Today was filled with cleaning and decorating and baking cookies. So full, in fact, I almost forgot to pick up my new glasses. They are a new style and my kids are still getting used to my new look, but I was surprised with how much older they made me look. My reflection in the bathroom mirror looks much younger when out of focus with my old pair. I am always taken aback by the sharpness and clarity of new glasses. The change in vision is gradual and I never realize how much so until I get a fresh prescription.

I was concerned that I might need bifocals, but my eye doctor recommended against it for me right now. I’m glad I took her advice because at least some of my reading clarity has been improved by the new astigmatism prescription. I can read my phone easily a few inches away with my new glasses.

Tonight everyone will be dreaming of dancing sugarplums after all of the cookie baking I’m doing. I made lemon cardamom, double chocolate and peanut butter oatmeal Monster cookies- all gluten free. I’m halfway through the last batch and then I can finally go to bed and start up my own dreams. I have another poetry inspired artwork to do for my friend. I have an idea for what to do already, but I love to see what I dream up as well!

After I got my new glasses I took the kids for our promised banana splits from the spare I got on a split yesterday while bowling together. My sons both wanted a split to themselves, but my daughter and I were quite happy sharing ours. I have a very mild banana allergy, and while I mostly avoid bananas to keep it from getting worse, I make exceptions for banana splits, bananas foster, and banana boats when camping.

May your holiday preparations be smooth and fun. I got a good nights sleep last night so I’m not feeling too terrible staying up late baking cookies, but come Christmas night I will probably collapse into bed at 8.

Do you feel overwhelmed by everything that goes into holiday preparations?