On the first day of Christmas...and the second!

Liturgy on Christmas morning was so beautiful!

I kept saying that 

this was the day I am always waiting for, that and Pascha!

Christ is born! Glorify Him!

It was a lovely time

and we had a Christmas coffee hour after 

with fried chicken, eggs and sausage and goodies!

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Mr. Husband in the afternoon did our second annual Christmas day

Trader Joes run (Since our Christmas is in January and thus

stores are open!)...

We also went to a really good running store in Princeton that I had 

been wanting to go to as a good friend had told me of it;

while I am not going to take up hard running, I need to do more serious

walking and needed shoes that would be good for a bit more impact.

The store was excellent and I got exactly the shoes I had been wishing for!

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At Trader Joes I was able to stock up on some nice soaps, 

chocolate covered almonds (!!!!),

and for the first time got some steel cut oats and a friend

told me of this recipe that I may try at some time.

On the second day of Christmas Mr. Husband and I had a lovely

Christmas dinner together! 

We used our Christmas dishes for the first time!!

On the first day of Christmas I was given

a lovely serving dish in the Christmas Tree pattern!

I just love it!

We got really good take out for Christmas dinner:

Ginger Mango Glazed Chicken as an appetizer 

Braised Boneless Beef Short Ribs with potatoes and

roasted Brussels sprouts!

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It is a very big meal and we have lots of left overs to have

a second Christmas dinner tonight!

(Kind of Hobbit like, with second breakfasts!)

Our Christmas Time table cloth, from a dear 

friend for our wedding...

A salad and clementines added to the meal,

also with goat cheese and cranraisins for the salad,

and a cranberry whole cranberry sauce that

I kept on hand in the pantry.

Of course we used our silver that we had gotten

at the big rummage sale in our first year of marriage...

A bit of gravy and a dinner role...

Mr. Husband, when he saw the restaurant included a dinner role,

was quick to say,

get out the butter!

As our waiter in Quebec City said on our honeymoon:

"everything is better with butter!"

It was a lovely meal!

I had a beautiful Nativity Christmas card on display on our 

Christmas table as well...

After our Christmas dinner we 

had our Christmas treats and chocolaty Chai tea! 

Did I mention that I just love our Christmas dishes? :)

My Grandma Ruth's gift to us and to all the Grandkids

was a lovely tin of baked bars!

Date bars, brownie bars, lemon bars, chocolate chip bars, and more!

We also have some lovely Christmas candies that

we were given this Christmas!

Yum!

We opened presents from our friends that night

and I got one present from my beloved husband...

A beautiful book on Greek Myths!

It's a treasure!

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We are going to enjoy the 12 days of Christmas and open

our presents a little at a time!

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Blessed and Happy Christmas to all who are now celebrating!