Over the holidays it seemed as though our small house was overflowing with family and friends. It seemed as though there wasn’t a moment when a child wasn’t running and jumping into my lap or fighting among themselves. Fancy, my Border Collie/Sheltie was ecstatic. Timmy, my husband, just went with the flow and added to the noise level. And me- I thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown.
It just so happened as I was sitting there listening to two precious little girls telling stories and arguing with the other that an idea popped into my head. We’d make homemade cookies and maybe, just maybe there would be a little bit of peace in the house since baking always calms me down. I don’t know what I was thinking!
Once we had all the ingredients out on the table I began to teach them how to measure and separate the wet and dry ingredients. That’s when it all started. “I want to put that in the bowl!” and “She got to do more than I did!” So, being the “Aunt Meg” that I am, decided that it would be best if they both just made their own batches of cookies.
The girls, sharing the same chair, began to laugh and giggle and try and show the other one how to do this and “No, Destiny, let me show you how!” By the time the cookies were ready to be placed on the baking sheets, they began to share the same bowl, laughing and having a great time.
Well, to make a long story short, by the time the cookies were put in the oven, there was flour and batter in the floor (Fancy did a fine job of sneaking and eating the crumbs before I could clean them up), batter in one of the baby’s hair, chocolate chip covered faces, dirty dishes to the ceiling, not to mention the batter covered hand prints that were all over my clothes. It was an experience to remember.
So as I stood there at the sink with two little girls perched up on the counter tops talking about whose cookies would taste better, I realized this is what family and holidays are all about. Yes, my family may fuss and argue with each other, and yes you will definitely get a headache after twenty four hours with them, but in the end it’s all worth it.
Next year I’m thinking more along the lines of frozen cookie batter and cookie cutters. Just as much fun, a lot less mess and more memories to make!
* This column was published in the Citizen Voice & Times on Thursday, January 8, 2009
No comments:
Post a Comment