Happy Holidays!

I'm in full swing making custom orders, sending out packages and delivering inventory to local galleries. Its busy, busy, busy-- but I've made time to remember to spend time with my family. Yesterday I took my voice students out caroling at the Cotton Exchange in downtown Wilmington and my husband took some great pictures of my wild crew! It makes me happy to see my kids so joyful. We couldn't get a nice "posed" sit down picture, so we just picked one that showed off their personalities. Wild boy, silly girl and camera shy teenager! Last night we make toffee. I'm famous for making my coffee toffee! Today we will make my Grandma Delores's sugar cookies from a recipe that came from my Great Aunt Ida. They are the absolutely best sugar cookies in the world! Very hard to just eat one.

This is probably the first Christmas that I've really felt like celebrating since my father died 5 years ago. Christmas was his deal. He went all out--made cookies, Christmas dinner, bought too many gifts, and was so joyful. Now I can finally continue on the traditions with my own family. It feels real this year.