Bubba's Blog: Gearing up for Christmas

The first weekend back from vacation we ventured out into the rush of the holiday season. Our original plan was to spend the day at Riverbanks Zoo to get on their new zip line and to end the day with picking out our Christmas tree. But due to the nasty rainy weather we set forth to thrift stores near home and in Columbia trying to find the best deals on clothes and other treasures.

Sunday being the last day of the weekend the weather was brighter to pick our tree. This year we went to a different Christmas tree store than last year. It was closer to our church which was more convenient for us. We stopped, walked around all the trees a couple of times then we set eyes on our tree. I reiterated to Ray if he like this tree and commented with a "yes", "this is our tree sir". Before purchasing the tree I asked the man if he could take our picture, after the first photo he wanted me to check to see if I wanted him to take a second instead of taking the perfect photo I was happy with the first.

To get in the Christmas spirit I made buttermilk sugar cookies. It is a recipe that I will share with you that a good friend once shared with me. Just a note, it makes a lot of cookies so be prepared.

Buttermilk Sugar Cookies

Ingredients
2 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 cup butter
1 cup buttermilk
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda dissolved in 1/4 cup of hot water
6-7 cups of flour

Directions
Mix first 7 ingredients until completely combined. Gradually mix in flour. When the batter is mixed completely take handfuls of the batter and put on baking mat (like in photo), spread with a roller, may need to add flour to mix so it won't stick (not much just a pinch), then use Christmas cutters to cut out dough. I like my dough a little thicker, but when you roll it out you can make it thin or thickest as you prefer.

After all the baking it was time to decorate the cookies. We each had our stash of decorated cookies and there were plenty that weren't decorated. Like I said, this makes a lot of cookies!

Ray's Creation

My Creation

Due to the rainy weather the previous day and today we decided to wait till Monday to decorate the tree. Since I had a prior engagement at church that evening Ray took the honor of putting the lights on the tree. Being that he was doing it for me, I wasn't sure if I should voice my opinion on how the lights were strung on the tree. As time passed I couldn't hold my tongue any longer, I raised my voice about the lights how they were strung on the tree. He was stunned at first. All he was trying to do was help me and he thought he did a job well done. After a few minutes of soaking up what I said to him and me apologizing for my rudeness in his kind gesture that he did for me. We took the lights off the tree then restrung them together making sure we got them on each level of the tree. We did a fantastic job!

The next day we finished decorating our tree with the bulbs and our homemade ornaments from the kids a few years ago. When Ray got home he did the honor of putting the bow on as our tree topper. As the sunset faded we plugged our tree in to see it glow and saw how beautiful it really is!