From Pumpkins to Peppermints

We have been enjoying the transition from Fall to Winter at our house. When Thanksgiving ends, Christmas begins and I love this time of year (except I'm still trying to adjust to the cold weather - I miss Arizona winters). My girls and I picked up a small glass jar at the end of the summer to fill with our favorite seasonal candies. I look forward to specific holiday treats as much as I look forward to the different holiday decorations (and anyone who knows me well, knows I LOVE holiday decorations; it's just so fun to have things to get excited about.) The first thing we filled our jar with was candy corns, then the mellow creme pumpkins -love them! - and now peppermints. By the way, as if any of us really want another addiction to any particular sweet, have you tried the new "Candy cane kisses?" Oh, wow! They are delicious. (Not so much like a candy cane, but delicious.) We have enjoyed singing Christmas carols and learning about Rudolph, wondering how Santa gets all the way around the world in a night and what kind of cookies he'd like best on Christmas Eve. We've been shopping and baking and decorating gingerbread houses and gingerbread men. (Speaking of...I've never actually eaten one of my gingerbread houses before, but the one we made this year (thanks Grandma!) smelled so good and having the nutrition facts taped to the package tipped me off that maybe some people do consider them for consumption. I asked the girls if we could just take off one tree and taste it, (like they'd say no) and it was pretty tasty. So tasty that our gingerbread house become more of a temptation then a decoration. Once we ate the roof off, we decided it was time for it to go so we could make room for other goodies, not to mention it didn't look so cute anymore.) This morning our family tried something new and had an "A.Wahl Christmas" a little early at our home. We got all dressed and ready and ate breakfast and then we were off the family room where Christmas music set the mood and we opened our family gifts. It was so much fun. This is not to suggest we don't enjoy the big family get together parties too, but there was something uniquely special about our intimate morning together. And now we look to continuing the holiday celebrations full speed ahead, with many friends and family near. Can't wait to see you all soon! We hope your December is as merry as ours has been.