Hello all, Mary Ellen here.

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Now that business is done, so…how are your holiday preparations coming? I just put a batch of dough for cut-out cookies in the frig and will be baking those this evening, frosting them tomorrow. My kitchen has not been wiped down so frequently in a long time. It seems I hear or feel the scrunch of sugar on the counters and the film of flour on the cupboards every time I turn around. Maybe the elf on the shelf stops here for a snack while making his nightly rounds and doesn’t clean up too well.

I’m working on my last 2 home-made gifts as well. I finished the 2 pairs of pajama pants on Wednesday. I used drawstring elastic, sewn on the inner waistband instead of inserted in a casing this time. It was much easier than the insertion and I think the waist will be more easily adjusted by the skinnier of the 2 little guys. He always has an issue with no hips and pants falling down. I wish I had such troubles! A homemade battleship game made from 2 pizza boxes is in the works. I saw a photo on Pinterest of 2 college aged guys playing battleship for shots with a similar set up. Of course my little guys won’t be playing for shots, but I’ll be able to make the game pieces large enough for their little fingers. I’m also using magnets so the pieces will stay put instead of spilling every time a move is made. My other partially done gift is my annual ornaments made from school pictures. They’re fun to do, but coming up with a new idea each season is a challenge. Thank Goodness for Pinterest.

TTFN! Back to the scissors and glue!