Eve of Christmas Eve Preparations, 2012

Okay, so we have a lot to do before tomorrow - Christmas Eve!

(A side note: for some reason when I uploaded these photos to my computer, the color looked really off . . . I tried to edit them on PicMonkey, but I don't know if that helped or made it worse.)

First, we had to get the "Santa plates" out of the china cabinet. We use these plates to serve Santa his milk and cookies, as well as give oats to the reindeer!

Yes, Livie has some of her art project stuff in the background. ;)


Then, since we're having posole for Christmas Eve dinner tomorrow night, I had to get the blue corn posole in a bowl so it can soak overnight (after which, I'll cook it for a couple hours in the slow cooker, then add all the other tasty ingredients).

Livie likes the fact that the corn looks blue, purple, and black. She can't wait to see what color it turns out once it's cooked.


Of course, we have to have cornbread with our posole. I'm using this cast-iron cornbread mold to bake the cornbread. Livie loves that we'll each get a serving of cornbread in the shape of corn on the cob!

And we can't forget the cookies! Livie helped me make most of these. She also helped taste-test them, too! Gotta make sure they're good enough for Santa! (They are - I taste-tested them, too!)

Chocolate chip (and snowmen, thanks to Livie)

Oatmeal scotchies (and holly, thanks to Livie)

Last but not least, the tree, decorations, and stockings have been up (since the weekend after Thanksgiving).

Now if I could only get her to cooperate at bedtime!!!