cookie finale and holiday suchness

Sugar cookies accomplished a bit during Toots's nap

Which is also when I recruited Mr. Cynic to help me hang the outdoor lights.  His foot made the discovery that the porch rail had rotted. I'm just glad he didn't find that out by leaping to stand on the top rail.

Later, I spied this beautiful wintery sunset beginning when I went to pick him up at his friend's house.  Taken in the driveway, did not play with it in the computer.

When we arrived back home it was dark enough to see the lights we strung earlier.

Mom: do they look chintzy?
Mr. Cynic: Not chintzy, like a little portal to Christmasland.

Toots awoke from nap and I got started on the cookie icing. This is when I discovered, I still do not possess a good sifter and what that clear vanilla I saw on the shelf in a store earlier this week was all about.  Usually I use lemon oil, but I was out and switched to vanilla.  warmly brown vanilla.

My little helper helping

with sleepy piggy tails.

Toasted last batch. I always seem to do that to the last tray of cookies.

 Abundanza sugar cookies await icing.

They clearly will not be perfectly lovely cookies a la home magazine covers at this time of year.  But they were made with love and will be yummiest cookies of all.

"Yike dis, mommy?"









Have a joyous holiday, with much love.