Check it out, girlfriends!

 HOW DOES THIS GRAB YOU?  WHOOOOOO-AHHHHHHH!

 Free Shipping Day

Calling all procrastinators. The second annual Free 

Shipping Day is December 17, 2009. Over 500 merchants are expected to offer free shipping with delivery by Christmas Eve.

 

Love and shopping carts

Really! It was that many!

After thousands upon thousands of requests I am finally going to let you in on my new fav cookie.  Do you have a pencil and paper ready?

This is compliments of Christmas.Cookies.com and it is easy and delish.

Cranberry Magic Bars

1 1/2 C. graham cracker crumbs
1/2 C. butter, melted
1 1/2 C. white chocolate chips
1 1/2 C. dried cranberries
1 14oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 C. sweetened flaked coconut
1 C. pecan halves

Oven to 350F.  In small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and butter til crumbly;  press into a greased 13x9 baking pan.  In a large bowl, combine the remaining stuff.  Spread it out over the crust.  Bake 25-28 minutes or until edges are golden brown.  Cool completely on rack.  Cut into bars.

How simple can you get, right?

Ten more days til Santa.  I know what I am getting.  I will tell you later on in the week!  I peeked!

Love

And only one more tiny little thing!

This should have been #2 after the servicemen and women.......

15.  a chance to have all six grandchildren at our house, at the same time, so that we could have them all to ourselves.  We could go to the zoo, the science museum, run at the parks, ride bikes, eat junk food and watch movies all night (oh, I hope their parents are reading this one!).  My perfect Sunday would be to have them all at the table, along with their parents, for dinner.  Just once.

Please Santa??

Oh! And.....

15.  a puppy!

Oh, and

14.  (This should have been first!!!) -- please -no more of our servicemen and women and innocent children killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Nowhere, actually.  No more.  None. 

Oh, and a...

13.  whole day, meaning the entire 24 hours, to spend alone with my girl.

And..

12.  a bright green winter scarf for my jacket

Love

Hello?

Are you still here?  I have been busier than a cat in a litter box.  We are getting ready for the road again as we are planning our trip to Virginia to visit some of the family for Christmas.  Cookies are baking, presents are being wrapped, mail is held, bags are being packed, underwear washed.  Lots of anticipation this time because we haven't seen the little ones in awhile and are DYING to lick their faces!

Our other two kiddos will be visiting their other grandparents in NYC at the same time as this soiree, but we will be able to spend lots of time with them in March.  So much to look forward to!  We love Atlanta and are always anxious to go there.  This is the positive side of close family members living in another state.  We get to go to all kinds of new places, new restaurants, see new sites.  We love it!

So - tell me - do you have your shopping done?  I actually think we are finished.  I may have to check this one particular pile here and see if it is up to snuff.  What did you buy?  What do you want from Santa?  I have quite a list going here.

1.   a certificate for yoga classes
2.   four nights at the Omni Riverwalk Resort in San Antonio
3.   a European facial
4.   2010 Broadway Series tickets at the Playhouse
5.   plane ticket to Atlanta
6.   plane ticket to Brussels
7.   plane ticket to Baltimore
8.   a new knife
9.   beading class money
10. face lift
11. oh ya!  and a pair of Reebok Easy Tones for toning my butt

Hmmmmm, I wonder what I will get? 

In the meantime, have a great, crazy week finishing your shopping and wrapping!  And, love the heck out of your family.

Love