A Santa Surprise
Hello to all, and Ho-Ho-Ho.
Last Saturday, Xavier wanted to hang some lights outside along our patio.
That required some small hooks which we did not have. So, off to Ace Hardware we went.
As we walked in, an Ace lady greeted us and asked if Xavier wanted to make a decoration. They had a table laid out with all manner of stickers, glitter glue, colorful pipe cleaners, markers, paints.
Well, of course Xavier wanted to make a decoration!
Shortly after that, surprise! Santa appeared. He helped Xavier with his decorating and even let Xavier jingle his rope of bells. (He told me how like his own son Xavier was—who knew Santa had children, right?).
Had I known Santa would be there, I would have dressed Xavier better.
Advent 2018
Hello to you all.
About a month ago, while Rebecca was out of town, Xavier and I trolled Costco. There we discovered an Advent calendar that dispensed small Lego kits in each window.
Of course, we had to buy it.
This past Saturday we opened the first window. It was a little space shuttle composed of fourteen or so parts. Its surprises have so far been interesting and unexpected.
We also picked up a book that has twenty-four Advent stories. We read one story before opening a window. We try to engage Xavier in a discussion about the story, but that is often difficult when his focus turns to what surprise opening the window will reveal.
Christmas Cookies
Greetings to all.
Xavier, his exuberance for Christmas unabated, decided he wanted to bake Christmas cookies today. Where he came up with that idea I don't know. He brought it up out of the blue.
I thought this was a wonderful idea. I have fond memories of pressing and decorating cookies at Christmas.
After breakfast and church, Xavier had not forgotten. Rebecca is out of town this weekend, and I had no idea where any ingredients for cookies might be found (Rebecca keeps cooking supplies which are strange to me).
Xavier and I poked around. We found the cookie press my mother owned and the holiday dies germane to Christmas. We even found the recipes for the cookie dough with the press.
Amazingly, we found sugar, and after much searching some flour I understood how to use. There would be no trip to the store. Yippee!
Xavier and I bravely figured out how to use the Kitchen Aid mixer and whipped up enough dough for about 48 cookies. While the mixer turned the dough, we brought out of storage the sprinkles, red-hots and other decorative candies needed for cookies.
We made trees, wreathes and camels. We ran out of dough before we could make stars.
Xavier pressed the cookies onto the sheet while I held the press so it did not slide around. We made a good team.