gearing up...

It would be impossible for me to live one more Christmas without these Peppermint Cupcakes that Caroline and her pal Syd whipped up on the fly.  The recipe is as follows:  Make a yellow cake mix, add crushed up candy canes.  Bake as directed.
 
Frosting:  your basic buttercream with a candy cane simple syrup, a titch of red food coloring, and a drop (or two) of peppermint extract.

Merry Christmas, indeed.

The neighbors are already asking when they will receive their traditional gift of pure spun creamed honey that we shipped from Marc's family's Meyer Honey Farm in South Dakota.

It's silky sweet perfection in a tub.
 

Round two.

This year I let the girls help with their teachers' crayon wreaths.

  I'm glad I relinquished absolute control over this project because 1) it saved some serious time having their help, and 2) we had fun doing it together. 

I did the hanging ribbons, though...


Remember last year's wreath odyssey? Good golly.

And, of course, the annual Wright Dynasty Christmas Caroling Extravaganza.

Do these darling grandparents look amused, or ready to employ their tasers? 

you decide.