Ruple Farms - where a full-time working mom of two manages her mini farm: baking

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Christmas Cookies

It's that time of year!

I've enjoyed baking and decorating cookies at my mom's house since she's been home.

Saltine cracker bark

I joke that they all look like Ugly Sweaters

My sister makes the royal icing and I make the sugar cookie dough for the cutouts.

And both are delicious!

We spent the entire day with my mom and sister baking cookies and doing all things holiday.

It was such a nice day!

We have less than a week, people!

'Tis The Season!

I'm not respecting the turkey this year.

I'm not waiting until December first to put up my Christmas decorations.

This weekend?

It's happening.

I can't wait.

I've finally gotten to the place in my life where I feel like I have enough decorations for the main areas of my home. I mean, there's always room for another gnome or reindeer, but generally speaking? I have a lot of stuff.

I love it.

I get to set up, organize, reorganize, etc. until it's just right.

Whilst playing a Christmas movie on FreeForm, of course.

It just doesn't get any better.

This is my weekend.

Friday was a super slow day at work and the girls didn't have school because of Veteran's Day.

I decided it was the perfect day.

I realize my table, chairs and rug don't match. The table and chairs were gifted to me and were maddd expensive and the rug is just old. Haven't had time to replace it yet. I don't want to get rid of the table, but it doesn't fit the farmhouse feel.

We went to Mom's Saturday to bake pies and hang out.

And decorate her house, too!

Blueberry and Apple pies!

Their favorite is blueberry!

And it turned out to be the right weekend to decorate.

This is what it looked like when we got home.

Winter is here.

I have a few more things to put up in the house, and of course, the real tree.

I have a 6ft white Christmas tree coming with white and red ornaments. Can't wait till that gets here!

The magic is thick in the air and the kids are feeling it. My mom's house smelled so good and the girls were dying over the already-wrapped presents my mom had put under the tree.

I'm trying to put the seriousness of my life on the back burner during the holiday season, for a couple of reasons: 1. The girls. I don't want to dampen any of the magic they should experience. 2. My mental health. I have just so much shit going on it's ridiculous. I've asked several times 'how much can one human endure before they totally break?'

So I'm going to take it easy this holiday season. And really, truly take care of myself. Take care of my kids. Enjoy the time off with them.

A Wonderful Time of Year

We had a very busy weekend.

Friday night was my company's holiday party.

It's held in our Headquarters in the next city over.

We took two limo buses there.

I had a very busy Friday and was in and out of the office.

I had my mom's house inspection in the morning, which lasted until early afternoon.

I had to decide if it was worth going back to work for an hour, or going home.

I decided to go home.

I realized I hadn't given myself ANY time to change or get ready.

I had to get the girls, drop them off at Steve's work (40 minutes away from home/daycare), then meet up with my client to do a product exchange, and be to my office parking lot by 5pm to catch the limo bus.

But, it all went pretty smoothly!

The devil horns are a promotional item for one of my spirit clients

My old stomping grounds. Went to college in this city, then spent 2.5 years working downtown at an ad agency. 'Twas the start of my career and looking back, I'm so thankful. I love my job and the people I get to work with.

Here's some of my team! We're just missing two! My ladies!

(and because I work in Advertising, we had to take advantage of opportunities!)

The limo left Buffalo at 10-ish, but I caught a ride home with someone else. We made it to our office parking lot 30 minutes before the limo arrived.

I got home pretty late (1am!) and that's unheard of for me.

I was very, very lazy Saturday.

We had a birthday party Saturday night and I wanted to be well-rested for that!

It was held at a Trampoline Park.

It was about a 50 minute drive for me.

Except that it started to rain/snow for about 2 hours before we left. It was just shitty out.

And the roads were so incredibly icy and snowy and slushy. It had rained all day before it turned into wet snow.

Ugh.

But, I took it super, super slow and was in "snow mode" in the truck.

We made it safely.

Then the girls had a blast.

lol. The form.

Ugh. Literally my heart.

Check out that tiny calf muscle. She also has a 6 pack.

My big girl.

The roads had cleared some by the time we left.

It was a much smoother, less scary drive home, that's for sure.

We went to bed as soon as we got home.

Steve then reminded me that his company holiday party/brunch was the next day.

I had completely forgotten.

Because I was so lazy Saturday, I didn't go grocery shopping.

Or prep for the ~~million~~ 7 dozen cookies I'm supposed to be making.

This was the first year his company was doing a "Plus 1."

We dropped the girls off at his parents house and went to check it out.

It was a very nice brunch and I thought it was super nice that the company's owner did this for them.

He's so handsome!

So proud of him!

On our way home from his company's party, we stopped and went grocery shopping, finally.

I had promised the girls they could use some Christmas money they got from some family to buy a new toy.

Steve took them to Target, while I went to Wegmans.

We got home around 3:30pm and I had to get to work!

I signed up for our Office Cookie Exchange and honestly, I'm not sure why! LOL.

I'm SO freaking busy.

But, I also LOVE this stuff!

So I got going.

I knew I had a long night ahead of me.

I love cooking and baking. I also love watching holiday baking shows while I'm baking. I know, super nerdy. Whatevs.

Cut out sugar cookies! I'm so grateful I got gifted Grandpa Teenie's Kitchen Aid Mixer.

That thing is like 50 years old! At least!

Check out that stiff peak! This is my first time making royal icing. I'm sure it'll get better each time. This time didn't have enough "sheen" although it did dry hard and was tasty.