The holidays have been fantastic. I really have enjoyed every minute, and I hate to say that I'm sad to see them go. They've also been a whirlwind of presents, paper, food, traveling, family, and friends. So as we head into the new year (can't believe it's going to be 2011) I'm going to try to do a little catching up.
The week before Christmas we had all of Speed Racer's side of the family over for dinner and presents. It was the first time since we really got a lot of work done on the house that everyone had been there at once.
So we pulled out my Grandmother's china, decorated with cheer, and cooked a ham.
The day of was a bit of fiasco until everyone got there. I had been having terrible headaches every night the week before that were keeping me up at night (more on that later). I was tired, moving slow, and just downright not thinking. I was feeling so bad at work that I knocked off a little early and came home to take a nap, knowing that I had plenty of time to put the ham in before people got there.
Oh what a lie that was. In my tiredness I had misread the cook times, and there was not enough time for ham. So, I ran back to the store...in the rain...and bought another, precooked, smaller ham. As I started cooking everything became a disaster, the potatoes, the ham still wasn't cooking fast enough, things still had to be done...I was on the verge of giving up and going back to bed. But who came to my rescue? None other than my Speed Racer.
He kissed me. Told me everything was going to work out, that the mash potatoes were bad but fixable...put on some Christmas music and got to work. He ironed the table cloth, started the fire, and then helped me in the kitchen. It was teamwork and just as people were arriving, we pulled a beautiful ham out of the oven.
Everyone started tearing into their presents, and the kitties were glad to play with all the paper.
It truly was a wonderful evening. I love having family and friends in this house, it brings me complete joy and reminded me that this is what Christmas is all about.