Christmas Day

With all of my food prep complete, getting dinner on the table was easy.  Christopher and I did do some cooking during the day, but a lot of our time was spent milling around and making sure that everything was in place to be cooked once everyone got there. There isn't much to explain. The day was mostly cooking, cooking, and more cooking.  Everything is always crammed into the end so that dishes can be put on the table hot.  After Nick showed up with his parents it was much easier to get things on the table with an extra set of hands.

Every year we make sure to put out salami for my Uncle Tom.

Appetizer table

Boiled prawns (dipping sauce was on the table).

Prime Rib

Making the cioppino.

Spicy clams

The only thing that we managed to burn were the buns.
Christopher had put them in the top oven and we sort of
forgot about them with all the chaos.  We kept commenting
on smelling grilled cheese when I finally realized that the
buns were burning.  Woops, but at least we didn't ruin $50 worth
of prawns. 

I was so excited to get the Tarte makeup kit.  It was sold out
on the Sephora website so I figured that it was completely
sold out in the store.  My Mom got the second to last one.
It's such a good deal with 24 full sized shadows, 8 mini glosses,
an HD powder, mini mascara, mini amazonian clay blush, brush,
giant mirror, and travel case. I. Am. Stoked.  While Nick was
setting up his new TV, I was sitting at my vanity trying out all
of the different colors. 

It' no surprised that I asked for a lot of makeup related items this year.  I'm
trying out the Real Techniques brush line.  I like them, but I still think that my
Sigmas are much nicer.  For the price range (about $20), however, the Real
 Techniques are a really good deal.  I also have been trying to get my hands on
some Beauty Blenders but Sephora is always sold out.  

This is pinkest the Beauty Blenders will ever look.  From all the videos I've
watched, they never totally rinse clean of the foundation color. 

Emmy usually hates to sit on anyone's lap, but she made
her way up onto Nick's.  She must have been feeling
overwhelmed by all the people and noise. 

Merry Christmas!