Santa Visit 2005

A nice restful today filled with a few errands, a visit to Santa’s House, lotsa baking and organization around the house. Pretty productive for a Sunday. I’ve started assembling the Cookie CARE Packages that I mail out, and managed to get 6 of them done tonight, even hand delivering one of them. I made Mocha Truffle Cookies (a tried and true on my sidebar), Pecan Pie Bars (a new recipe that won’t be repeated), Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Cookies (another tried-and-true on my sidebar), Crispy Polynesian Cookies (a new one that’s delish) and a double batch of Chunky Monkey Muffins (new recipe for office treats for my office and The Neighbors’ tomorrow). Actually didn’t take me too long to do everything, once I got a routine going. Hopefully I’ll get these packages out in the mail tomorrow. Then I’ll do one more round next weekend. Two fellow food bloggers are on the list for these, so watch your mailboxes, you may be one of the lucky ones. ;) Of course, bribes always accepted. :)

Cookie CARE Packages All Ready!


The Lovebirds with Santa

Just Chillin’ with My Girl (no pun intended)

Still not feeling completely better yet, and The Neighbor had a migraine, so we ended up skipping The Neighbor Dines Over Sundays and we did Chinese Take-Out over here and The Neighbor (gasp!) cooked herself! Nicholas went down to my parents’ house for a pizza dinner and Christmas tree decorating, thoroughly enjoying himself. As my Dad was zipping up his coat when I picked him up, he said, very seriously, “I had fun here.” Too cute!

Caught Callie and Sugar playing footsie last night when they went to sleep, and thought this would make a good entry for Clare’s Weekend Cat Blogging edition:

OK, here we go for Weekend Dog Blogging #13:

The pups from The Cooking Adventures of Chef Paz enjoying the first major snow to hit the NY area this year:

Lulu from Why Travel to France checks in from her never-ending adventures. This week, she’s back in the South of France in a little hilltop village called BIOT , where she visited the glass factory:

The very patient pug from Sunshine on the Daisies, awaiting a goodie:

A new addition joins the happy household at Dispensing Happiness – what a cutie! Introducing Doolin:

A very stoic pose from Maggie and Wellington at Modern Girls Kitchen:

Raffles and Missy checking in from Forest Walks … what a gorgeous picture!

Showing it really is just the simple things in life … and a dog and his ball from RobWonton:

A newcomer checking in from Cheat Eat, no doubt making all us shivering Northeasterns a tad bit jealous as he’s laying on the beach:

Another newcomer, Meeso, on the other end of the weather spectrum, enjoying the snow from Blue Tape:

A little bit of donkey nuzzling from Farmgirl Fare:

Now this is one happy dog … check out that smile, from The Savory Notebook:

A pup after our own Eli’s heart, enjoying the fresh snow over at Belly-Timber:

Tonight, Nicholas played photographer and took this picture of Eli. Every so often, he grabs my camera and takes fast and furious shots of anything in his eyesight, sometimes even landing on the target. Even thought it’s not entirely in focus, I thought it was too cute not to share:

Up Close and Personal

Go to Mahanandi for Weekend Indian Kitchen Round-Up, where on Monday she’ll post the round-up of pictures from bloggers showing their Indian kitchen ingredient/utensil, tool or recipe.

And be sure to visit Kalyn’s Kitchen for her Weekend Herb Blogging Round-Up tonight.

Until tomorrow…

P.S. Like what you read here daily? Cast a vote for me over at the 2005 Food Blog Awards … go to Accidental Hedonist and show Sweetnicks some love.

P.P.S. And for those who participate in Weekend Dog Blogging, next week’s edition will have a twist. And because it does, I’m letting you know ahead of time so you have a week to get your great, winning shot. Next week’s submission MUST include food in the picture — be creative, because the best shot gets a free brand spanking new cookbook! Here are some examples from previous dog bloggings postings that just happened to have included food in them that might get your juices flowing. No rules, just that food has to be somehow in the picture (no dog food, that would be too easy!), just to bring our regular Weekend Dog Blogging event back on topic (Food!) for one weekend. Have fun with it … a new cookbook for your collection is at stake! Good luck!