We Had Ourselves a Merry Little Christmas

It didn't feel little. Lots of family, lots of great food (pretty sure the Yorkshire pudding oozing in beef drippings and the minced pie with hard sauce threw us all over the gastronomic edge), lots of super-duper presents (trains, planes, automobiles, an enormous Gymbo the Clown doll that Charlotte will not relinquish.)

Our real gift, of course, is the love our family and friends, who have and continue to make us feel so blessed. Not just at Christmas, but every single day. Our cup is so full. And we are so grateful.

Here's wishing all our friends, near and far, a very happy and full New Year.

The Polar Express Arrives in Alexandria

Perhaps the very best part of Christmas morning: coming downstairs to find the Polar Express circling the tree. Thank you Santa.

Cookies Cont....

Well, grandma's Christmas balls rocked, until they cooled. Now I think they're a bit...like rocks, best served with coffee. So it becomes clear to me that her recipes, now that I've located them, will require considerable improvisation.

Aunty Skippy joined us for Round 2 of the cookie marathon this morning and we knocked heads over the direction to "chop" the pecans in grandma's crescent cookies. Clearly chopped meant "pulverize in the Cuisinart" but trust me, it wasn't spelled out. Nevertheless, the kids wildly enjoyed dumping ingredients into the mixer and wasn't Harry thrilled to discover that what he was rolling the crescents in wasn't flour...but confectioners sugar (thanks a ton Skippy). I can hear him bouncing off the walls as I type.

Theresa's Christmas balls

You don't need an advanced degree to understand that chocolate, sugar, flour and walnuts (milk and Karo Syrup too), make a terrific cookie. I found the recipe for Sicilian Christmas Balls in my mother's cooking file, it was one of my grandmother's holiday standards.

So this year, while it may be a slight disaster (grandma's recipe transcriptions, unlike her food, were not the best), I am going to be sharing with friends Theresa's cookies (not Martha Stewart's).

So far, Harry and Charlotte are big fans.

Snow Into It

Oh MAN were we ever ready for the first snow of the year. Our predicted "dusting" put down enough powder to call-in the plows and get every toddler in the Washington area running for hats and mittens.

Whatever reluctance Harry felt last year about the cold apparently evaporated with the first flake. Today he begged from sun-up to go outside and toss snowballs, which we did twice. He never flinched when the woolen mittens got soggy, or complained that his mother inexplicably had him in rain boots instead of snow gear.

We had a planned outing with friends during the afternoon and you'd have thought I'd taken all his trains away when I said we had to get out of the snow and into the car. After we got home (thank you Missy, it was very fun, Harry said so!), we hit the powder again. That white stuff makes for an awesome nap time.

J'adore Daddy

Charlotte is just bonky in love with her father. Have I mentioned that a thousand times?

Last night, as I read the kids A Royal Christmas, Charlotte became fixated on Prince Eric (Ariel's husband), convinced it was her father, who happens to be away this week. Prince Eric is, by all accounts, THE most handsome cartoon man ever drawn. Agreed? According to my daughter, her father has gone tall, dark and chiseled. I will not rest until Harry points to our rail-thin, platinum blond Barbie and says "look, it's mommy!"

An Emmanuel Christmas

This afternoon was the BIG SHOW! at preschool. While Harry had explained to his parents that there would be Christmas songs, he was adamant that he wouldn't be singing "because I don't want to mommy." OK.

So my instructions to Harry on the way to school were simple. "Two things to remember Harry," I said. "Have a lot of fun. And don't put your fingers up your nose." "I'm going to put both my fingers up my nose," giggled harry. OK.

So at 11 a.m. I went back to school with Roxana and Charlotte. We took our seats, a couple cookies and waited. Despite Harry's warnings, we were not disappointed. My little musician (top, far left) kept a steady eye on the conductor, waiting for his cue to use his rhythm sticks (I'm so proud!), you can almost see the tympani before him (imagine with me please). While the kids from the 4 and 5s class did most of the singing, Harry was the picture of decorum, clapping, smiling and calling out to his sister in the back row "hi Charlotte!" even though I'm sure he and the other children were admonished to remain mum. Most of the kids were giving shout-outs to their parents. It was precious.

Note to self...next year, don't arrive a mere half hour early. If you want a seat in the front row, best to camp-out overnight.