Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened

 This was my casual Christmas Day outfit yesterday…

Inspired by this photo of Rihanna in the September 2013 issue of People Style Watch

 Super simple allowing the coral bauble necklace to pop…. 

My mom put this 'wonder woman' bracelet in my stocking. She always things I am a wonder woman doing sooo much and I think of her that way too. :)

 Sweatshirt - Forever 21

Jeggings - Kohl's

Necklace - Etsy

Nude Heels - Steve Madden

CHRISTMAS DAY:

I am sure our christmas was no different then so many other families with young children. Waking up at the break of dawn (6:30 AM for us), kids opening up gifts in a crazy frenzy with short breaks in between to eat and more strong coffee for grown ups. Then you are left with a living filled with clouds of tissue and wrapping paper and bows and ribbons all over. Gifts piling up left and right and kids who are so overwhelmed they don't what to play with first…

It is all happy memories. 

Our big family was very short numbered this Christmas with both my brother and sister and their families out of town. My in-law's away and other family members who have moved away.

So my mom and I decided to take it super easy and left over from their dinner the night before.

Therefore I had this idea of making all the xmas pintrest foods I had found…

Breakfast was Snowman Bagels….

 Bagel spread with cream cheese including the whole topped with blk olives for eyes, baby carrot for nose, cut up red bell pepper for mouth. Broccoli and string cheese ear muffs. 

And the best thing is kids did eat all of that stuff so they got a bit of veggies in the morning too...

FoR morning Apps while opening more gifts:

Green Apple Xmas Tree

 Sliced green apples sprinkled with red sugar cookie decorating topping. Raisins for lights and cinnamon sticks for the bark… The original photo had a star fruit as a topper but i couldn't find it at Von's so I made it out of red bell pepper.

Also, Fruit Santa Hats

 This was pretty easy, and the combination tasted amazing when you put the whole thing in your mouth.

Green grapes topped with half a slice of banana and a half strawberry and a mini marshmallow….

As a side dish next to our left over roast and ham sandwiches, 

Broccoli and Cauliflower xmas Tree

 The original had this raw but I steamed the veggies so they were a bit softer and easier to eat. The cauliflower is supposed to represent snow.  I also drizzled olive oil and lemon juice on top and sprinkled with sea salt which kind of looked like snow too….

And for Dinner/Afternoon Appetizers,

Santa Crackers

 These were a pain to make but delicious.  Use round crackers topped with cottage cheese for the beard. Capers make the eyes and nose and sliced celery for the mustache. The recipe called for dry salami for the hats but I forgot to buy that so used cold cut turkey instead. Putting the cottage cheese as the trim was pretty hard. And the capers were slippery little suckers.

Christmas Tree Pita Wedges

 This was also pretty yummy. The spread is made out of guacamole and sour cream and chopped parsley. The lights are cut up red bell peppers and stick pretzels for bark…

Reindeer, Snowman and Xmas Tree Cracker Platter

I couldn't find square crackers so I bought rectangle flat bread crackers and cut then in half. 

Hummus is used like a glue for all of them. Blk Olives for eyes and cherry tomatoes and bell peppers and capers and cucumbers. We topped the trees with triangle cheddar cheese.  

Mom and I had fun making these although she kept questioning why were spending so much effort to a crowd that probably wouldn't appreciate it but I enjoyed it. 

Here are some collages from our Day….