Tuesday, December 28, 2010

A Barnum Christmas. Part 1.


We were very blessed this year. Not only were we a family of FOUR, but we got to have Christmas at our home all together along with my family (Papa, Mimi, & Auntie Cecie). 

Our seasonal festivities started on Friday when my family came into town. We had a Christmas Eve dinner with them and my in-laws (Papa & Grammy). Before dinner we nibbled on some appetizers. I made Aunt Debbie's divine pesto sun-dried tomato cheese torta (to die for!). Dinner was based around a succulent Honey Baked Ham that my parents had sent to our home. Along with our delicious ham I cooked up scalloped butternut squash, mac & cheese (the best recipe I have ever stumbled upon), & green beans. My lovely mother-in-law brought salad and homemade dinner rolls (yum!). While we were waiting for dinner to finish cooking, we let the kiddos (mostly Reagan) open their presents from Papa and Grammy. Reagan got an adorable pink Hello Kitty rain coat with a matching umbrella. Jackson got an awesome Baby Einstein exercauser. The two of them also got a great storage unit to keep all of the toys in (really this was more for me :) ) They also got their traditional Christmas Eve jammies from Daddy & Mommy. This year I purchased their jammies early (I'd been eying them last year) from Personal Creations- Red long johns with their names embroidered on the back flap. It was a wonderful evening!
 






Reagan picked out cookies for Santa and we put them on the plate with a glass of milk. Reagan stayed up a bit later than usually but we finally got her into bed and told her Santa would bring her goodies for the morning. It was a very long night. We all stayed up until 12:30 am. Papa was building Reagan's doll house and even some of us pitched in. The stockings were filled by "Santa" and Reago's Elmo Kitchen and doll house were set up and topped with a big bow. Everyone went to bed.





Christmas morning I got up early (6am-ish). Reagan had yet to get up- this is the girl who hops into bed with us every morning at 4:30am. So I set out an easy breakfast: bagels & cream cheese, fruit, coffee, & orange juice. Waited, waited, & waited... finally around 8 miss Reagan got her sleepy head out of bed. It took her a little bit to warm up, but once she did she loved her Dream Mansion doll house from Papa & Mimi and her Elmo Kitchen from Santa. She got to open all of her presents. We had to prod her along because with each opening she wanted to spend time playing with that present. She enjoyed everything!

To be continued...

Part 2 tomorrow.

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