Birthday Celebration, aka Christmas Day

I don't when I started doing this but I always take a picture of the tree on Christmas eve with all the presents underneath. 

Lights out in the house.

Just the lit tree.

And then I leave it on all night. The Man told me this is what his mom used to do on Christmas eve.

I like that. Makes the house look very cozy and warm and welcoming all night long. 

Christmas morning. 

Gifts had been opened.  And put away.

The dog lying on his new-ish dog bed. The bed was four days old. I'm giving it two weeks.

Two weeks before it's turned into a small ball of fluff.

He eats his dog beds. This is about the twenty-seventh dog bed we've had in twelve years. He and his sister, Sissy's last dog, also jointly chewed a few of her beds. We were dog-sitting one weekend and when we came home, the library was filled with floating fluff and no sign of fabric anywhere. Bed was gone and both dogs were slinking around. We still don't know what took place while we were out.

But he hasn't had a bed in a long time. And he's getting old. The floor is hard. So I took pity on him and bought him {another} dog bed. 

I should just take a twenty dollar bill and throw it out the window.

Remember this? K's new knit stocking that I made for her after last Christmas. J and the Man got new stockings too.

Oh boy, do they stretch out. I kept stuffing and stuffing and stuffing and still didn't fill the stockings. There was so much room left I could have put their presents in there as well.

J saw the Man's stocking stretched waaaaaay out, held it up and said, "This isn't a Christmas stocking. It's a Christmas leg." The thing stretched from the floor to above his hip. 

Uh-oh. I'll never be able to completely fill these things.

*Note to self - make next set of stockings out of non-stretching yarn. Using non-stretching stitches.

My new favorite finger dessert.

Oreo Fudge Bars


1 16 oz. package of Oreo cookies
1 stick butter, melted
1/4 tsp salt
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup milk chocolate chips
Couple handfuls of chopped walnuts, maybe 1/2 cup

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Line 9x13 pan with foil and lightly spray with PAM. In food processor, crush the cookies. If you don't have a food processor, roll out cookies in a zip baggie with a rolling pin until the cookies are fine crumbs. Add the salt to the crumbs and stir to combine. Melt butter and gently stir together with the cookie crumb mixture. Press firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Over a double boiler or in the microwave, melt 1/2 cup semi-sweet and 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips together with the condensed milk and vanilla. I microwaved this mixture on very low power for about 2 minutes. Stir frequently until smooth. Spread evenly over the prepared cookie crust. 

Sprinkle 1/4 semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1/4 cup milk chocolate chips, and the chopped walnuts over the top of the filling. Press down gently into the chocolate topping. Bake for 20-22 minutes. Allow to cool on counter for one hour. Chill in fridge until completely cold and set before cutting into bars.

Don't make this if you are alone in the house. You will eat them all. Danger, Will Robinson.

M gave me the greatest table runner. It's filled with tomtes.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

Happy birthday, dear Jesus.