Christmas update

Christmas Eve my sister actually got up at 6am to get on a bus to come to my house. For those who don't know my sister, most nights she's getting home from a party at 6am to crawl into bed. I was very impressed and touched by her willpower. (I did call her, though, just to make sure she *did* get up.)

We started baking cookies: chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal raisin cookies, Linzer tarts with raspberry jam, and butter cookies with almonds. Delicious. Then we made mini 4.5" cheesecakes- four flavors: regular, chocolate chip, Oreo cookie crunch, and orange zest. All the baking took 4 hours.

Then we started on Christmas Eve dinner. Appetizer of French onion soup (completely homemade!). Roasted turkey breast. Stuffed mushrooms, green peas, roasted red potatoes and garlic/herb rice. Dessert of mini cheesecakes. And we got to use our fine china for the first time!

Christmas morning we started opening gifts at 8am. Highlights of gifts (i.e. not listing everything) received:
For me: jewelry and jewelry box, red wool coat, coffee-table photography books, DVDs

For hubby: telescope, sweaters, lots of cash

For our home: marble cheese slicer, fajita maker, vacuum sealer to store food

For sis: cute pj's, food processor, geniune Louie Vuitton wallet

For bro-in-law: computer game (Half Life 2), fishing-related calendar and book, sweater

For mom-in-law: icecream maker, scented candles

For Christmas dinner we had: fresh Romaine lettuce with baby spinach mixed with cucumbers, tomatoes, sliced carrots and walnuts over raspberry vinaigrette for an appetizer, honey-glazed apple cider ham with mashed potatoes, white-cream-sauce pasta and baby carrots. Everything made from scratch.

Only downside? On Christmas morning, we woke up to find the water pipes had bust *again*, and thus there was no hot water. All stores closed, so we couldn't take showers till Sunday morning. Merry Christmas, everybody.