Merry Christmas, everyone!

And happy anything else you are celebrating, too! What are you all doing for the holidays? We're having a quiet dinner at home and DH will enjoy four days off work (since he had to handle a work emergency Thanksgiving weekend.)

We're having buffalo prime rib for dinner - a little different, but we tried it several weeks ago and that's what DH wants - I plan Thanksgiving dinner, he gets his choice on Christmas. We'll call the relatives, visit some friends, watch some movies, read, and probably work a little in the garden. Sounds like the perfect holiday to me.

Can't believe Christmas is only 2 days away and I'm still trying to finalize everything for my big dinner. All of my family comes to my house for Chritmas dinner, this year we will have 18. I change up the menu every year and at Thanksgiving I asked what everyone wanted this year.....favorite vote was Prime Rib and Shrimp. We'll also have twice baked potatoes, Broccoli Augratin, Tropical Salad and rolls.

I've been pretty busy with family these past 2 months and haven't even worked out in the garden....poor thing!

I also want to wish all my DG friends a Very Merry Christmas.

Donna

Since I didn't get the flu or a cold this year, I threw out my back Monday afternoon instead, pulling a clump of weeds. Thank goodness I didn't leave everything till the last minute for a change!

My DH, bless his heart, does all the grocery shopping all the time. I'd rather be shot than shop---except for plants, of course. He makes Eggs Benedict for Christmas breakfast every year, and it's quite fabulous. We do stockings first thing, then have breakfast, then take our time opening the rest of our gifts. Since there aren't a lot of us, it's nice to kind of drag it all out. Then we usually watch the end of the football game and have a late dinner. My son and his GF will be joining us for the day. We'll have the two granddogs as well; that means we get to see more of "the kids" because DS doesn't have to rush home to feed them. Our cats will be peeved, but they'll get over it eventually.

I asked the kids to pick a dish they'd like for dinner.

So the menu is:
Vampire Salad (a traditional family dish for us--kind of a Ceasar with lots of soft garlic croutons and baby shrimp) for my DS
Prime rib with horseradish sauce on the side---maybe from fresh root from my garden depending on time & back, for me
Creamed spinach for DH
Mashed potatoes and smooth canned cranberry sauce for his GF (bless her heart, she seems like a low-maintenance kinda girl!)
Sauted Crimini mushrooms (direct from the farm in Morgan Hill) just because they're SO good
Persimmon bread (I found an outstanding recipe this year)

I wish all of my CA Virtual Buds a very Merry Christmas----and if you don't celebrate it, just have a wonderful day!!

Thought we needed a little bling.

First time in many years that our whole family came together for Christmas. Great photo opportunity for sure. We all had a great day....love my family so much.

Donna

We were so tired that we slept in, we opened presents. We napped. ES made brunch. We napped some more, then I myself carved the roast beast!
This is the view I woke up to on Christmas Morning.
Walk In Beauty!
SingingWolf