A/N: This story features my little Rabb family from the Out of the Frying Pan and Into the Toilet Series. At this point, Trisha is six and Matthew is three. There will be twelve chapters in all. I hope you enjoy them! If anyone would like pictures or recipes, send me a PM with an e-mail addy!

Frosted Forest

Harm is busily working in the kitchen when he hears the SUV pull up outside. Mac and the kids have been out at the mall shopping for the last several hours. It is a few weeks before Christmas and Mac wanted the kids to have a chance to pick out their own gifts for Dad for Christmas. Harm would be taking them shopping next week to look for gifts for Mom, but he had a different plan. Instead of going to the mall, he planned to take them to several different mom and pop shops hoping that they would find something handmade that they liked to give to Mac. If that didn't work, he intended to take Trisha to a couple of different antique stores. He figures that Matthew is still a little young to appreciate the items that you can find there and he also doesn't want to have to buy out half the store when curious hands drop fragile items!

Earlier that morning….

After they had left this morning, Harm was uploading some of the latest pictures to Mac's Pinterest account when he found a few photos that interested him. He grabbed a legal pad and started jotting down some ideas and an hour later he had a plan for some family fun for the twelve days of Christmas and a list of required items for each project. Donning his jacket and fetching his keys, he headed out to the grocery store to grab various ingredients that they didn't currently have in their pantry. He realized as he looked in his cart that the contents more closely resembled what would be in there if Mac was doing the shopping. He had a few healthy things in there, but he also had a ton of junk food. Gumdrops, icing, sprinkles, various other candy, hot dogs, and Ho Ho's were mixed in with the meat, cheese, fruits and veggies. The clerk chuckled as she checked him out both literally and figuratively, "Building a gingerbread house for the holidays?"

Harm smiled at her, "Actually no. My daughter is old enough, but I think my son is still a little too young to enjoy the finer parts of the construction just yet. I think we might try that next year."

Bagging all of his groceries up, she waves, "Have fun!"

He sheepishly smiles, "Thanks, I think we will. Happy Holidays!"

Back to present….

Harm tosses a couple of dishtowels over his setup in the kitchen and heads out to help Mac and the kids with their spoils. He is no sooner one foot out the door when Mac admonishes, "Harm! Take the kids and go back inside the house. I am perfectly capable of carrying our bags in by myself."

Harm throws his hands up in the air and surrenders, "I just wanted to help in case you had anything heavy."

Mac crooks her brow at him, "More like you wanted a sneak peek of what you were getting by Christmas."

He smiles as he walks over and grabs Matthew out of his car seat, trying to stealthily look in the back at the various bags, when he feels a swat on his backside. "Okay, Okay, I'm busted! Trisha, quickly grab my hand before your mom inflicts any more damage."

Trisha laughs at her parents' silliness. She doesn't only grab her Dad's hand, she also tugs him towards the house, "Let's go Dad! If you aren't a good boy, Santa won't come visit you."

Harm tousles her hair, "And if you aren't a good girl, you won't see what kind of surprise Daddy has in store for you."

Trisha's eyes light up, "A surprise?"

Harm chuckles, "Yes, a surprise. But first you and Matthew have to wash your hands and then come in the kitchen. Mommy can come join us when she is done hiding all the gifts that I'm not supposed to see."

Mac calls after them, "I'm a Marine, Harm. I've got a battleplan all laid out of which foxholes to hide things in. I will be with you shortly. I can't wait to see what you have planned." She had learned early on in their marriage that Harm was worse than a child about waiting until Christmas to see his presents. Mac has had to get quite inventive over the years about where she hides his gifts. Although he hasn't yet realized that the covered grill on the deck that isn't used in the winter is one of her favorite hiding spots. One of these years she might get smart and start wrapping things as she buys them, but coming up with new hiding places each year has become part of the fun just to see if she can still outsmart him!

Mac hears her children giddy with delight as she passes by the kitchen on her way upstairs. For now, she decides to just stuff her packages in the closet in the nursery so that she can join in on the fun. She stops by her bedroom and changes into something comfortable and heads quickly down the stairs to see what Harm has come up with.

When she reaches the kitchen, she finds several items across the table in the breakfast nook where her husband and children are sitting. There is a pizza tray with upside down ice cream sugar cones, four tubes of green frosting, two muffin trays that have various decorations of sprinkles in multiple shapes and sizes, nonpareils, fruit imperials, red hots, marshmallow bits, and thin licorice strips in multiple colors. A plate has small frosted cookies of stars, penguins, elves, presents, and snowmen. On a piece of wax paper in the back is one complete decorated tree with plenty of room for more and two plush elves sitting off to either side keeping watch.

Mac gasps, "Harm, what on earth?"

He walks over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist, and planting a quick kiss on her lips, "Why you got down here rather quickly my dear!"

Mac wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him again, "I didn't want to miss out on the fun, and it sounded like you guys were having a blast."

Harm squeezes her tightly and whispers, "This is only the start. I spent my morning perusing various food ideas for the twelve days of Christmas that we can create as a family and then having something nice to snack on as well. I have something different planned for every day."

Mac smiles as she watches Matthew get a little furrow between his brows just like his dad when he is intensely concentrating on something as he tries to get the icing on just right. Trisha's fingers are completely covered in green icing and sprinkles as she places several red hots to resemble ornaments on her tree. Mac whispers in Harm's ear, "You do realize the sugar rush that the kids are going to have. Especially if you do this each day. We may never get them to go to sleep."

Harm drops his jaw in mock horror, "You know me better than that. Not everything is going to be loaded with sugar. I have some healthier ideas in mind as well. I wrote it all out and will show you my master plan later." Turning her around and lightly nudging her towards the table he adds, "For now Mrs. Rabb, let me give you a demonstration on how to create and decorate your tree at my build a tree station."

Mac nudges him in the ribs with her elbow, "I think I can figure it out on my own, Mr. Rabb."

Harm laughs, "Yes, dear. I'm sure you can. And when we are all finished, we will have a frosted forest."