Christmas Eve 2009!!!!

I miss my family already.
I can’t wait for New Year’s Eve to see everyone again, especially my new little cousin S.

The food was delicious, and the company even better. And for once we did the right amount of food so that cleanup wasn’t insane. We were prepared this year!

Santa was a highlight too. It seems his outfit was missing, so a fake Santa was torn apart to create a new, interesting outfit.

The kids were all gorgeous and full of smiles.

It was so nice to spend some time in Rhode Island. I was there from Monday (major airline delays) until Christmas morning. It was a great Christmas Eve!

And I present to you, Christmas in Rhode Island:

The night I arrived my cousin Raz had my dad and I over for a delicious dinner, including a Giada pasta recipe!

       

I love her mantle.

The rest of the week was a blur of family, friends and preparation.. the best kind of blur that exists.

Presents for PB and my dad:

Tree at my dad’s house:

  

Entryway at Dad’s:

My mother in law sent photos of their doggies with reindeer antlers for Christmas!

My dad and the bottle of Greygoose my father in law got him… Guess they didn’t have enough at our wedding?

  

The dining room ready to go. One of the artists from my dad’s gallery (Royal Gallery in Providence, RI) made this gorgeous Father Christmas piece that my dad borrowed for Christmas. There was a buzz about it!

  

Last minute centerpiece I created for the kitchen table:

POM pomegranate and walnut salad ready for dressing and mixing:

My sister in law’s special cheese tray. It had honeycomb, rainforest crisps, and yummy cheeses. It was a big hit!

   

Hazem, Kristen, and baby S! Isn’t she gorgeous?

I love her Santa hat!

I laid out a bunch of copies of our favorite wedding photos for anyone to take. I thought our relatives and friends would like that, and sure enough they did! I printed enough for all of our family (both in Philly and Ri) to have some:  

The rest of the appetizers… My sister in law’s other cheese tray:

Fresh mozzarella, basil, and tomato:

Tray of dates and raw almonds:

Lemon drop martinis by my sister in law:

  

Lemon drop martini bar:

   

Santa’s little helper!

      

All of the appetizers together: shrimp cocktail, prosciutto, fresh vegetables with my dad’s hummus, SIL’s cheese trays, dates and almonds, caprese salad, za’atar bread, and fresh parmigiano:

   

Auntie Linda double fisting the cheese crackers!

Cousins:

  

A gorgeous family friend! She posed!

Za’atar bread:

Auntie Linda and my SIL:

    

I loved all the kids so much!!! They were all so adorable.

         

Auntie D:

K and R:

     

Board games!

     

Piano playing:

     

The finished salad with Lucini Fig Balsamic and Olive OIl:          

Alessandra’s Mushrooms:

‘

Autumn Stewed Zucchini:

Stuffed grape leaves!

Auntie’s roast:

  

The famous lasagna! Made by Auntie D:

  

The dinner display:

Bread, silverware, plates, etc:

    

All the cousins except Kristen who was putting the baby to sleep:

  

The girls:

   

Newlyweds!!!! 5 months married!

    

The guys:

     

The most gorgeous family I’ve ever seen.

     

Desserts! Lots of fresh fruit and Pastiche cakes:

Pastiche apricot cheesecake:

Pastiche cranberry lemon tart:

Strawberries:

And the funniest part of the night. We couldn’t find Santa’s outfit and had to come up with an alternate plan. Santa decided to pull apart a full size singing Santa to make his outfit. It. Was. Awesome.

Everyone was cracking up!

Well… not everyone.

               

Santa and his “wife”:

The full planned menu of the evening can be found here.

Christmas Eve ended super late, but by the time we went to bed the house was spic and span (worth it). Early in the morning PhillyBoy and I got up to drive back to Philly, first to PB’s mom’s house and then to his aunt’s house. The drive to Philly is actually a nice tradition now and we get to have a nice morning chatting and singing Christmas songs (well, one of us likes that part ). We got to PB’s mom’s house in 4.5 hours and had the best time!

Christmas Day at Auntie Rose’s (my mother in law’s house)

It was so much fun and also so beautiful:

  

I have my own stocking. I feel so blessed to have such a fabulous family!

My mother in law has so many carolers! I love them.

My dad gave her this piece of art. It is from the same artist as the ones my dad has in his dining room!

The gang: Auntie Rose, Adrina (my SIL), Ed, Zach, and PhillyBoy!

  

Somehow I didn’t take a photo of the meal but I didn’t forget dessert! My MIL made an amazing apple and berry crisp. It was the best crisp I have ever tasted.

PB and I brought a Pastiche cookie tray. If you are ever in Providence, RI make sure you go to Pastiche! It is so amazing. My favorite two items are the lemon squares and the fruit tart.

       

PB and I apparently got super dressed up for Christmas… not. Whoops! We were too tired to change after the drive!!!

      

Adrina & Zach:

   

After my MIL’s house we went to PB’s aunt’s house where we played a nasty game of Wii Monopoly (a gift from PB) with friends. I was a little intense, but I don’t like people who try to swindle me out of property!!!! If you have the Wii the Monopoly game is pretty fun.

Christmas was so nice. I loved this first married Christmas together, and I can’t wait to make and share more memories.

Oh, and Happy Birthday to my Dad and Auntie Maria, who both have Christmas birthdays!!!!

I hope you all had a nice time too, and I wish you all days filled with laughter and smiles.