Christmas…it’s over!No more gifts to buy, no more long lines to wait in, no more hustle and bustle, no more watering the Christmas tree (letting it die of natural causes), and no more cooking (just a refrigerator full of leftovers)...
It’s bittersweet.
Christmas 2008 will go down as one of the best in the Pombo family history books. We started the morning off with a huge breakfast made up of homemade cinnamon rolls (thanks to Pillsbury Pop ‘N Fresh) and fruit (strawberries, cantaloupe, grapes, pineapple, and kiwi). Afterwards we opened our gifts—covered with a thin layer of pine needles—thanks to our cat, Bianca, who staked out the tree weeks earlier as her new hiding place.
On Christmas morning, Jeremy delighted all of us with his unwrapped gifts carefully placed in a Gap drawstring bag (nice touch, sweetheart!). I told him, “You’re off the hook for the rest of your life!” I received the DVD—Mamma Mia! I don’t remember anything else after that, except there were oohs and ahhs and a lot of hugging and kissing.
After not cooking a "real" meal in quite some time, I realized that it all boils down to the last half hour…timing is everything.
Jeremy and I jockeyed for position in our small kitchen as he mashed potatoes and I popped the baby quiches and crescent rolls in the oven.
While Jeremy carved the turkey, I took out the green bean casserole. We did the “turkey dance” trying to get everything out simultaneously without stepping on each other’s toes.
Finally, Jon said an ecumenical prayer as we held hands around the kitchen island, so I could keep an eye on the crescent rolls so they didn’t disintegrate into lumps of coal.
I didn’t disappoint in the baking department either, I made a Mrs. Smith pumpkin pie. Okay, for you who need to make a homemade pie, forget it! Mrs. Smith’s Hearty Recipe is outrageously good. Only my mom can make it better. We enjoyed dessert after the movies (yes, it’s a tradition—not to be missed). It was a tossup between “Benjamin Buttons” and “Marley and Me” (but the doggie movie won out—“paws” down).
Spoiler coming…you need to get out the Kleenex for this one! Jon later commented, “I knew there were going to be tears when the doggie started to die!”
Tears?
I cried—no, sobbed. Then I hiccupped cried through the rest of the movie—sopping up tears with my single-layer popcorn napkin and faux Burberry scarf. It was such a relief when the movie was over, because quite frankly I don’t think I could take any more torture.
Thankfully, Jon’s girlfriend—Kim—made me feel oh so much better because her sobs equaled mine in both length and intensity. Jon later commented, “It’s was just a dog?”
What? Man’s best friend—just a dog?
No, it wasn’t just about a dog…it was about the relationship man has with his four-pawed companion. And that’s all I’m going to say about that!
Later that evening, Kim and I consoled ourselves by eating “homemade” pumpkin pie with blotchy faces and puffy eyes.
Christmas is over and I’m both sad and slightly relieved. Christmas 2008 definitely had all the makings of a truly perfect day: family, food, God’s blessings, laughter, tears, warm memories, and a smidgen of drama.
Mamma went to work in the kitchen and the guys watched videos. The organic turkey (those aren’t cheap) was in the oven at 1:00 p.m., after still plucking out turkey “hairs.” I guess organic now means that you get to finish what they started (no preservatives means you have the honor of pulling out the rest of the feathers).
After not cooking a "real" meal in quite some time, I realized that it all boils down to the last half hour…timing is everything.Jeremy and I jockeyed for position in our small kitchen as he mashed potatoes and I popped the baby quiches and crescent rolls in the oven.
While Jeremy carved the turkey, I took out the green bean casserole. We did the “turkey dance” trying to get everything out simultaneously without stepping on each other’s toes.
Finally, Jon said an ecumenical prayer as we held hands around the kitchen island, so I could keep an eye on the crescent rolls so they didn’t disintegrate into lumps of coal.
I didn’t disappoint in the baking department either, I made a Mrs. Smith pumpkin pie. Okay, for you who need to make a homemade pie, forget it! Mrs. Smith’s Hearty Recipe is outrageously good. Only my mom can make it better. We enjoyed dessert after the movies (yes, it’s a tradition—not to be missed). It was a tossup between “Benjamin Buttons” and “Marley and Me” (but the doggie movie won out—“paws” down).Spoiler coming…you need to get out the Kleenex for this one! Jon later commented, “I knew there were going to be tears when the doggie started to die!”
Tears?
