.....and may all your Christmases by white.....

We've been thoroughly enjoying Christmas around here for the last 2 days.  Quite a bit of baking and cooking has taken place and one of my new favorite things is this peppermint bark.  YUM!  Just know that if you make some and intend to gift most of it, as I intended, then you probably shouldn't keep it around for long unless you have enormous amounts of willpower when it comes to these things.  Something which I, apparently, do not have seeing as how I've consumed quite a bit and our supply is dwindling rapidly.  I think it might be best to make it and then package it and gift it immediately.  I'll remember that next time.

Papa is working with the fire department today (Christmas Day), and so we had our little family Christmas celebration on Christmas Eve.  Cinnamon rolls and coffee for breakfast, some gifting, and a fabulous dinner (shared with my dad) of bacon wrapped scallops (with scallops brought back from Ocracoke), stuffed local pork tenderloin, whipped winter squash (we threw in the leftover heavy cream, not wanting it to go bad, of course), fresh bread, fresh cranberry sauce, and a salad with pears, cranberries, pecans and parmesan.  Yum.  I ate the scallops verrrrrry slowwwwly as to savor the experience because oh my, they were out of this world!  Quite possibly the perfect food.  I'm surprised we've not eaten more bacon wrapped things in this house.

We did a pretty good job of keeping it simple for babe's first Christmas.  A wooden puzzle, a drum, wooden maracas, a couple books (Mike was appalled that we didn't have a copy of "Good Night Moon" for Claire, so that has now been remedied) and a pull along wooden grasshopper.  We're a fan of wooden toys around here, as you can probably tell.  So far, the grandparents have done a good job of heeding our requests to not go (too) overboard as well, so that's good.  After our delicious meal we had a Skype chat with Nana and Grandpop to read "'Twas the Night Before Christmas", then Mike and I exchanged some gifts with each other and we had a cozy evening around the fire.  For the past several years I've joined my dad for Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.  Last year, I was very pregnant and tired and it ended up sleeting so neither of us made it, and this year, with where we're at on sleep with Claire, it just wasn't in the cards.  Next year I plan to get back.  I love the grandeur of a Catholic Midnight Mass~ the organ and carols, the candles and incense.... it brings back fond childhood memories of car rides home afterwards with me looking so hard for Santa (because surely he was well on his way in delivering gifts by then!) and I love, love, love the smell of the frankincense.  (frankincense? incense? is that where the word "incense" comes from? hmmmm...)  So yes, next year, back to church I go.  I admit, I'm of the once-a-year churchgoing folk, but that's a bit heavy and off topic for now.... so, let's continue with the coverage of our festivities.

playing with her new maracas

beautiful stained glass star from papa

some of Claire's booty

This morning we woke up to snow falling and it is still coming down now, nearly 14 hours later!  A beautiful white Christmas, indeed!  Claire and I were visited by my mom, her husband, and my brother.  They brought along breakfast and gifts and we happily spent the morning cozy by the fire, eating, drinking, and taking oh so many pictures of Claire as she opened gifts and crawled around squealing and looking for trouble.

playing with Uncle Marty 

concentrating hard on her cool new toy from Grandma and Wes 

I think she likes it!

she loves her Grandma 

reading with Uncle Marty

more playing and nap-avoiding

Somewhere in all of the joy and fun of the morning a morning nap was missed and so when our company bravely departed (onto very unplowed snow covered roads in a sedan) Claire and I snuggled up together on the couch and napped by the fire.  I must say the joy I felt while watching my babe sleep against my chest, with the fire crackling in the background, snow falling outside and breakfast, peppermint bark and hot cocoa filling my belly was immense.  Overwhelming, almost.  It was one of those moments where you feel like it can't possibly get any better.  One of those moments that you tuck away in your mind to pull out to enjoy later, possibly to help regain your calm when you're having a bad day.  If papa had been snuggled up with us, of course that would have topped it off quite beautifully.  Afterwards, Claire and I took Wolfie on a walk around the neighborhood and I took some photos of the snowy world.  We passed neighbors sledding in the street, some out passing out gifts to others, and quite a few snowmen.

a cozy scene for an early afternoon nap 

bundled for our walk through Winter Wonderland

snow laden oaks

snowy horse pasture

our driveway and shed

chilly hens

Another nap (this time just Claire) was taken after we got back, and then she and I joined our lovely neighbors for Christmas dinner.  On the menu was a standing rib roast, yorkshire pudding (which does even remotely resemble pudding~ who knew? Silly British misnomers...), salad and good red wine followed by a dessert of ice cream with homemade (hot!) chocolate sauce.  Yum.  I have eaten so much good food in the last 48 hours that I just don't know what to do with myself.  Except to maybe go get some more peppermint bark before throwing another log on the fire and heading to bed to snuggle up with my wee one for the night.  Yes, that's exactly what I'll do.  Cheers!