Gotta Keep 'Em Happy

Don and I are again Chairing the Silent Auction fund-raiser for the children's school. It will be held on Saturday, December 8. There's lots to do and very little time. Also, we're planning on spending Christmas with his parents in West Virginia, so I don't have those last few days to finish things up around the house.

Realizing that if I wasn't really on the ball and didn't have a clear plan for preparing for Christmas (like last year), the time would slip away from me and I would discover too late that I hadn't gotten everything accomplished (like last year).

So, at one of my many doctor's appointments, whilst waiting in the Lobby, I pulled out my pocket calendar and started planning. It looked something like this.

Week of November 2 - Write X-Mas Letter and X-mas Cards
Week of November 9 - X-Mas Baking
Week of November 16 - X-Mas Baking
Week of November 23 - Shopping/Wrapping (Thanksgiving Week)
Week of November 30 - Prepare for Silent Auction (What a Joke! I'm spending hours each day preparing for the Silent Auction. But at least I realized that I needed to devote a whole week to it without other preparations to worry about!)

And so on and so forth . . .

I began the baking on Saturday, having finished up my cards on Friday. I had already made a list of the cookies, pastries, and candies I wanted to make this year so I made up the grocery list, including those items, and started on the things for which I already had the ingredients. Sunday afternoon, the children figured out what was up.

"Mom, I want haystacks this year," said Dane, chirping up from the kitchen table while eating his dinner.

"Sorry, son," I responded while standing at the sink loading the dishwasher. "They're not on the list this year."

"Certainly, you're making Scotch Shortbread," informed Deanna. "It's Grandpa's favorite!"

"No, actually, it's not on the list, either."

Silence from the children for several seconds.

"Just what IS on the list?" Dane asked softly.

"Well, let's see. I know I'm making Baklava and Danish Pastry and Truffles for Daddy," I responded, trying to sound upbeat.

"I HATE Baklava," Daelyn piped up.

"No HAYSTACKS?" asked Dane in a concerted tone. "I LOVE your Haystacks."

"I'll read you the list, children," I responded, a little less upbeat. "I was just trying to do some different things this year that we don't have EVERY year."

"But we LIKE the things you make every year," Deanna pleaded.

I read them the list. They weren't impressed.

Today I'm making Scotch Shortbread and Haystacks. Then maybe I can get on with my REAL Christmas baking.