Lily went to meet Santa this weekend and it was such a funny and cute experience for me to watch.  Not just the actual moment when she was with Santa, but the days leading up to it.  She talked about how she was going to sit on his lap, hold his hand, and ask for baby dolls.  And she was very serious.  This was going to be a big moment in her short life.  It's so refreshing how important such naive and simple experiences are through the eyes of a two-year-old.  I can't wait for her reaction on Christmas itself!  She is finally old enough to understand what's going on, and she is definitely old enough to rip the heck out of wrapping paper, exposing her beloved dolls.

If you're brainstorming what to have for breakfast on Christmas morning, then these waffles are a great option.  They are pretty quick to put together, and you can actually make the batter before the kids wake up (or even the night before if you keep it covered in the fridge!) and then it only takes a couple of minutes for each waffle to cook.  Jake doesn't even like eggnog and thought that they were moist and delicious, and the wintery spices are so comforting.  Top with fresh whipped cream by taking a hand mixer to heavy cream and a palmful of sugar for about 4 minutes.  Easy!

Eggnog Waffles

3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup cornstarch 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 2 tsp sugar 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1 cup eggnog 1/4 cup canola oil 1 egg

Whisk together all the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another.  Add the dry to the wet, and stir until just combined - don't overmix!   Allow the batter to sit for 30 minutes.  Preheat the waffle iron and cook the waffles according to the manufacturer's instructions.  Serve immediately with maple syrup, whipped cream, and a sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg.

Source: Adapted slightly from Pink Parsley