After a few last minute runs to the store and frantic wrapping it was time for Christmas Eve. I had been so busy this holiday season with photography that I feel like it snuck up on me. Luckily before we flew to Connecticut we got in a visit to the Temple here in San Diego to see the lights.
Christmas Eve we spent at my dad and Margret's house. Danielle and I have spent Christmas Eve with my dad pretty much our whole lives. We used to go to our aunt's houses, alternating each year. There would be LOADS of delicious Italian good -- pasta, fried calamari, stuffed shrimp, lobster, pastries. I have such awesome wonderful memories of stuffing myself silly, sitting around listening to cousins speak Italian and opening presents. Things are a little different now that we are older. This year we spent Christmas with my dad and Margret and her family. My dad made amazing pasta with shrimp and muscles, lobster tails, baccala (dried cod that is soaked for 3 days and is boiled and shredded then mixed with capers, olives, celery, parsley, sweet and spicy peppers and roasted peppers, lemon juice and olive oil -- it's one of my favorites!!) and stuffed shrimp. Margret made this delicious tilapia that Tyler really loved, and pigs in blankets that the kids went bonkers over.
And then, before the kids burst with excitement and anticipation we opened presents! Of course my dad and Margret (and Margret's family) totally spoiled our kids. Lia got dolls and clothes and a microphone and a walking, talking, purring kitty. Max got a Buzz Lightyear costume that he is obsessed with, some games for his Leapster, new Crocs. We left with bags and bags of stuff!
After that we made the 45 minute drive back to my mom's house in West Hartford so we could wake up and spend Christmas morning with Mattie Rose (something I hadn't gotten to do in 3 years). Tyler and I finished wrapping gifts and we set them all up on the couch.
Before we had left for my dad's the kids picked out cookies for Santa which were promptly eaten, as well as carrots for the reindeer. I think the reindeer even left some (marshmallow) poop behind. And Santa left a little note for the kids, too.
I almost couldn't sleep that night thinking about the kids and how their faces would look on Christmas morning. I swear Christmas is so much better, so much more meaningful when you have kids. By meaningful I mean that I can feel and see the meaning of Christmas so much more easily by looking at them and trying and to help them feel the spirit of the holiday.
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