Christmas Recap

Maybe one of my favorite parts of Christmas as an adult is just the built in excuse to fully indulge in all of the finer things.

Like, really really good champagne!

After a happy hour like that, no champagne the rest of the week tasted half as good, but it was such a fun treat to ring in the holidays.

When Joel got home from work on Christmas eve we went to the 4pm children's choir mass which was was as cute as can be, and then hurried home to get ready for dinner.

 

 

 

My cousin Erin and her fiance(!!!) joined us for a dinner and what a feast we had.

 

Joel is seriously an expert in cooking and eating lobster and it really is the most fun and decadent tasting dinner you can have.

But it's freaking messy. 

Half way through dinner, everyone put on aprons so that we could stop worrying about the mess and just go for it.

 

Erin and I have found each other in the same places a lot throughout our lives, but having each other here in LA together is the best one yet. 

   

And of course, most of all, I am just reminded again how lucky I am to have my little family. I feel beyond, beyond, beyond blessed with the fortunes I've been given. 

After dinner we exchanged gifts (couple to couple and then a favorite thing under $10) and then had the best cake I've ever had in my life (from SusieCakes) before it was due time to call it a night.

Joel and I exchanged our Christmas eve pajamas and then went to bed - however all way not calm outside. 

LA had a wind storm roll in with really high winds and we lost power on Christmas morning around 4:30am. 

We woke up and weren't sure what to do, I felt like I just couldn't do Christmas without a lit Christmas tree, coffee, and our traditional cinnamon rolls....

But we took a walk to get coffee and when it wasn't on when we got home, we said screw it.

We lit candles, played Pandora on our phones, and on the one shot we had to open the fridge grabbed bagels, champagne, and orange juice.

The power didn't come back on until after 2, but it turned out to be a really fun and special Christmas morning because of it. 

Joel made us a feast of appetizers for dinner and we cuddled on the couch in sweats for the rest of the night.

 

shrimp cocktail, turkey bacon wrapped dates, salmon dip, spinach artichoke dip 

On of my Christmas presents was "Tea Time with Tess" at the Peninsula, so this afternoon, Joel and I will be going to high tea for one final holiday celebration before we leave for paradise.