Well, last night at about 12:00, I was sitting in my dimly lit kitchen, looking bewilderingly at my 14 yr old son. He was sitting across the table from me eating cheese flavored rice cakes, and laughing in silent, hysterical laughter, while he tried to recount all of the funny things that happened while skiing. But why was I bewildered, you ask? Because he was doing all of this with an enormously swollen lip, and the remnants of a very bloody nose. Apparently, Mr. Alpine skiier had cleared one jump, and was about to clear the next one, but was unprepared for the ditch in front of it. One ski caught, and SLAM! Face meets ice. If he hadn't turned his head in time, all the weight would have come down square on his nose. What was so shocking, is how little it bothered him. All he could talk about, (with his disfigured face) was how much fun he had, how he had gone down the black diamond without falling, and all the funny things that were said. THIS, from the once little six year old boy who would need a stretcher to carry him off of the Pee-Wee soccer field, if he accidently stubbed his toe. THIS from the boy, who at 10 asked to be taken to the hospital and put to sleep, to have a splinter removed. And there he was......sitting in the kitchen, taller than me, with his face all swollen and smeared with dried blood......laughing hysterically at the great time that he had.
Did you hear that? That was the sound of time swooshing by me...

As my latest batch of Saltine Toffee cools in the fridge, I thought that I would share the recipe (for you Jess).

Saltine Toffee
1/2 cup of butter and 1/2 cup of sugar in a sauce pan, until it is melted. Let it bubble for a few minutes. Then pour it over about 35 saltine crackers that you have placed, in one layer, on a foil lined cookie sheet. Place in 400 degree oven, for a few minutes until it is really bubbly. Take it out and spread with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of chocolate chips. Let them sit a second until warmed, and then spread them evenly. Place in the fridge until hardened, break and enjoy! Then hide the saltines, so that no one eats them before you can make more.

It has been kind of a lazy day around here today. I am finishing up a lot of last minute Christmas details. And I guess we will be doing a lot of wrapping tonight. We will do some baking tomorrow, and then Thomasina is coming over for dinner on Wednesday night. I bought the book The Littlest Angel to read aloud...(we have quite a collection of Christmas picture books, as I try to find a worthy book each year), so we may get to that tonight. It is pretty quiet and relaxed here this year. And it feels so good.

Well, the Saltine Toffee should be about done, so I am outta here.

G'night!
Melissa