December 2009

Must be some way to rotate this - but I cant figure it out. Doesnt really matter cause it is blurry anyway.

The Santa on the very left - and the one in the middle on the right side of the clock - were made (she was big into ceremics) by my mom. The card on top of the clock was made by my son - he was shocked when he saw it tonight - probably done when he was in about 2d grade.

My hubby's "Kingdom". He plays with the setting every year. This is the latest. This is Dept 56 North Pole collection....saw lots of new ones today but he says he doesnt have room for them...

Lost hubby's great-aunt's Italian - whoops, Sicilian - cookie recipe. So looked and looked on line. Found a recipe that sounded similar so tried it. They are almost, not quite, the same. These are the sesame seed ones.

In the front are the very good tasting, but funny looking, Triple Ginger Cookies. Got the recipe from a book I read, I think it was called The Christmas Cookie Exchange Club. Anyway, very easy recipe, very tasty, but I am not very good at making perfect rolls.....The ones in the back are the chocolate form of the Italian cookies. Hubby made those. They are huge! Should be about 1/2 the size they are - right now they look like something I dont want to post here - but the word he used started with a 't' and ended with a 'd'.

Here are a bunch of them frosted and sprinkled. I like the middle ones. They are filled with candied fruit - heavy on the cherries because that is what I like and I was the one who made them! At the end are the fig cookies - called cuccidati (I know I didnt spell that right) that I adore! Our friend Marilyn makes the best ever ones, but I am learning. At least this year, I got the dough part thinner!

Came home from a few errands - had left the dog inside because of the weather - and guess we forgot to put this away. This was the traditional stocking stuffer for son.....what we didnt know at this time, was either before (as appetizer) or after (as dessert) dog also ate traditional stocking stuffer for daughter - a package of 4 or 5 mini-boxes of chocolate covered cherries. So far, all our dogs have eaten chocolate and have never gotten sick....This happened yesterday and he still knows he is in trouble (maybe cause I wouldnt let him on the bed last night??) cause he didnt even beg to lick the leftover ice cream from our dessert tonight....

Ok, so you arent supposed to take any photos INSIDE the Walt Disney Family Museum. I bent the rules. I was inside, but taking photos of the GG Bridge outside! Awesome view! If only those light posts, and cars, werent in the way! Definitely have to go back to the Presidio on a nicer day for some more photo ops!!!!!!

Two doofuses after stuffing themselves at dinner at The Carnelian Room. No drool this time - but what is up with these wacko looks he gives the camera! And boy, sure wish I could figure out how to take our photo without my double/triple chins showing up!

Pretty tree at the Carnelian Room!

These were in an (empty) private dining room at TCR. Dont know if they were getting ready for a party, or they had the party, but these were very pretty.

Almost ready for Christmas. Some last minute shopping for hubby (very hard to get away from a retired man!!!) and some wrapping for him. Have to wrap the stocking stuffers for daughter & family, but they wont be here until New Years Day so there is no rush there. Waiting for son's present to come (supposed to come on the 23rd!!) and then that will be the last wrapping for him - other daughter and her family, the wrapping is all done. Just have to get things under the tree so that we can clean off the dining room table! I think it is still there under all the wrapping paper, tape, pens, etc!

I never did get any photos of the snow all around us - mainly cause I worked those days.