Jolly Old St. Nicholas

This morning I loaded the girls into the truck and trekked to the mall with the bestest Santa. Real hair, real beard, real belly. Probably really diabetic, but what can you expect with all those cookies he eats?

We picked up Doug at work and enjoyed a nice family outing. Which included the family getting in the picture. Brenna wasn't getting too close to the Jolly Fat Man this year. No how, no way. In fact she wasn't too keen on having her picture taken. Which is why my mouth is wide open as I am talking to the guy behind the camera who played peek-a-boo to get Brenna to smile.

Santa tried to get Brenna to warm up to him. He had a lot of time as the camera people were busy with a previous customer- something about getting more pictures from a previous setting. The Big Guy tried everything- reading, showing her reindeer, asking her what she wanted for Christmas. Nothing worked. She clung to Daddy like her life depended on it. Caelan, on the opposite end of the spectrum, didn't fuss a bit.

As we were leaving Santa asked me what I wanted this year. Before the words stainless steel Kitchen Aid mixer could come out of my mouth I said "I have everything I want." Yeah, I know, gack. But I meant every word.

Since we were at the bestest mall in the area (despite what my sister and SIL say) I stopped in Godiva for a couple of bribery chocolates for Brenna (Chocolate Santas- 2 for $1.65) so we could run through a couple of shops. And I saw the loveliest treat for me. A large macaroon half-dipped in chocolate. Bliss! It was like sin dipped in chocolate and coated in more sin. Joyous goodness. Thankfully they only had one- I could have easily overdosed if they had more.

Still thinking about that coconut goodness when I got home I did the only logical thing: I emailed Meritt to see if she had a killer macaroon recipe. I. MUST. MAKE. THESE! Ohhh, I shudder to think of them resting helplessly on waxed paper... The cookies cooling... The chocolate hardening... Completely unaware that I am going to dine on their delectable goodness... Ahhhh...