Sweet cookies!

Today I set the table with some very special guests in mind.



I brought out my newest Christmas tree plates....


Red goblets for the "big" girls....(my daughter and me)


Santa cups for the "little ladies - (our twin grandgirls)


Our centerpiece with Santa and three cups....



....of Christmas tree.



An overview of the luncheon table. I think this is the first time the girls have eaten at the dining room table. We had the kitchen table all set up for the after lunch activities.



They were so cute and excited about our "ladies luncheon".



Some "tree" sandwiches. Olive/cream cheese and cucumber sandwiches.



Lunch is served....



....we had sandwiches, Christmas jello salad, pasta salad and chips. And the girls had their first taste of "Christmas milk" (egg nog) which they both loved as much as their mother did as a little girl.



After lunch it was time to get down to the business of....



...baking cookies!



Getting everything ready to roll out the dough, cut and....



decorate with sprinkles.....



.....and more sprinkles!



We made several batches of sugar cookies....



....and molasses cookies. This worked out just about perfect for a three year old attention span.



After the cookies were done the work station was a mess....




....but these two sweet cookies were happy to each have a full cookie tin to take home and share with Daddy....and a few to leave out for a special visitor on Christmas Eve too!
Wishing you sweet times with your family this Christmas season.

See ya!

Christmasing the house

I've been later than usual getting my Christmas decorating done this year. I've also done less than usual as well....but I think I've finally just about done. We'll start out by the lamp post. I love holly at Christmas so this was the little garden flag that attracted my attention this year.



A red door Christmas welcome. Sorry that these pictures weren't taken at the best possible time of the day....but it was just the time I was able to take them.


Mr. Mid-Atlantic's childhood sled and some child sized ice skates I found last year at a vintage store.



The flowers in the planters are still hanging in there.



The simple wreath on the door.



A little tin of mistletoe greets you inside the front door.


A candle in the window.



Our living room tree.


Traditional angel on the top.


Filled with quite an assortment.


My husband collects the Hallmark trucks and motercycle ornaments. I think this is my favorite.


This year's White House Christmas ornament. I have all the ones back to 2000. I'm slowly going backward and have the 1999 ornament ordered and on it's way. Perhaps when I finish the whole collection, I'll post on the designs through the years.



Another White House ornament.



Churches and motercycles......



......victorian girls.....



.....and boys....



....ornaments from vacations.....



.....angels....



.....and more churches and snowflakes, and carolers.....just a little bit of everything on this tree.


The mantle nativity scene.



Holy family and an angel and one of the wisemen.



Love this camel.



Baby Jesus....the reason for the season.



Now we're cooking up some fun in the kitchen.



A side view of the gingerbread house.



Every gingerbread man....



.....needs a gingerbread woman!



Last year I made some cute candy trees.....but I found these cute trees this year at Tuesday Morning that seemed to fit right in.



All topped off with a sugar sweet fairy.



In the dining room we have "Nutcracker corner"







Gotta love a "man in uniform".


Vintage Holiday greeting.



My Christmas table set up for the upcoming Tablescape Thursday.



A sideboard filled with Santas.



Santa's to the left.


Santa's "mug shot".


Santa's to the right.



We even have a Santa tree in the dining room this year.


At first I couldn't find my tree top Santa so I stuck the red bow on top.



But I finally found him...(he was hanging out with the nutcrackers!)....so I stuck him on his rightful spot as king of the Santa tree.



Full of Candy....




....and Santas....



....and shiny red balls....



....and more candy.....



....and Santas.....



....and cupcakes.....


.....full of Christmas dreams.....



.....time to light the trees.....




.....and turn out the lights.

Decorating's all done.....well maybe.....

See ya!