Loot!

Christmas reinforced for me how very blessed we are in so many ways.

Here was our tree:

Look at all that insanity. We only had 7 people there! It took us 4 hours to get through everything...granted, our tradition dictates opening gifts quite slowly, but I think this is still a record.

I took photos of everything I got that was for me specifically, but I was too lazy to take photos of stuff shared by me and C.


The quintessential Italian cookbook. I can't wait to make everything in it. (Well, OK, not everything. I noticed a recipe that involved boiled calves' feet. Not happening.)


Yes, this is a peanut butter and jelly spreader. Awesome. No one needs this, but it is fabulous.


Quite possibly the most exciting gift...this means that today's post will be the last one containing cell phone photos (unless I randomly need to take a photo somewhere and only have the phone with me). The new camera is charging now and then it will be in business!


I love silly kitchen implements. This one is particularly apt because the only slotted spoon I have is HUGE, so this makes a good mid-sized one.


Switchplate for our kitchen light. Now people will know this light switch is for our kitchen (people get confused because the switch is not actually IN the kitchen).


Yum. I probably WILL make almost everything in this one, at least once. There are some amazing looking recipes here...and it looks like some good reading, too (how chocolate is made, etc).


Dorky, yes, but I needed one. I am horrible about checking my tire pressure, mainly because I did not have a tire gauge. This will ease my mind as my car's low-tire-pressure warning light is constantly on because my snow tires don't have the special super-expensive valves that communicate with the system.


I hope this one is good. I'm looking for more decent sock patterns.


And while I search for a good pattern to make socks for ME, I have these awesome down booties to keep my feet warm (did I mention I am constantly cold all winter?).


Pasta that my Mother-In-Law picked up in Rome (she got there the day before we left). I can't believe she traipsed around Rome and Florence for 2 weeks and didn't break a single one of these (they are about 2 feet long). That short one is just short, not broken.


Really looking forward to getting through reading this, and making some stuff, after all the praise this book has gotten from fellow bloggers.


Don't tell me what happened. I have not yet seen Season 7 as we have no TV here.


This looks kind of fun...though I have to admit I am getting annoyed with Debbie Stoller lately. Maybe this will change my mind.


This is a duplicate, but I have no complaints. Who can possibly have too much coconut body butter and scrub from the Body Shop? Not me!


I have wanted this for ages but never been able to justify it. The elephants' trunks are hooks, for hanging small items like keys..the giraffe is just for decoration. Now to decide where this will go...

And I just realized I did forget to photograph a couple gifts. Let's leave it at this - I am spoiled.

Happy holidays to all. :)