Oh The Shame

Yesterday was a lovely day. It was indeed busy, but it was our anniversary, a fact that made us smile every time we mentioned it. Spending the day with our children and friends was a perfect way to spend it. We did all our errands and made it home by 3:30. By the time the groceries were put away it was 4:00 and the cookie exchange was in an hour. I still don't understand how it got to be four o'clock. There I stood in my kitchen with only an hour. An hour to make several kinds of treats to share. I didn't plan to cut it that close, but time just slipped away from me. I went to the grocery store days before Christmas. I should have realized a twenty minute trip would take three hours. I can't make impressive things to share in under an hour, I'm just not that good. I made some puppy chow and a layered brownie pie. It was hasty, but I was feeling good about my choices. I knew from talking with my friend that chocolate was going to be under-represented on her plate, so I was compensating right? This wasn't perfect but it would be fine, right?

Wrong.

We went to our friends house and had the yummiest dinner. Then we exchanged cookie plates. The plates I received looked perfect like this

And what I brought was this

and this

and the brownie pie didn't actually turn out. It was still batter in the middle.

Oh the shame.

My reputation is forever ruined (or possibly confirmed, I'm not exactly sure what my reputation is).

I realize I will have to drastically step it up next year.

Despite, or perhaps because of, my pathetic cookies we had a great time. It's hard for The Greatest to find someone who appreciates his fart stories as much as he does. He has truly found a kindred soul in our fire fighting friend. We're so looking forward to the Valentine Candy extravaganza!

Despite my lingering feelings of humiliation I'm feeling good this morning. I am almost done with the holidays! Not in the sense that I'm ready for them to be over. But I'm done preparing for them. Gifts are made and mailed. I traded some knitting in exchange for a present for my daughter, that's all knit and shipped. The Cookie Exchange is over. Presents are all purchased for my children (but not wrapped, hence the almost. I really ought to get on it before they discover my clever hiding spot under the blanket in my closet, right by the door, not even in the back of the closet). I can almost breath and enjoy myself. I'm done, just in time for it all to be over.