Busy Days

 I would have to look at my planning calendar to tell you what we 've been doing everyday - that's where I keep my to-do list - but it's downstairs and I'm upstairs, so I'll try to remember. I have photos. 

One evening when the wind and rain were minimal we went for a drive to look at Christmas lights in residential areas. We found lots of pretty displays, often clustered together, and then large areas with nary a light. This light show was the star of one neighborhood. It's all set to music and they let us know what radio station to turn to in order to bounce along with the lights.

On Friday I know we went to breakfast, then grocery shopping, then drove the hour to Olympia to have lunch with my sister Laurie. We used to have pre-Christmas sibling gatherings, but our brother and his wife moved to Idaho, and we lost our sister Ilene this year and Laurie's husband Arnie two years ago, so it was just the three of us. Getting together is even more important now. After lunch we did a bit of a stroll along the shore of Capitol Lake. 

On Saturday Jill and the grands came for an afternoon of cookie baking. Irene has a part time job on weekends in a florist shop and her boss had her make a bouquet for her grandmother - Me!

First we cut out and baked the gingerbread cookies. 

Then while those were cooling we cut out the lemon sugar cookies and decorated them with sprinkles before baking them. 

Next we detailed the gingerbread. 

Some of them are works of art. I mostly watched and enjoyed. 

Sunday was Lefse and fatigmand day. The kids arrived about 2:00 and we got to work. 

Fatigmand is a Norwegian cardamom flavored fried cookie. I had the dough made and chilled when they arrived. I rolled out the springy dough as thin as I could get it. Then I cut it into strips, then sections with a slit in each. 

Then Irene, with her nimble fingers, tied the knots.

Isaac fried them.

Tom dredged them in powdered sugar.

Then it was time for lefse. I accidently made the mashed potatoes too wet when I made them the day before. They have to be thoroughly chilled and then you add flour until the dough is firm enough to handle and roll out. I should have added more flour, which I finally did later, after struggling with very soft dough. Lots of flour was involved to prevent sticking. 

Irene cooked them on the lefse griddle. 

Isaac added moral support while he watched football on the kitchen TV. Tom was vital in the clean up. And we all enjoyed a sample of warm lefse with melted butter and cinnamon sugar. 

Now I'm through with baking for a couple of days, until it's time to make the Christmas cardamom bread. The turkey starts thawing Monday. There will be check lists this week.