Just Jenny!

After a quick breakfast, we managed to make it to and from the grocery store without being mobbed, though we did take a lotof pictures, and by we, I mean Kevin posed with a fan or fan’s mom while I snapped the shots. Now we’ve turned the vast floor space between the formal living room and dining room into a makeshift Santa’s Workshop, and let me tell you, marble floors…are cold!

“So….Kevin?”

“Yes?” he asked suspiciously.

“What exactlydid you tell your family we were doing this morning?”

“What why?”

“I just got a text from Joe asking me if we were awake yet…and then another to stop sleepingwith his brother.”

“He what!?!”

“It’s Joe, he’s bored.”

“Yeah, he’s alwaysbored, that’s why I told him we needed to sleep before meeting up with the family after lunch, couldn’t have him busting in here.”

“So what do I reply?”

“What would you normally reply when you’re asleep?”

“Sleep go away?” I laughed, “but if I’m asleep wouldn’t I ignore it? I’m not exactly a light sleeper.”

“So ignore it, you should be wrapping things up anyway.” He mocked.

“I am! In fact I’ve done more than you!”

“That’s to be expected though.”

“Why?”

“You are elfsized.” He smirked, about a second before I threw a bow at him.

“Hey that’s sizest! And I’m not that small, just really good at wrapping presents; it was always my job when I was younger.”

“You knowI was kidding, no need to get all violent. But how does one get a present wrapping job?” he asked amused.

“I was a hyper child, so to calm me down, I was always helping with the decorations and gift wrapping, before long it was just easier to have me do it I guess. Not everyone enjoys this part of Christmas as much as me I suppose.”

“I’ll bet, it can be pretty boring.”

“Is not! Anyway when I moved to New York I worked at Bloomingdales wrapping gifts part time before I got on my feet, so it came in handy.” I shrugged.

“So what was Christmas like as a kid, lots of toys, was there music, was there lots of food?”

“Not too many toys, but at least one or two, there was always music playing and lotsof extended family trickling in and out. Saying there was a lot of food though is an understatement, there was anything from tamales, to ham glazed with brown sugar and pineapples, empanadas, turkey, mashed potatoes…just there was more than a lot.” I laughed.

“Sounds like it! That’s a lot of work though isn’t it?”

“I guess, traditionally every smaller family unit brings something for the host as far as food, so by the end of the night it’s a full on buffet, so it’s less work than it seems. If nothingelse Christmas Eve was a night of eating, and then at the stroke of midnight we would open all the gifts.” I laughed at his confused expression.

“At midnight?”

“Yep.”

“What would you do Christmas day then?”

“We’d eat leftovers. Everyone kind of makes the rounds again in the morning and we’d all gather eating whatever was left, along with sweet bread and coffee, the kids playing with their new toys…Christmas in my family really is about the foods, and the family aspect of it all. It’s an excuse to be together, and a day to thank God we’re all alive and well and that so many of us can cook!” I laughed. "Did I mention we eat a lot?"

“That sounds fun.”

“It’s loudis what it is…but if you’re up for it, maybe next time my family gets together, you can come with me? It may not be Christmas, but everyget together is loud, with lots of food and music.” I shrugged.

“Yeah?” He grinned.

“Yeah.”

“Sweet!” After my slightly impulsive invitation we just sat in silence, listening to Bing Crosby singing Christmas songs, while diligently wrapping gifts. Who knew we were so darn giving? But just as I started to get lost in the melody Kevin broke the easy silence, “Jenny?”

“Hmm?” I asked not looking up from a particularly temperamental gift.

“Are we almost done? Cause all that food talk made me hungry.” He admitted effectively cracking me up.

“Okay, so I’ll cut the chicken, and you can start spreading the beans on all the chips.” I delegated pulling all our lunch fixings out of the fridge, while Kevin got the rest out of the pantry.

"Okay, I can do that.” Kevin exclaimed enthusiastically “So what do we do after I get all the beans on?” he asked opening the bag of tortilla chips.

“Add the shredded cheese, then the chicken and salsa on top. Once they’re all assembled, we pop them in the oven for a few minutes, and wait.” I instructed as if this were of the utmost importance.

“Sweet! What’s for dessert?”

“Already? Jeeze, we haven’t even gotten to the cheese yet!”I laughed. Watching him add beans to the second chip then strategically place it on the cookie sheet so it lined up with the first.

“So no dessert?” he pouted.

“I’m making peppermint coffee ice cream shakes, but I’ll do that once we finish eating it’s not the same if you store them in the freezer.” I caved. “I’ll set the pot of coffee once I’m done chopping though so it cools.”

“Score! Hey I think I’m pretty good at this cooking thing, look how many chips I got covered!” he gushed.

“I thought the meat balls were more impressive than assembling nachos out of precooked ingredients.” I laughed.

“Yeah, but that’s something my mom makes all the time this is like, realMexican food!”

“Well, real enoughin the sense that I’ma Mexican, but I think it’s more Tex-Mex given the canned beans and salsa.”

“Whatever, I’m awesome!”

“Never said you weren’t…just that this isn’t cooking.”

“Kill joy.”

“Keeper of the coffee flavored desserts…”

“I love you?”

“Mm-hmm…”