Sugarplums dance in my head

In preparation for heading to Johnstown tomorrow (Christmas Eve); I went a little bonkers on the baking today.  I don't know if it was because I waited until last minute to bake or because I was super motivated and in a jolly mood.  In any case, my oven got a workout today and in return we have tons of goodies to take back with us for the holiday.  I bounced all through the kitchen today, mostly due to a sugar high, whipping up three different types of cookies, chocolate covered pretzels, and cupcakes!

Of course, there is always a downside to all that super sweet consumption...

Empire State of Mind...Let's hear it for New York!

I had a fun pre-baby trip to NYC with Lindsay to pick up her sister in the city this past weekend.  It was great to get away for the weekend with friends and laugh a lot.  We spent time in the city from Thursday night until Sunday morning...yes, right during the crazy blizzard that hit the east coast.  We got some shopping done, but it was mostly all about walking around, seeing the city decorated for the holidays, and eating!  We also got a chance to swing by a few bridal shops to do some wedding dress shopping for Lindsay- so exciting and so glamorous to do while in the city.  It was a great trip!

As always, I made a quick stop at St. Patrick's Cathedral because it is just too beautiful and peaceful to pass up.  It was decorated beautifully for the holiday too- which made it even more special.

I also got some much needed visiting time with some of my NYC friends Sabrina, Stirling, and Elena.  So happy to be able to catch up with them in Brooklyn<3  I miss it everyday.

December Kindness

I finished out our Year of Kindness this week by baking cookies for the local nursing home.  It was a very economical project since I just bought the tubes of cookies from the store (on sale!).  The baking & decorating was the most time-consuming and that only took a little more than an hour.  Even during the busy holiday season it takes very little to give some kindness to others.  I made chocolate chip & sugar cookies and dropped them off at St. Mary's at Asbury Ridge ( http://www.stmaryshome.org/ ) on Saturday.  It has a variety of different facilities including assisted living and an Alzheimer's facility.  I dropped off the cookies at the front desk and the secretary was so confused at first.  I had to explain three times that they weren't for anyone in particular; that I was just dropping them off for the holiday....Leave them out for whoever...Give them to someone who doesn't get any visitors, etc.  It took a while for it to sink in and she just kept saying "oh!" 

It made me feel good to be able to do it, but it would have felt even better if she could have responded, "I'll put them with all the other donated cookies!"  I didn't think that our December kindness was that out-of-the-ordinary, but the secretary's response made me feel like it was unique-but not in the good way.  It was a very low maintenance type of kindness, but a worthwhile one.