I cried—no, sobbed. Then I hiccupped cried through the rest of the movie—sopping up tears with my single-layer popcorn napkin and faux Burberry scarf. It was such a relief when the movie was over, because quite frankly I don’t think I could take any more torture.
Thankfully, Jon’s girlfriend—Kim—made me feel oh so much better because her sobs equaled mine in both length and intensity. Jon later commented, “It’s was just a dog?”
What? Man’s best friend—just a dog?
No, it wasn’t just about a dog…it was about the relationship man has with his four-pawed companion. And that’s all I’m going to say about that!
Later that evening, Kim and I consoled ourselves by eating “homemade” pumpkin pie with blotchy faces and puffy eyes.
Christmas is over and I’m both sad and slightly relieved. Christmas 2008 definitely had all the makings of a truly perfect day: family, food, God’s blessings, laughter, tears, warm memories, and a smidgen of drama.
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Marley and Me, Christmas Memories, Mrs. Smith Hearty Pumpkin Pie
6 comments:
What a nice day! You're too funny about the organic turkey - feather stubs and all - lol!
And oh no - you mean the doggie in the movie dies? (sob!) I was going to take Joel to it but we own a yellow lab... I think we'll see that little mouse movie for now. I'm all cried out lately - hormones you know!
It was fun seeing pics of your dear family!
Love ya,
Sus
Oh, no! Don't take Joel...I never cried so much in my life (I mean that!). The first 45 minutes are fine (funny...like the trailer for the movie). But then, it's all downhill. I tried to escape through the emergency exit, but it was locked.
Go see Devereau (the mouse movie!).
Last night, Jon and I watched "Big Fish," another tear-jerker. So I'm all wiped out. Last night at 12:04 PM during the movie, we heard a loud BOOM and then the house shook for several minutes. It was an earthquake (3.4), moderate. But I'm a California girl and that's "nothing." In Sicily, we had one that was 6.7 that killed a lot of people; I remember holding on to Jeremy for dear life while people jumped from their balconies. We lived 12 stories up in a high-rise. So I guess 3.4 is like a burp (really!).
Tonight we're going to watch "Mamma Mia"; I need to laugh. My eyes are still swollen from the doggie movie!
Have fun and enjoy the mouse and not the dog!
HUGS!
Capitol OMG. We went to see Marley and Me in two shifts today; Tianna with her friend and friend's mom, then I took her younger sister and her friend to the next showing because heaven knows the sisters couldn't be in the same theater.
I do own a yellow lab. He is sixteen and stopped sleeping in our bedroom a while ago due to sore hind legs. I cried my eyes out and then some.
It is a real perspective bringer...and Connie, God bless you for linking to John Grogin's site. I had no idea it was a true story. Now I need to read the book. It was a beautiful story and made me feel like chopped liver as a writer. Can you imagine writing a book and having Jennifer Anniston play the lead? Oy Vey.
My next dog will be a clearance puppy. My Tino came from the SPCA.
Hugs, Kathy
Okay, can you believe it? I fell asleep with my laptop on my stomach...who does that sort of thing? I just got back from my abs class and they "killed" me! I got a cramp in my hip doing sit-ups...(is that normal?).:)
I will see Marley again (only the first 45 minutes), I'm still recovering from sinus drainage from Christmas--nonstop tears. OMG...I don't remember crying that hard at any movie! Hiccup crying over a dog?
My brother's former girlfriend, Lanette, wrote the screenplay "Bottle Shock." Her husband is a producer (long story!), and I guess it's doing really well and opens nationwide. Lanette is not a writer (so she says!), but she took an online course, had this great idea about the Napa Valley and how it got started as the wine country, and the rest is history. Oh, and she married the producer! My brother got to visit the set while they were filming. Lanette and hubby were at my brother's wedding and she went around to each table and asked, "Do you see the movie yet?"
I didn't see it yet, but I will.
Thanks for stopping by dear friend!
HUGS!
Mrs Smith made out holiday pie too. It was an apple crumb pie and it was out of this world. I may never bake from scratch again. Ok maybe I will.
Mrs. Smith is quite the lady (she was busy this Christmas--wasn't she?!?). I tried the crumb apple too (yummy!). I give her two thumbs up on that one.
I know, I know...it's not the same as homemade, but I have a "secret," put it in a pyrex pie dish before baking (I use my kitchen snippers to break through the foil), and truly no one will know. Just be sure to hide the box!
I changed the pink wrapping on my blog (I'm having some bloggy fun); it's cheaper than shopping and fills the same void!
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