and it won the prize for the Most Festive Display. That is six dozen individually wrapped cookies hanging as ornaments.

I got my last package mailed at 10:30pm the night of the party. I had been planning on spending the next morning in line at the post office. One of the party goers mentioned that the line might be a bit shorter if I used the self serve kiosk at the post office. After I got home I remembered that one of the local post offices leaves its lobby unlocked at night so we ran down and sent the package on its way.  The post office isn’t in the best part of time so I made Recliner Man come and protect me. And not because I’m a crazy worry wart or anything, but, I made him bring only his drivers license and one credit card just in case we got robbed. Hey, it could have happened. Not too long ago a driver at a fast food drive through was robbed at gun point just a couple blocks away at 11pm. I was too tired to even think of putting up a fight or escaping so I figured it was best to just limit our losses in advance. Anyway, all the drama amounted to nothing. We had our errand done in under five minutes and there is actually hope that the package will arrive in Texas by Christmas Eve.

These Peppermint Candy Cane Cookies won the prize for the Most Festive Cookie.

I still have things to do. Yesterday I finished my Christmas shopping… well, unless you count the few stocking stuffers I’m going to pick up at Staples today. My Christmas Card are still just an abstract thought. I’m starting to think more in terms of “New Year’s Cards.” I got a card in the mail from my aunt yesterday and she commented that this is the latest she has ever gotten her cards out. I thought of my cards and wasn’t sure if I should cry or laugh. Then I realized that I didn’t have time for either so I just ate a Christmas cookie. Our tree is up and decorated and we have lights on the outside of the house but the inside looks like a moving sale is going on. I had to move furniture around to get hte tree in and all the displaced stuff is just milling about with the Rubbermade containers of holiday decorations. That is today’s big job; decorating the inside of the house.