Most important order of business.
Be a Good Cookie Week was an epic success. Between the treats baked by Kirsten, her brother Mr. Stonebender, Jeanne, Allison, Megan, Mads and a few donations from Kirsten’s friends, we raised $529.40 for pediatric cancer research through CFKC.
When I started baking with these wonderful ladies, I thought that it would be a good time. That it would force me to hone a domestic life-skill. I had no idea that we would be able to raise that much money by the sole virtue of baking for our blogs, organizing cookie exchanges with friends and co-workers, and bringing other people along for the ride.
If you’re still looking for a way to get involved, register your cookie exchange/bake sale with Glad and they will donate $0.10 per cookie exchanged or sold through the end of December for up to a total of $100,000. It’s just that easy.
Second most important order of business.
Our department cookie exchange was today and one co-worker brought in a snack called Tijuana Tidbits.
To me, that sounds like a drug. But apparently, it is not. Which means that it was probably invented by someone who has never set foot near Tijuana before.
Rather, it’s a delicious sweet and spicy trail mix incorporating tortilla chips, popcorn, mixed nuts, Crispix (does anyone actually eat them as cereal anymore?) and some sort of glaze.
Nope. Definitely not even remotely related to Tijuana. At all.
But this could become a year-round snacky-stalwart.
As in, I had to force myself to put the bag down so that I could enjoy them once more tomorrow night.
It’s going to be glorious.
Tijuana Tidbits aside, Hanukkah started tonight.
And I’ve been asked by a fair number of friends and co-workers what the holiday entails for us.
My conversion date was a few days before Hanukkah. So at the party my parents threw for me in 2009, I got menorahs. And LOTS of candles for said menorahs. Because unlike Christmas Trees, you don’t just have to choose one menorah and stick with it. Oh, no. When you are a Hanukkah-observer, you have many, many menorahs.
One can never have too many ritual objects, you know?
Since Hanukkah and Christmas fall over the same period of time this year, what that means from a practical standpoint is that Marcus and I will be celebrating non-stop (and with other people) from the 23rd – 28th.
Sometimes it will be Hanukkah-themed, sometimes it will be Christmas-themed. Since Hanukkah is actually a minor holiday on the Jewish calendar and Jesus wasn’t actually born three days after the Winter Solstice, I feel pretty comfortable surrounding myself with as many family members and friends as possible during this time and rolling with it.
Since Marcus and I agreed not to exchange gifts this year (we’ve been extremely blessed), it’s the little things that will make this first married Hanukkah of ours special.
We will light the menorah every night (my parents have a few as well, so we really do have all of our bases covered), which is something we haven’t managed to achieve before. On Thursday night, I’m actioning a classic risotto for dinner. Not because it has anything to do with Hanukkah OR Christmas, but because Marcus has been requesting it for awhile. I thought it would be nice to enjoy it together on the one night of the holiday that we’ll actually be alone for.
Who knows – maybe 10 years from now a festive Hanukkah risotto will be a tradition of ours.
In the meantime, there simply has to be some peace amidst the chaos.
What does your holiday schedule look like?
What are the quirky holiday meals/dishes that appear on your family’s table?
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She was not kidding when she said the scent would permeate every area of your house.
I don’t want to say that I’m excited to put my riding boots away (we’re making up for A LOT of lost time), but I was looking forward to swapping into open-toed flats and sandals!
Y’all know that I’m not a fashion blogger, but inspired by 
Did I mention that I love the natural light at their place? Because it kills me dead. Every time.
If there’s one thing I learned right away celebrating Passover with Marcus’ family, it’s that Frogs are The Easiest design concept when it comes to decorating one’s table for The Holiday.
