Christmas countdown

There hasn't been much time to blog lately, because I've been in full out creating mode, completing item after item in what Greg calls my "Out Of Control Gift List". Ha. Well, it's true, actually, but I am a superhuman, after all, who needs no sleep and never becomes grumpy or impatient when short on time or food. ~Insert sarcastic, manic laughter here~

I really can't talk about much of that, because...well, it's all Christmas gifts. Also, if you happen to be one of my parents or siblings, don't go snooping around in my Flickr account, unless you want to spoil the surprises currently flying through the mail to you. Oh wait! Why am I even saying this? None of my siblings read anything I write anyway!

ANYWAY.

Here's something that I CAN show you:




On Friday the boys had Pajama Day at school, so I sewed these Brown Bear themed ones for them the night before (nothing like getting things done Just In The Nick Of Time, right?)

Thursday was pretty busy for me, because besides the laundry, which is always done that day, I also baked for the boys' teachers, and made extra batches of special sweet things for some friends and neighbors:




Included in most of those were:
Maple Brown Butter Shortbread Bars
World Peace Cookies (Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Sables, recipe from a French bakery)
Caramel Corn with Salted Peanuts
Salted Peanut-Peanut-Butter Blondies from Dori Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours

I also made marshmallows from this Bon Appetit recipe, but spread them too thinly in the pan (I think I was distracted -- I've made these before with beautiful results), and they ended up far too awkward and ugly looking to pack up in the gift bags.

Of course I also had to make bread that day, and baked up some banana muffins too, for general snacking. It was sort of a busy day.

For those of you still busy wrapping and packing things up for the Big Day, here's a link to some free PDF downloads for gift tags and the like. Buy a big pack of cardstock from WalMart (about $5), and you're all set for some very cute/elegant results.

I hope all of your Christmas planning and preparation is going along swimmingly, and that you are able to pause from time to time and reflect on the reason we celebrate.

Peace and love to each of you, as this Christmas draws ever closer... (three days and counting...)