We are sooooooo close!  Slowly but surely this bathroom is coming together.  It has been a year in the making and boy what a fantastic Christmas present this will be. 
 I put the old Kitchen Aid mixer to use today and baked some "Snowballs" for the family.  Oh my are they tasty. 

 Jo and Luke thought the "Snowballs" were pretty tasty too.
 Christmas Vacation Is Here! Let The Good Times Roll!  Eat, Drink, And Be Merry!  Tis The Season! etc.

The weather outside is frightful and so are my tonsils.  I should be at work today, but instead I am home with strep throat.  My tonsils hurt, my neck hurts, my ears hurt, my head hurts, even my teeth hurt.  I've refrained from complaining too much to Matt because he is trying his best to satisfy three very unsatisfiable children.  I don't think he wants to hear about the acorn sized glands in my neck or the stabbing pain I keep getting in my ears.  Being a sick parent comes with a certain amount of guilt.  That guilt is what pushed me to get out of bed this morning to pack three lunches for my children.  I have to say I did it more for Matt than for them.  He handled getting them off to school very well this morning, but I pray that I am well tomorrow because I don't think he could do two days of kid/school duty, but neither could I.   We have grown accustomed to our 50/50 marriage, so when something like strep throat or a migraine throws a wrench in our oh so perfect system, meltdowns undoubtedly follow.  Hopefully my antibiotic will kick in this afternoon so that I can help with homework and bath duty tonight.  If not, sorry Matt.  I'll write you an IOU when I feel better.

 Yes, it is real, and yes, it smells WONDERFUL.  We don't always buy a live tree, but this year we got a great deal at Home Depot. ($39 for a 7-8 ft tree)
Matt has been learning to play some Christmas songs on the piano. With two hands.  hehehe:) So talented.
We bought this artificial tree a few years ago.  You can't tell from the picture, but I blasted it with fake snow.  I was a tad scared when I started, but it turned out really pretty.  Matt hates fake snow, so we compromised.  He let me spray the tree, and in return I promised that I wouldn't start spraying all the windows. 
Hayden is officially hooked on Potter.  I don't mean to brag, but he is an amazing reader.  He has read the first three Harry Potter books in just ten days.  Potter goes with him everywhere: the grocery store, the bathroom, school, car, kitchen, etc.  I often wonder what kind of person I would be if I had developed a passion for reading as a child.
Matt refuses to let me buy new stockings.  "It's a tradition," he says.  So, 20 years from now I will still be pulling the same candy cane stained stockings from my Rubbermaid container. Traditions- gotta love em:)

The kids have been counting down the days till Christmas.  Opening the door is the first thing they ask to do when they wake up.  This morning Hayden opened it. Then I shut it back so that Josie could open it.  Then I shut it back so that Lucas could open it.  O' the Joys of parenting.