It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

The closer it gets to Christmas, the busier we get! After Disneyland, the rest of the week was a whirlwind of work, shopping, wrapping, and trying to kick my cold for good (which was unsuccessful!). And then Saturday morning, we got in our Christmas PJs and FINALLY had our Christmas! Here was the tree on Christmas morning:

I am the most spoiled girl alive. And Matt is the best gift giver. I got so many things I've been obsessing over and some beyond thoughtful gifts. Matt has the best way of taking memories, inside jokes, whatever and turning them into the sweetest, most sentimental gifts. And he's so good at taking mental notes on things I like. I don't give him enough credit. My favorite part is of course watching him open his gifts. I'm so glad I was able to buy his gifts with my own money this year, it means so much more to me. I was going to post pictures of our Christmas but it was a special morning I want to keep all to ourselves. :)

The rest of the weekend I wanted to do nothing but relax. We watched Christmas movies and Matt worked on a Christmas gift for the boys that Kerry requested last year. I can't post any sneak peaks since I don't want my brother or Kerry to see it. But Matt is super talented when he has a paintbrush in his hand... and that's all I'll say about that! You will definitely be seeing a picture of the finished product, hopefully in Vinny's hands! And while Matt painted, I cooked and baked. Clam chowder and a chocolate candy cane cookie (my favorite flavor combo, as if I haven't said that enough times already) to be exact.

Clam Chowder


This was surprisingly easy and even more surprisingly tasty. Being from New England, I'm pretty picky about my clam chowder and I wasn't keen on the idea of using canned clams, but I also wasn't keen on the idea of paying for fresh when I didn't even know if we'd like the recipe. Totally exceeded my expectations.

3 6.5 ounce cans chopped clams
6 strips of bacon
1 small onion finely diced
2 medium russet potatoes diced
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup flour
1 quart half and half
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
plenty of black pepper

1. Fry up the bacon in a large skillet. Leave the grease in the skillet and drain the strips on paper towel.
2. Put potatoes and onions in the skillet with the bacon grease, and pour in the juice from the cans of clams. Put enough water in the skillet to cover the potatoes and onions and cook over medium heat until tender.
3. In a large heavy saucepan, make a rue with the butter and flour. Whisk in cream stirring constantly. Add in vegetables with all the juice from the skillet.
4. Stir in clams and heat through. Add red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Serve and enjoy!


And the chocolate candy cane cookie recipe is here. I just love them because they're so pretty. I also messed up the cookie recipe somehow because mine came out flat and crispy and the picture certainly doesn't look like the cookies are supposed to be flat and crispy. But they were still delish.

And as for the title, it really IS beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Boston! It's snowing! And I absolutely cannot wait to land and see the beautiful city covered in snow and have a white Christmas! We leave tomorrow at 10:20 on a red eye so this will be my last post before Christmas. For everyone at home who reads this, we CANNOT WAIT TO SEE YOU! And for everyone else, we wish you the safest travels and the happiest of holidays!