When is too much too much?

Here I sit, digesting and thinking about when I can eat more. The food was so good. Is it really THAT good or is it because we only cook like this occasionally? So many foods from our sentimental past. My grandma's noodles were a feature this year - they turned out perfectly. The turkey (which I only eat if I can see it wandering the field before it's brought to our table) was divine. Gravy - this year an exact science that couldn't have been better. I always forget something - this year it was the dressing (sitting in the freezer from a double batch made at Thanksgiving). But with minutes to spare I shoved it in the micro to thaw and a quick blast in a hot oven, then spooned onto waiting plates at the table. We didn't even REALLY need it, but hey, at least I remembered!

The dilemma - no room in the fridge which is the size of a medicine chest. So much food left over plus leftover chinese take out from Christmas eve. What to do? Why didn't we cut back? Why didn't I leave the dressing in the freezer? And also food in the fridge from the weekend Christmas open house. Oy. We'll be taking some of it round to friends. I will dream about the turkey sandwich (or as my daughter spells it 'sanwij') I will have tomorrow. You see?? I am already dreaming of the time I can eat more and I'm still in great discomfort from the food I've just had!! TOO MUCH FOOD makes you crazy.

I didn't make dessert this year because I knew with just four people (one of them being four years old) we simply wouldn't need it. Yet we're making ice cream sundaes shortly. With home made chocolate chip cookies. You see?? It never ends. The holiday of stuffing oneself.
Where is my self control? My willpower? Did I leave it in my stocking or wrap it and send it away by mistake?? Geez, I hope not - I'm gonna need it when the whole new year's resolutions kick in!!

later mashed tater and merry hoho

When the countdown gets to 1!

Hi there me.

It's Christmas eve here in Bedford-town, UK. We've picked up our free and happy turkey from the local farmer, dropped off cards, bought last minute shopping and baked cookies. We're headed over to some friends for ghost stories (!), mulled wine, a christmas film or two for the kiddies and something involving the words 'take out' for dinner. All the ramping up to bring us to this day. Tomorrow is Christmas in this house. What fun!

I'll do another post once the dust has settled, the smoke has cleared and I can see over my stomach after Christmas dinner. For anyone else reading this - Happy Holidays!

later xmas tater!

the downward spiral shaped like a holiday

So, we're counting. Yep. I bet you are, too. It's December 1st today. 23 days until Christmas. 23 days until the fat man comes down our chimney and leaves a doll that is a princess that turns into a fairy with purple or green wings under the tree ('i'm not sure santa understands what you're describing my sweetie'). 23 days until i become a whirling cooking maniac. 23 days until my husband eats an entire tin (I mean a BIG tin) of Celebrations mini-chocolates all by himself, starting at around 6:30am. 23 days until we swear we won't buy 'this much stuff ever again!!'. Do we even remember how this holiday came to be in the first place? I try. I try and find time between Christmas shopping, wrapping gifts, addressing cards and trying to obtain desired food stuffs. Between the girls' Christmas dinner, the daughter's Christmas pageant, and the various other holiday experiences that must happen. I sound really put out don't I?

But here's the thing. I LOVE this time of year. I love that my husband gets to be home for about 10 days straight. I love that there is no school. I love that we get a REAL tree (even though my husband REALLY disagrees with this). I love the hokey faux church with rainbow lights that we put out near a window. I love the food (the best free range bird we can find). I love the stories and the tipple, the neighbours dropping round. One gift on Christmas Eve and chinese food. I love it because it's mine to create. I can take all the things I really loved about Christmas when I was a kid and transform it - create something like it but more personalised for my daughter. It's her Christmas memories I'm making now. I want them to be warm and fuzzy, very special and full of fun.

So, although it feels like a downward spiral because I put every bit of this work on myself, it's actually a countdown to a great time with my little family. Everyday she asks 'Mommy, is tomorrow Christmas' and I answer 'in three weeks' and she says 'in three days?' and I say 'no in three weeks'. The advent calendar will be out this week and the fun begins. She'll see the countdown for herslf. We'll take her to a caroling service this year at a church in the town center. She'll have newly created decorations that she made in school for our tree. We'll video her performance as an angel in the school production. It's all going to be magical because I'll
see so much of it through her eyes. It's changed the holiday for us. It's magic.

Happy holidays everyone!
x