Christmas Festivities

Ah, the Christmas fun. We just finished doing the neighbor gift gamble. You know: where you take gifts to neighbors and hope it's the neighbors who were planning on giving something to you. Then comes that moment when you have run out of gifts and someone you didn't plan one for shows up at your door with a plate of goodies. Then you just feel bad. I do enjoy making the gifts though. I decided a few years back that I wanted to make something to eat, because I like to cook and share food with others. The other criteria is I don't want to give just a plate of treats (since that is overdone each year) and it would be nice if it is something that has a decent shelf life. That way they can enjoy it in a few weeks after the Christmas binging is over. Last year I gave jalapeno jelly with an appetizer recipe. The year before that I did loaves of whole wheat bread. This year it's granola. As we were running around I saw 3 other people I know out running neighbor gifts too. I guess that means we were right on time. Also under the heading of Christmas fun was Logan's first (and probably last) Christmas party. Okay, so granted I started out by inviting too many boys, but by the time I had finished the guest list was at 14. Yes, you read that right. I invited 14 6- and 7-year-old boys to my house at the same time. Oh yeah, did I mention that the party lasted 2 hours? We had made it through the organized activities (which by the way were good...frosting cookies, bingo, pin the nose of Rudolph and snowflake ornament crafts), and there was still 45 minutes left before their moms came to pick them up. Thankfully my mom came to help out (she took pity on me when I told her that I'd gotten myself in way too deep). But still it didn't take long for the swords and guns to come out. It was an all out epic battle in my basement. The boys would go up to each other "Are you good? Well I'm evil." The good news is no one got hurt and the house came up unscathed. Probably the only casualty was my emotional state. It took a good 48 hours to calm down and relax. Oh well, what are you gonna do? Laugh I suppose.