Happy 2010 to all!  Here’s just a preview of what we did New Year’s Eve!  More photos to come soon:

Merry Christmas to all!

Last night we continued our holiday festivities with the Russbertardo (a new word coined by Mom’s friend Timo to describe the Russell/Roberts/Liccardo side of the family) holiday tradition of getting together on Christmas Eve.  I was excited because I got to be 100% in charge of the Christmas Feast this year, and I chose to make roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, mashed potatoes, lemon-butter green beans and an Amaretto Torte (kind of like an ice cream cake, and it was supposed to be Grand Marnier, actually, but we didn’t have any so I improvised!).

We ate, sang and made new Facebook videos for all our friends, including a special rendition of “Twas the Night Before Christmas.”

Pictures will be coming soon (most likely at the same time I post the pictures from Fake Christmas).  As I haven’t uploaded any of mine yet, here are some from PhotoBooth that Lindsay, Katherine and I took.

I can hardly believe that it’s Christmas time again, and that it’s just about time to ring in 2010!

Kara and Emily’s Christmas dessert – an ornament cake!

Well, it took pretty much all day, but I’ve finally finished the baking for the holidays! I made the cakes mentioned in my post a few days ago. Tomorrow’s guests will be enjoying the Chocolate Peppermint Whipped Cream Tart and Grandma’s Cheesecake (though now that I write this, I realize I still have to do the glaze for that!).

Monday’s guests will have the Frozen Grand Marnier Torte with Dark Chocolate Crust and Spiced Cranberries as well as what I’m calling a “Snowflake Cake” (pictures to come once it’s made!).

I’m looking forward to all the treats!

Elfyourself.com is WAY too addicting. I keep making them using various family members. For some surprises, click here and here.