Yeah, I’m not even going to try to catch up but I’m just going to jump back in!

I’ve got photos from our trip to Italy, from Halloween and fall and now from Christmas and I’m going to load them soon . . . really I am.

Christmas here was terrific – it almost has to be with children involved, doesn’t it?

The little ones had a great time – Santa was good to them and the big one got most of what he asked for (lucky for Santa he only asked for 3 things!) including a bug catching vaccum thingy which he’s having a ball with even though there are no bugs to chase, save the random ant here or there . . .

Christmas night, as Daddy was tucking him in, he said that “This was my first Christmas” and he’s right, in all likelyhood, this is the first Christmas he will ever remember. When I tucked him back in he told me that “This was my best christmas ever” and I believe him on that count too. So very cute and he totally made our holiday.

Santa was very good to me as well. I got an interesting cookbook – it had some good recipes and beautiful photos; and the Mason-Dixon knitting book. It was an interesting choice as I did (when I had time to read blogs) really enjoy their blog – and while it would likely be an interesting read . . . most of the patterns seemed kinda basic and not really the type of thing that I’ll do or that I’ll need a pattern for . . .

So back to the bookstore I went to return the . . . and try again. I pulled out a stack of knitting books and a stack of cookbooks and headed for the cafe . . . and I gotta tell ya – after looking at about a dozen of the newer knitting books that are out right now – I’m kinda “over” the whole knitting book thing. I’m sure there will be one or two here and there that are interesting but none of the ones I saw really did anything for me. Ah well . . .

Now here is the part that will tell you just what kind of a geek I really am . . . I bought a Text Book. Actually, a rather expensive text book. Baking and Pastry – mastering the art and craft by The Culinary Institute of America.

Yeah, a baking book, or from the look of it, THE baking book. I’ve been doing a lot of bread baking lately and I love to bake pastry of all sorts . . . and this book covers it all. I’m going to have to go back to the gym soon just to conteract the baking!