A Merry Little Christmas

Merry Christmas!  If you're still in the holiday spirit here is our little Christmas recap. 

We watched all our favorite Christmas movies over the course of the season which include Home Alone 1 & 2 (although realizing that the invention and accessability of cell phones has made the plot somewhat of a head-scratcher), Fred Claus, How The Grinch Stole Christmas (movie and animation), The Santa Claus series, The Polar Express, A Christmas Story (on repeat Christmas day thanks to TBS!)and even enjoyed a new one, Arthur Christmas.  Yes, I like Christmas movies.  I also enjoy all the music!  We had 3 radio stations that played round the clock holiday tunes so I rarely had a car trip without festive accompaniment.  Christmas Eve rolled around and, while I worked that day, I was thrilled to have Christmas Day off, so we got to enjoy a lovely, cozy Eve at home.  I made an AMAZING pot roast, actually probably the easiest and tastiest to date, the finished drippings are ready made gravy also! Here in the recipe  (I did not make the onions as I would have been eating them solo, also I just used dried chives in the potatoes as the fresh stuff wasn't looking too hot in the grocery), TRY IT!

Anyways, back to our holiday, It even snowed!  There is something magical about snow on Christmas eve and Christmas day.  According to our local news it has only snowed on Christmas day 12 times in the last 100 years, so we really did appreciate it!  We went to bed with visions of sugar plums (well, at least the Finnish coffee bread I made), dancing in our heads.

Christmas morning dawned with a gentle snow still falling.  Our stockings were stuffed,

Our Christmas puzzle complete,

Yes, that IS Santa with a bag full of cats

And the presents were under our tree

I got the breakfast casserole started and waited patiently for the hubby to wake up.  Then it was present time! 

Cassidy checking out her stocking

And assisting in the gift opening

Stella is a little overwhelmed

 

 A special Christmas bone

 After all the gifts were opened and awed over, we enjoyed a lazy morning and then some egg nog to get the creative juices flowing for my crudite tree

A festive way to eat your veggies!

We then spent the rest of the day surrounded by great friends and delicious food.  It was truly a wonderful Christmas.  Once again we were overwhelmed by the generous gifts from our family, we are truly blessed to have each of you in our lives, we love and appreciate every one of you, and hope to spend time together throughout the coming year.   I hope your Christmas was filled with peace, love, and joy!