merry CHRISTmas catch-up!

...the stockings were hung by the chimney with care (and still empty because tension curtain rods can only hold so much weight!)

FYI

...from the National Weather Service...

POTENTIALLY CRIPPLING WINTER STORM THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY...
.THE WINTRY MIX OF PRECIPITATION IS BEGINNING TO TRANSITION TO ALL SNOW OVER NORTHWEST AND WESTERN SECTIONS OF IOWA. THE TRANSITION WILL BE DELAYED OVER SOME OF THE EAST AND SOUTHEAST COUNTIES UNTIL FRIDAY MORNING. THE MOST INTENSE PERIODS OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY WITH ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL LINGERING INTO SATURDAY. IN ADDITION... INCREASING NORTHWEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY WHICH WOULD CAUSE CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF SNOW WITH DANGEROUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS OVER MUCH OF WEST AND CENTRAL IOWA.

Thankfully, we aren't going very far to celebrate Christmas with my family. We're also hoping my brother's family and a niece & her family, who don't live quite so close, will be able to join us.

And to back up -- here's where we've been the past week:
Friday night, as I said, we went a bit crazy in the kitchen... cake, cookies, cookie mixes... and a big mess to show for it all.








SATURDAY
This is what happens to cream cheese frosting when you use Neufchatel. But it was another beautifully yummy strawberry cake.





The Artist enjoyed her presents as much as the wonderful dinner of calzones and Caesar salad with Grandma H here to celebrate with us! =) This box within boxes held a shiny penny from her siblings. "We all chipped in," teased her big sister.


I found these vases complete with flowers - at the local second-hand shop - earlier this year. They begged to come home to live with Miss Artist, and so here they are, already inspiring her to draw on her VERY OWN NEW white board!






SUNDAY
We drove part way to church in the snow. The interstate was icy we soon learned as we came upon a crunched car. We turned around at the next exit and saw more vehicles in the ditch on the way home. If we had the road to ourselves, it would have been good to continue on to church, but we had no idea if the roads would get better or worse... So, here's the Cattleman and the Popper having fun with our Bible felt figures at home.


The afternoon was spent with candy-making. Peanut-butter fudge, No-fail fudge, and dipping-dipping-dipping everything in chocolate! Tim requested an attempt at 'moon pies' - Miss MusicBox put marshmallow creme between graham crackers, then coated them in chocolate. (they taste rather like s'mores)



We did make it to church Sunday evening for the Sunday School Christmas program... The Popper is either yawning or singing - in back row at left end. ;-)
(sorry I didn't do any red-eye editing!)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

...to be continued AFTER I feed my now-hungry Cattleman (recovering from a very quick stomach bug) AND finish my sewing projects!