The period from December 23rd -- January 1st was not an ideal one in the Olivier household. I dreamed of cozy warmth, staying home, making good food, napping, reading, putting together a big puzzle, lounging, playing games...
What really happened was losing our furnace and our power at the same time. We were cold, we couldn't cook, and eventually we couldn't even stay home.
After all that was fixed, Marc got sick and was bedridden for several days. I was faced with mountains of laundry and more mountains of post-Christmas messes. There was no sleeping in, no good food (because once I had the possibility of cooking, I was the only one who felt like eating it), and not a lot of lounging or reading going on due to my having to deal with a little girl who was sick herself, missing her dad, and not sleeping a whole lot.
So when our Christmas vacation officially ended today, I had mixed feelings. I was a little sad about everyone going back to school and work, because I felt like I didn't get the vacation I had wanted. But at the same time, I was kind of relieved because now I can shut the door on that disappointment and move on!
And, when all is said and done, we did have a good Christmas. The boys had a great attitude throughout. We spent a fun day in Salt Lake celebrating Marc's sister Michelle's birthday, we hung out at Jill's on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, and we did get to put together a puzzle -- at Heidi's house, when she gave us sanctuary on the 26th. I went out to breakfast with my book club friends for Jenn's birthday. We managed to play games as a family several times, and we did have one special treat:
Baked brie on New Year's Eve. I made it even though the boys wouldn't try it and Marc wasn't sure about being able to eat more than Lipton noodle soup yet. It was worth it.
{recipe from Martha Stewart}
one sheet of frozen puff pastry dough
one round of brie (I got it as Costco)
1/2 - 1 cup of chopped pecans
1/2 - 1 cup of brown sugar
Thaw puff pastry sheet. Roll it out to a larger, thinner rectangle. Cut out two circles that are bigger than your brie. Place the cheese on one circle of dough and pull up around the sides of the cheese. Top with as much brown sugar and pecans as you can manage to pile on. Cover the entire thing with the other circle of pastry, pinching the two circles of dough together. Use the scraps of dough, if desired, to decorate the top. (In the past I have done leaves. This time I used my new teeny tiny alphabet cookie cutters -- thanks, Mom! -- to spell out Happy New Year.)
Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then at 350 degrees for 20 minutes more. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve with crusty bread and tart apples.
I'm entering the new year in slow motion -- I have many plans, goals and intentions for this year. I just haven't figured out what they all are yet, nor do I feel quite ready to jump in and begin.
I still have more pictures that I want to post from Christmas-time, once I can finally find our media reader and download them.
I still don't know exactly where I'm going now that it's 2008.
But when I looked out my window on January 1st and saw the sun rising over the mountains, I felt happy about new beginnings and possibilities.
14 comments:
Michelle,
I agree- here's to new beginnings!
I am so sorry about the heat and furnace. I felt sick as I read it!
Great picture of the mountains!
Even though your Christmas break was definitely NOT ideal I think you guys came through it really well and will certainly never forget it.
I like all the possibilities and new beginnings that accompany the new year as well. We can do whatever we want to do, there's no pressure or punishment about it, just potential really.
i love the dawn of a new year, both literally and figuratively. i was ready to shut the door on the 2007 holiday season, but, like you, i was able to glean a few simple pleasures from those weeks: game playing, bike riding, sitting still and talking with my grandparents, and (also like you) brie! i didn't bake mine, but made a lovely snack of it several nights in a row!!
I'm with you. I wasn't ready for the new year. I'm still not. If my cold feels noticeably better by Saturday, I'll whip my house into shape and pretend that Monday is New Year's Day. I hope you start feeling the spirit soon. But if you don't, don't despair. You have had a lot to deal with!
I am so not ready for the new year...but I love your picture of the sun coming over the mountains. Gives me hope for the pile of dishes in my sink. Almost makes me want to break into song "Tomorrow!"...if only my life we're a musical.
Yummy bake brie!!! Love the new banner! Sorry about your not-so-fun Christmas.
Cheers, Michelle!
I hope your 2008 is wonderful.
Sometimes starting slowly is the best way to gear up!
Your new header is tops! :)
Sorry to hear about your sickies! We had a lot of the gunk over Christmas too-no fun. I amhappy to hear about your baked brie-a favorite treat at our house! At Thanksgiving I made it with apricot preserves, dried cranberries and sliced almonds inside the pastry-a yummy variation that the grown-ups loved. Happy New Year!
A rough end to 2007-so, so sorry. But it is a New Year, and you're right on about it not really feeling like it until a semi-normal routine resumes. Here's to a fabulous 2008!!!!
That brie recipe looks heavenly! I am the only one in this house who eats brie (well, the kids will but I don't allow them to gobble "my" expensive cheese.) That's fine - more for me! I love to have brie slices paired with apple slices when I get home from work.
Cheers to a new year! I really enjoyed my almost 2 weeks off with the kids but then I didn't have many expectations this time. Usually I am much more of a planner but this time our break was fairly unstructured.I would've been seriously upset if I lived in Utah and my heater took a break during Christmas too. That's just not right!
Mmmm, baked brie. I have a recipe that is similar to this if you are interested- it has dried fruit and nuts and it heavenly.
I am still catching up on your blog and skimming just didn't give me the full scoop- no heat sounds maddening, but memorable. Not ideal at all by any means, but a year you all will never forget!
The possibilities of this year are tangible. I just need to get my butt in gear now that this off week is almost over!
I feel in slow motion too.... I have had a weird, lazy week and am gearing myself up for a great start to my new year tomorrow.
I am curious about the brie recipe. I have never had anything like that... does everyone love it? I may have to try it out on my bunch.
I'm excited about the new beginning, too. Though, like you, I haven't quite sorted it all out yet. I hope 2008 is wonderful for you.
I love your new header, too. So hopeful! And to answer your question from my blog -- my frosty pictures have both come from a batch of freezing fog we had last winter. (Can weather come in batches?) Everything in my yard was coated with that thick frost. It was so wintery and unusual for here.
ohh so sorry about the sick, we had all that here too.
i told jeff we are going on a cruise for next christmas and he laughed and said, you earn the money and we will go.... hmmmm
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