A Sanborn Cabin Christmas

It all starts with the preparations.  There are two large bags of chips for each family member, a fridge full of Guggisberg cheese and Swedish sausage, more crackers than you can shake a stick at, and the crucial new container of baking powder for Christmas morning caramel apple rolls.

("Bridget, this baking powder expired in 2010...will it still be okay?"  "Nope")

Early morning, loading up the car

Time to make the caramel!

Why yes, I did roll out the dough with an empty champagne bottle.

Rising rolls and the caramel glaze (yes, they do look a bit...oozy.  If I make these again, I would make the dough the night before as well as the filling, and bring them out to room temperature about an hour prior to rolling out.  That way the filling would be much kinder to work with when cutting the rolls than warmish apple goo.  It will gel up---because you leave the apple skin on, there's enough pectin to make it more of a gel than the goo I worked with.  But in general, it's a great recipe option if you have a nut-free house, thanks Pioneer Woman!)

Ready for presents!

Can we have some?  Of course we can, it's Christmas!  Pleeeeaaaasssseeeeee?  

(the day after Christmas, Ayden took it upon herself to relieve the frying pan with leftover hashbrowns of their leftover-ness, denting the pan and making a huge mess in the process.  Never a dull moment with these two!)

Christmas Card attempt #1.  Ha.

The family favorite.  Also, I would like to point out that I am not short, they are tall (I am 5'5)

"I am interested in this.  It could be food."

Ooh, socks!   Interesting, but not worth getting up for.

Can I help?

Lovely texture, this. 

I am not quite sure about it, but I do like carrying it around.

Okay, I'm already up, I may as well investigate these new socks...

Thrilled about his first belt.

White Christmas!

Dog: bored

Dad: opening his Costco Membership card.  He has developed an astonishing fondness for bulk food items in his dotage. 

Flame Grilled Steak Chips from my snack haul from the UK this summer.  They tasted like beef ramen chips.  Cripies, Wispas, Haribro Stars, so many delicious options.

In honor of Pa.

Awesome lego minifig book perusal

German Smurfs candy, all the way from Lausanne.

And of course, for the Christmas-away-from-home experience, some Christmas lights for the mantel and around the windows.