It's been a LONG day...

...and I'm exhausted.  I know I disappeared again.  I'm sorry.  I have no excuse for the beginning of the month, but for the past couple of weeks, I've actually been working.  Ok, ok, don't get too excited.  My sister was able to get me some seasonal work with her company.  You may remember I worked with her a while back as a Perfume Ninja.  I actually worked another day with her last month at the Bloomingdale's on Michigan Avenue.  Now, she was able to get me a few weeks worth of work for Christmas.  Believe me, I'm very grateful.  But, I'm just not used to being on my feet that long anymore.  Plus, the store I've been working at is not that close to my house (Bolingbrook, for my local friends) so it's making for long days.

Today was probably the last day I'll be off until after Christmas, so I used it to do some baking and treat making.  I had intended to start yesterday, but just as I was getting started, I got the call I wish for every day.  Monkey Day!!!  How can you resist this face?!?!

Today, I met my Monkey, her daddy and my mother for breakfast, but then I stood firm and didn't let my brother suck me into wasting the day.  He tried really hard to get me to go to Costco with him, but I was strong!  Instead, I went straight home and got to work.  Here's a little peek...

I made about 36 dozen cookies.  No, I'm NOT exaggerating.  This is just a small sample of what I made:

Then I made a couple batches of peanut butter fudge:

A couple batches each of chocolate fudge, both with AND without nuts:

A couple batches of chocolate mint fudge (and, yes, it's as incredible as it sounds, if I do say so myself!):

A couple batches of toffee bars, one with nuts and one without:

And three batches of peanut brittle:

I really wanted to make more, but I think I'm done for the night.  I've actually been Skyping with Brian, Stud's friend from Hong Kong who stayed with us senior year, while I've been trying to post this.  It's been a tad frustrating, as Brian's internet connection keeps screwing up.  We had to give up on video chatting, and now we're just IMing.  I started this post more than an hour and a half ago.  It's WAY past my bedtime.

I will share one more thing, though.  Stud has been working like a dog over at the Golden Arches.  That's a post for another day, so I'll complain later.  But, today, he was supposed to work until 4pm.  After he clocked out for the day, he was sitting in the break room, eating the lunch he never got to eat during his 8-hour shift, when his manager came and asked him if he'd be willing to clock back in, and do them a favor.  Look!

He was SANTA!!!  And, a mighty adorable one, at that!  (And, yes, there's a pillow stuffed under there.  hahaha!)  There was some sort of mix-up, and a different manager forgot to arrange for a Santa for an event they had planned for tonight.  I know he loved every second of it, as he adores little kids.  He actually brought home a letter some little girl gave him.  It was so sweet, it brought a tear to my eye.  Clearly, Stud was moved by it, too, as he saved it and brought it home.  It said something about how Christmas is about family, not about presents.  It was much more touching than that, but you get the idea.  He said most of the kids tried to give him letters, but he told them to hang on to them, and to leave them out on Christmas Eve, alongside the cookies and milk.  He's too cute!

Ok, I just signed off with Brian, and I must sign off from here, too.  Long day tomorrow.  If any of my local Bloggy Buddies are near The Promenade of Bolingbrook tomorrow, stop in at Macy's and say hi!