Surviving Midnight Mass, the first time for the kids. Singing Lo, How a Rose so well (the choir), and Christmas Communion Song, and Silent Night/Night of Silence (the best we've ever done it, I think).
The happy feeling of seeing my sister when we arrived to pick her up at the airport.
Christmas dinner, a day after - the turkey was delicious, (cooked in the pan Ashley shared with me so generously), I remembered the cranberry jelly just in time, the dressing had red bell pepper in it, so it was bright and festive, the peppermint martinis were strong (and Jilly was honest about not liking them, which made Mom laugh).
Opening presents. Jilly spreading her books out for all of us to choose and unwrap, and the Theo chocolates. Mom stealing Dad's chocolates and not being one bit sorry about it. Mom's Librarian Super Hero that she read us the entire description of, haha! Kate's gift to Jilly: a YETI tumbler, and Jilly not having one (can't believe that)! Jilly really liking the triathlon necklace Shawn got her.
Shawn squeezing fresh juice from Dad's 3 bags (!) of tangerines using the old Jack Lalanne juicer.
Playing Exploding Kittens and Carcassone at the dining room table. Alex wearing the cone of shame. ;)
Making gumbo all together... then not eating it, and going to Macaroni Grill that night (we ate the gumbo the next night, of course)!
Oh, my goodness, the BEST memory: Playing piano duets with Jilly and laughing our heads off when we messed up so much! Clap, Clap, Clap, Clap while Changing Places. ALSO: Kate joining in to play Skip To My Lou! She did great!
The stupid Aquarium crowds. Ugh!! But at least the dolphin show was amazing enough to make me cry, and the OK Cafe lunch afterwards was delicious and very Southern.
Cherries Jubilee, our family tradition.
Lots of bad football (none of our teams won) and The Incredible Dr. Pol on TV. ha!
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I write all of this out because I have been focused somewhat on the spaces in between these fun things. I'm not sure why - the responsibility of being the hostess, maybe, or all the dang rain bringing me down! But these things were perfectly lovely and sweet. Treasures.
1 comment:
I totally get it. And this is a great strategy -- to preserve those good moments, really focus on them even if only while you're writing them down.
Sounds like a very special time.
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