Chaotic Countdown to Christmas

I can't believe Christmas is in 5 days.  It kicks off for us on Friday which is also my last day of work!  I appologize for not updating for almost a week...I have been really busy getting ready for Christmas!  I think this might be the first time I have had a full time job at Christmas which is actually kind of embarassing!  I did at this time last year but we were in a strange "down time" period where we were on call alot so I had alot of free time.  So anyway, every day after work I shop and run errands and when I get home I have to feed myself and usually do laundry because my wardrobe is pretty limited right now! 

I have also been trying to bake which has been a mess.  Last night I made cookies that turned out OK but I realized that I forgot to add baking soda in the first batch of dough so they both taste the same but they look quite different...I know baking soda is important.  I remember my Home Ec. teacher explaining baking as chemistry and ingredients like eggs and baking soda were crucial for chemical reactions that held everything together.  Sigh...

Then tonight I tried to make these "easy" toffee cookie things where you pour toffee and chocolate over saltines.  My mom made it a long time ago and I recently saw it on Pinterest.  It should look like this...

Well...mine turned out like this...

Just looking at this makes me sad and dissapointed...it said to line the baking sheet with foil!  Ugh!  I salvaged a few pieces but the rest had to go in the trash :(  I hate the thought of that bag of chocolate chips and that cup of butter and that cup of brown sugar going to waste!  I try occasionally but baking often ends in a mess when I do it and I have been around long enough not to be able to use "it takes practice" or anything like that for an excuse. 

A main reason for this last minute Christmas chaos is that the Bison have continued to advance in the playoffs and there have been home games every weekend in December.  This has been a great time and the tailgating weather has been perfect.  This weekend they made it to the FCS championship game in suburban Dallas, TX!  It wasn't even a close game!  That dome was insane.  See the stripes in the crowd? 

Now we are in ticket turmoil...everyone wants to go to Texas but the game is sold out.   This is even more dissapointing that my cookie fiasco!  SO much more dissapointing!  Sigh...