Merry Christmas!

 Good Morning! How does this lovely Friday morning find you? I sure hope you are all well and relaxed and celebrating in your own way Christ's Birth. For that is what this holy-day is all about, right? I have finally slowed down and gotten into the celebrating mode myself. Up until Monday I was still sewing like a lunatic and trying to get my orders out so they would be under the tree on time for my lovely clients. I hope it worked!

Last night I made my favorite Cookie. I only make it this time of year for, to me, it is too delicious to resist. And for my own health and the fat reserve around my hips, I must only splurge on it one time a year.

Linzer Hearts, or Linzer Cookies. I used the recipe from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook. But the one on her website is pretty similar, so you will get the same results I am sure. I won't be hording them to myself. I shall pick out the prettiest ones (so everyone can think that I am a brilliant baker) and give them to my neighbors along with Russian Tea. I think I put my Russian Tea recipe somewhere here on my blog a couple years ago. It is not really Russian, it is just Tang and tea and spices, but I love it. I am normally a big tea snob, but I make an exception for this tea as it has so many memories attached to it, and makes a really simple gift to share. I just searched my blog and I can't find the recipe. I guess I stink about labeling my blog entries. So, I will make another blog entry with the recipe. I will make it a pretty one.

 My little kiddos are tracking Santa via NORAD. It is a pretty cool website if you haven't found it with your kids yet, you may want to. It is neat the way it puts the world in perspective a bit. Now it is not social and economic perspective. Just very simple, Santa flying around passing out gifts in cities along the way. We like it.

And finally, the meat and cheese tray. My lovely Aunt Laura sent us this yesterday and we had to fight the kids off until this morning. All those little sausages, cheeses and jellies were so very tempting for my lot. My Aunt and Grandma used to send us one every year when I was a little girl, and it is funny how the same traditions work their way into my family here in Texas.

May you all have a lovely Holiday! And may you find peace within yourselves for a moment.

xo,
Tia