I think the family has a mild case of after Christmas funk.  It happens to me every year. It is the same feeling I get when I watch a movie that ends with no real resolution.  This was a very Merry Christmas for the Bergen family, but when all is said and done, well, it is said and done... The decorations are packed neatly away in Rubbermaid containers waiting to be escorted out to the garage.  There is a slight echo in our empty living room, but the space feels good.
Matt has perfected his sushi roll making ability, and I am loving it.  I think we will ring in the New Year with a few sushi rolls, hot crab dip, and some stuffed mini sweet peppers.  I've never made the stuffed peppers before, but the recipe sounds so easy and so delicious. 
15-20 mini sweet peppers
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup goat cheese (my favorite)
1 clove garlic minced
1 1/2 tbsp. chopped basil
1 1/2 tbsp. diced sun dried tomatoes
salt and pepper
Cut the tops off the peppers and clean out any seeds.  Mix the other ingredients and spoon into the peppers.  Yummy!

Happy New Year's! 

 

Is it even possible that Christmas is 13 days away? I am so not prepared.  We have bags of presents stuffed here and there.  At this point I don't even know what we've bought.  Nothing is wrapped.  Not a Christmas cookie made. Greeting Cards-no way.  I feel like such a slacker, but a surprisingly merry slacker.  This will be the first time in two years that we will be home the entire two week Christmas break.  Don't get me wrong.  I loooovvveee our vacations, but I do miss my home time.  Mindlessly staring at the lights on the Christmas tree is by far my favorite (home time) activity, which gets me to thinking- what are my other holiday favorites?
 Favorite Christmas Foods
1.) Snowballs (shortbread cookie, pecans, powdered sugar)
2.) Hot Crab Dip (Paula Deen recipe)
3.) Meatballs (chili sauce and jelly)
4.) Pigs in a blanket (crescent rolls and little sausages)
5.) Mom's homemade sugar cookies
Favorite Christmas Movies
1.) The Santa Claus (all of them)
2.) Home Alone
3.) How the Grinch Stole Christmas
4.) Love Actually
5.) The Holiday
6.)  BTW-The Hallmark Channel is the bomb this time of year
Favorite Christmas Music
1.) The Carpenter's Christmas
2.)  All I Want for Christmas Is You (who doesn't like that song?)
3.)  Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
4.)  It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
5.)  White Christmas
Favorite Christmas Activities
1.)  Taking rides at night to look at the lights
2.)  Watching movies with the kids
3.)  Shopping
4.)  Baking yummy treats
5.)  Spending time with the ones I love
6.)  Staring at the lights on the tree!

I love Christmas, and even though I'm not prepared for it, I am ready for it.  I will let the Christmas spirit wrap her arms around me and carry me into the new year.  Joy is in the air!  Inhale.