Thankful for fudge Saturday

I mentioned yesterday our annual breakfast before scattering, so I won't go back into that... But after breakfast was all over and we weren't quite ready for lunch yet, I had Robb and a nephew haul in the 2 big boxes of our Christmas tree parts. One sister and 3 of her kids stayed behind for one more day, as well as a cousin and his two kids. Yes! The same cousin who dissed my taekwondo form!! But he didn't do that until Saturday night... so there you go...

Several years ago I got in on a sale of these 12 foot prelit trees at Sam's Club and it was the best purchase I ever did. Well, they didn't pay me to take it like they do Slugmama, but it was a good sale.

The biggest task is getting all the electrical cords hooked together properly so all the branches are lit. But once that's done, it's a snap! You set the kids loose with the boxes of ornaments! They had a blast! After climbing on the furniture to get as high as they could, I climbed the ladder and put a few ornaments on the top 3-4 feet as well as a golden crown of thorns at the top with a construction paper star that Meri made in preschool. I can't believe it's lasted this long... I may have to laminate it and put it on a new Popsicle stick.My camera was left in the car all night and as soon as I brought it in, it fogged up immediately. So this is the picture of the process. Final product as of this morning. I must have had the camera at an angle, because it doesn't really lean like that!After tearing the garage apart looking for the box with our nativity in it, I finally found it already in the living room. Like the little metal pig, Playskool dog and bagpiper that showed up at the manger? And the decor is never complete without our trusty leg lamp in the front window! Some porch Christmas lights went up the next day with Meri's help.

On Saturday afternoon, my sister Tammy showed me how to make her fudge that she's made ever since I can remember. It's the best ever! and totally from scratch using cocoa powder and only a few other ingredients. As a kid I remember it cooling in the sink with butter melting in it. I'd take a spoonful as it cooled when no one was looking... I'll give the recipe tomorrow.

By Saturday night we were sick of anything turkey, mashed potatoes or cranberry related, so we got a couple pizzas and took them to the hotel where my cousin had taken some of the kids to go swimming. It was nice to just sit and visit and not cook anything!

Oh by the way... the fudge is all gone. It was DELICIOUS!!!