Say Cheese (as in Cheesecake)

The last week was a hard week of cleaning. Imagine you haven't really cleaned your house in a year ... and in one week the entire neighborhood is coming over for desserts. 

I guess I love to put myself in these situations of panic cleaning. Just to GET IT DONE.

Mom and I spent most of Thanksgiving at Urgent Care or in the hospital. She is better now, thank you! 

Then, I agreed to be part of the progressive neighborhood holiday party. Thinking if NOTHING else would make me clean the house completely, that would. I still see a few spider webs dangling down in the corners. But at a certain point, you must stop, call it good and start cooking desserts.

Bri made pumpkin cupcakes and lemon bars. I made Triple Chocolate Raspberry Brownies (this time cutting them into small squares and adding one raspberry on top). Yum. I also made Ultimate Turtle Cheesecake, which was delicious. Plan on making it again, very soon.

Matt is cooking dinner tonight, that frightens me. What frightens me more ... he is asking MY advice about how to cook something. We have reached new depths in meals, the blind leading the blind. (Thank God, David just got home to finish up the meal without my input).

The trees are trimmed. The cats love hanging out under the tree so I made them an extra place to lay around under there away from the dogs. I sold our really large tree this year. We are sticking with the two taller ones for now. It feels good to have them up. To have twinkle lights on the inside and out.

I have my friends Gerrie's little tree up. Bri's little sister decorated it and with a child's perfect vision of fun, did a terrific job. She would put 2 or 3 ornaments on one limb ... and in the end, it was so perfect. 

 My elves pitched in.