Merry Christmas!

As we near Christmas day, we just wanted to wish our extended friends and family a very Merry Christmas!

Cookie Baking has Begun!

Until today, I have been lacking the motivation to get started on some Christmas cookie baking.  Well, actually, maybe I'm still lacking on the motivation, but I did it anyway.  :)

Lily and I started some of it while Abby was at school.  We made sure that we did things that Abby said she didn't mind missing... or things that we're just beginnings of the process.

First, we made snickerdoodles.  I have to admit, I've only ever made them when I lived at home with MY mom.  I looked for the recipe online.  I didn't have Cream of Tartar, which it calls for, so I googled what to do.  Do you know?  It turns out that it works with Baking Soda to rise.  The only suggestion I could find was to use vinegar or lemon juice instead in a certain proportion.  I tried vinegar.  They taste great, but I'm not totally happy with how they look after they baked.  They are a little flat.  Next time I need to make sure I just buy some Cream of Tartar.  

We also made sugar cookie dough for cut-out cookies.  It's now in the fridge cooling so that we can make those later with Abby.  Not sure if that will happen today or tomorrow.  We've been so busy.

I'm not sure if any other cookies will be made.  What about you?  What cookies are on your annual list?

LASIK done.

I'm writing this from from the other side.  All done with LASIK (the second time!).  

Yesterday was my enhancements surgery to correct what was left of my prescription.  As I wrote earlier, I started with a -6, and went in yesterday with a -1.  Hopefully now, I am perfect.

Like last time, last night was pretty rough.  My eyes just must be really sensitive to it.  I know they are to light and I think that does NOT help.  I could barely keep my eyes open for more than a couple seconds most of the night because light was bothering me.  So far this morning, so good.  A night of sleep helped tremendously.  One eye feeling better than the other, but I'm guessing that will come....

I have a postop appointment this morning in about an hour, so we can confirm that everything looks good.  Thanks for all the prayers, I felt them.

Rips

Abby was so excited after gymnastics practice tonight.  She had to show her hands at me.

Big news.

She has rips.

You know, like "real gymnasts."  From the bars.

(and don't doubt because they aren't bleeding, her coaches confirmed)

I know you can't see them here, but we took a picture for posterity's sake.

My little gymnast.

EDITED TO ADD:

Abby started to tell Matt about her rips and I got so many  more details.  She has 3, plus blisters.  She can't wait to ride the bus tomorrow because there are 2 girls on the bus who are also in gymnastics who have rips but Abby has never had any and she can't wait to share that she now has them too.  

Getting in the Spirit with Santa

We've been getting into the Christmas Spirit around here.  I'm finding, however, as I get older that Christmas sneaks up on you even when you feel like you get prepared for it early.  Why is that?

We now have our decorations all up, including our tree.  It's beautiful.  This is our first Christmas/winter in the new house so decorating it was a new experience.  The tree fits so much better in our new house.  It felt like it took up the whole living room in our old house.

On Saturday, we got up early and headed to Conner Prairie for Breakfast with Santa.  Conner Prairie is a living historical museum.  They have a great event, and we went for the first time last year.  It is a members only event, but since we are members we wanted to take advantage again this year.  

Best song ever on the way there in the car...  :)

Delicious breakfast.  They have great food, it's a buffet with lots of choices.  Matt and I pigged out and the the girls did okay.

And, the main event, Santa!  

I love how you can see the girls really talking to him in the pictures.

When we got home, the girls got a little lesson in shoveling, the extra inch we had gotten since Matt had last shoveled.

And, this afternoon we are heading to see Frozen.  We CAN'T wait!!!

I hope you are having a great weekend too!

Day 2 of being dilated, and here's why...

I posted this picture yesterday.  I'm not usually one for selfies, but my eyes go all out when they get dilated.  Lily said I looked like an alien.  

It is now 24 hours later, and I still look like this.  At least almost.  They're minimally better, but not much.  So, here is what's up...

A little over a year ago, I had LASIK.  I have always had very poor vision.  For those of you who understand prescriptions, I wore a -6.0 contact.  That's a pretty strong prescription.  It was impossible for me to function without glasses or contacts.  

Surgery went great.  I've had some dry eye problems, but that's pretty common.  I now take Restasis eye drops.   My vision was perfect a day after the surgery.  Six months after?  Not so much.  It actually takes up to a year for your eye to heal all the way, and I'm one of those few whose surgery wasn't a 100% success.  I should preface that by saying that my vision is still light years better than it was before.  I can function with out correction if I have to.  BUT, I'm now in corrective lenses of -1.0 with an astigmatism.  

Yesterday started my very short journey to (hopefully) my enhancement surgery.  I had to have a full dilation exam, where they use stronger drops than normal (which is why I still look weird).  My eyes should be back to normal sometime today.  And, next Wednesday, I have my official "consultation" to make sure my cornea is thick enough to correct again.  If so, I have my second LASIK surgery next Friday!  It will be at no cost.  I am nervous about many parts, mostly because its the second time around.  Keep me in your thoughts, and I'll keep you posted!

This year's Lego Friends Advent Calendar

Last year, for the first time, we bought a Lego Advent calendar and it was so much fun.  We bought the more traditional City version.  It has a little window that you open each day with a small little lego "trinket" that you put together, and by the end you have a whole scene, with the last day being Santa.  Of course, some days are better than others.

This year I bought early and got the Friends version.  We have only opened the first three so far, but they are so cute!

Day 1 was the character, Day 2 was the snowmobile:

Day 3 was the light post with holly on it:

If you are interested, the City site also has games and an advent mini-video for each day of their advent calendar (even if you don't have it, it would be fun).  We did it last year- here is the link.

You can also MiniFig your family, which I did, because it was fun.  :)  (and no, I'm not working for Lego, it's just fun)

What are you doing for fun around the house to prepare?