9 days: Some Christmas baking and a party

We actually don't make annual Christmas cookies. I've tried them a number of times and you know what? I always make a horrific mess with the frosting. As in seriously messy. So I'm waiting for an undisclosed number of years until I think at least one of us will be neat enough for it to be worth while. But in the meantime we get to enjoy the cookies that our neighbor brings us every year (she included a train cookie just for Calvin this year), and we bake other things ourselves. Today it was gingerbread cupcakes with cream-cheese frosting, which we took to the homeschool group's holiday party in the afternoon. Tomorrow it will be gingerbread pumpkin bars for Calvin's piano recital on Sunday.

We had a nice time at the party, making wreaths and swags and indiscriminate pipe-cleaner objects while munching on a myriad of homemade goodies. At home we turned the music up and wrapped a few more gifts while singing at the top of our lungs. While I made dinner Calvin browsed through our newest human evolution book, and we started our new Christmas book before bed. It was relaxing and peaceful, and, except for the recital, we have an equally peaceful weekend to look forward to. It's like the calm before the (enjoyable) storm.