And This Is Why I Love My Mother.

Or: Why I was an obese child.

And this is just the beginning.  Every year, she makes roughly 30 different varieties of cookies and cakes.  Last year I dodged the Christmas bullet by avoiding dairy and eggs.  This year I am considerably more lax and - more importantly - she has figured out the wonders of vegan baking.  Between that and my dad's wine-tasting plans, the only thing I can do is bring my running shoes and pray that it doesn't snow.