merry christmas!

pete and i enjoyed this holiday season so much - and our very last just the two (four including our four legged friends) of us... we are so excited to share these special times with our little one, the thought of it occupied many conversations over the few days.

christmas eve: we woke up and made a yummy waffle breakfast before heading off to the dog park. btw, someone left a load of brand new tennis balls for the doggies for christmas, isn't that nice? here are the girls enjoying the sunshine and new toys:

we built the baby's crib a few days before so we set in on the changing table. we'll post pics as soon as the room is presentable!! then pete and i spent the evening with his parents at their house in orinda. we ate crab, fresh bread, and an amazing salad! i brought a pumpkin roll that was liked (though i wasn't the biggest fan of my work). we exchanged presents and we so excited that sara enjoyed her game and video about babies and dogs. she is getting really excited about the baby, too. she puts her hand on my belly and says 'baby crying'. not so much longer and she'll get to meet her niece or nephew! i had two christmas 'wants' this year, a roomba (dog hair is not my friend and i hate vacuuming!) and a video camera. pete's parents got us a video camera for christmas! when we got home, we plugged that bad boy in to charge so we can start practicing non-shaky, not-so-fast around the room taping before we really want to record events = baby's arrival.

we headed home to set out our stocking for santa and read 'the night before christmas'. pepper and bailey listened intently to the tale and lumbered off to bed with us, awaiting the arrival of santa with dreams of bones, snacks, and parks in their heads!




christmas day: pete, pepper, bailey, and i woke up early with all the christmas excitement of little kids. we immediately checked out our stockings, made hot chocolate, and then opened our presents. pete was such a thoughtful gift-giver this year, making my life easier with a roomba, warmer with a great maternity fleece, and a little more comfortable with a back heater/massager. he received satellite radio items, a gift card for some new shoes, and a few other odds and ends. pepper and bailey made out with stockings full of doggy treats, new collars, nametags, and leashes!!






after exchanging presents and checking out what santa brought, i had quite the cooking/baking list to take care of! i made a scrumptious quiche with artichokes, mushrooms, spinach, and a ton of cheese for brunch with pete's family. i continued the baking with pete's family dressing recipe, and one pumpkin and one pecan pie. phew! our oven got a workout -- more than i think it ever has actually...

we visiting with pete's parents and got ready to go to my parents' house. there we enjoyed a delicious christmas turkey with all the fixings (actually the same meal as thanksgiving, 'cause that is how the costanzo's roll -- it's all about the leftovers with us!). we chowed on pie and played wii. mom and dad got us a video camera, too! how generous of everyone!! it's all kind of funny, and i may have learned a tiny lesson, but pete was going to get one for me, too!

we hope all of our family and friends had a fabulous christmas full of love and laughter as we did! we are so thankful :)