No Surfing Santa this year, at least not yet. Paul and the boys had to redo the lights because the ones left on “the wave” were sun bleached white and since they were no longer blue, Paul wanted to replace them. He purchased $150 of new blue strands of lights and halfway through attaching them with swift ties, they realized they were putting them on the wrong side. The boys hands got frostbitten since the temps were in the low ’30s, which is extremely cold for us, and they were not used to it. Meanwhile, the girls and I were in the house making roll out sugar cookies which did not turn out because I threw the recipe together from memory because I mistakenly gave away my cookie cookbook. We kept adding flour because they were so sticky and then they tasted like starch. Mark ate them anyway because he will eat anything.  The boys put the Surfing Santa project off for a warmer day which never came. Then it rained. And we threw a party for 100 people at our house this past weekend. I always have all these high hopes that we are going to make gifts and spend so much time doing things together and it is always so unrealistic. The kids get sick or they have too much homework. I’m tired because I threw a party for 100 people and then there’s work. Can’t forget about that. I’m trying to take some time off but Paul can’t. The house is a mess. I took the kids Christmas shopping on Sunday only to discover that my ATM card was canceled due to “suspicious activity”. Sophia got her learner’s permit last week and wants me to take her driving. I keep making cookies to give away as gifts but Paul and the kids keep eating them all. That reminds me, I’m searching for a long lost cookie recipe from Paul’s family. His sisters remember it but don’t have it. If anyone knows of a recipe for caramel walnut cookies in which you place an unwrapped caramel in the center of the cookie, please let me know.