First, I was thrilled that my father made mashed potatoes the other night, because it gave me the excuse to make my MIL’s potato patties (leftover mashed potatoes, mixed with an egg, any other sundry leftover thingies you want to put in them, shaped into patties, and cooked in a fry pan with a little oil until browned on both sides).  But now, I totally full of starch and feel like a beached whale.  I totally overdid it.

In other news, I am on the Cleveland Foodbank Food Drive and Bake Sale committee this year at work, which thrills me.  I love this project.  I feel that if I can love food and have the option to cook and eat food as a hobby, the least I can do is make sure that less fortunate people can actually have meals.

Yesterday, I sent a "call to arms" to my coworkers for food, money, and time donations to the Foodbank, and spend today making sure that we had boxes in both kitchens for people to donate foodstuffs.  For the bake sale, I’ll definitely do my pumpkin whoopee pies, but now I have a few other whoopee pie recipes to choose from, so I’m not sure which I’ll do.

I also have to think of another item for our bake sale, but I have at least a week to figure that out.

In addition to this year’s Food Drive and Bake Sale, I’m also in charge of our department’s Secret Santa, which has also been my pet project and labor of love.  I cannot help it: I’m just friggin’ festive!  I love this time of year, so I have no problem going all-out for it.

(For the record, The Boy and I are starting to gear up on the planning for his annual Christmas party.  He’s getting back from Convention this weekend, and we’re going to sit down and walk through our ever-growing To Do list and start divvying up responsibility.)

I’m so excited that it’s That Time of Year again, and I’m really doing my best to live in the moment of it this year.

Have I mentioned that I’ve already started buy Christmas presents?  I’m tucking them in a drawer in my dresser to hide them from prying eyes.