CHRISTMAS EVE 2010

Christmas Eve this year was filled with yummy food and a visit from a good friend. Last year, your Christmas Eve meal consisted of Cheese Ball and M&M's. Remember seeing the video of Luke saying M&M for the first time? This year, we made sure that our "meal" was a little more well rounded, with some nutritious elements thrown in.

Our menu included Cheese Ball (of course), Bruschetta w/ Mozarella, a Vegetable tray with homemade Ranch, and M&M cookies. Much more substantial and definitely not as "sugary" as last year. M&M's for a 27 month old, right before going to bed, were not a good idea.

We were lucky enough to get a surprise visit from our good friend Marc Wood. He stayed and played with the boys for a couple of hours, which was so nice. It really was wonderful to spend this little bit of the holiday with a friend.

Before Marc left, the boys opened their "One Gift". As tradition (just started last year), the boys opened their matching Christmas Pajamas.

Of course I immediately put them on them. Porkchop really seem to like showing them off.

The boys playing quietly together. A RARE occurrence.

Before heading off to bed to have "Sugarplums dance in their heads", Luke got Santa's and the Reindeer's treats ready.

Santa arrived around 9:30 after he was sure two little boys were sound asleep.

The one thing we were most excited to see was the boy's new Kitchen.

The Kitchen, finished in a popular two-tone look, came complete with Plate Rack, Can Opener under the Plate Rack, a Vegetable storage bin, a DVD / Clock radio under the Vegetable bin, two Pot Hooks, a Sink with removable Cutting Board, a single burner Cooktop, and a little Breakfast Bar complete with Stool

There's also a Cordless Phone, and a Skillet and Pot. When you put the Skillet on the burner, you hear a sizzling sound. When you put the Pot on the burner, you hear a boiling sound.

The refrigerator was well stocked.

One of the cabinets serves well as a little pantry.

And the Oven was hard a work baking some corn on the cob. Cute little Pot Holder.

The Countertop is a lovely faux Black Granite.

The left end of the unit has a nice raised countertop, perfect for prep work, a diagonal laid Backsplash, and the Microwave. Above the cabinetry is a cute little, two-part sign. It says "le bistro" and "bonapetite".

Also under the tree, Santa left a T-Ball set for the boys.

They also each got a new Baseball Mitt and Ball.

After Santa left, we took stock of everything he had left, and just knew the boys would have a great Christmas morning.

It was nice to have some time for just the two of us...

enjoying the quite and the lights, but very much looking forward to the following morning with our two little men.