Me: Can you guys do a 30-second Noche Buena commercial spot? Them: Umm. . . Duh! Watch this . . .I want to wish all of you my very faithful blog visitors (whom I totally consider my Big, Fat, Extended Cuban-Cyberspace Family, because I'm kind of a dork like that =D) a very, very Merry Christmas. Feliz Navidad y Prospero Año ...
Why we do what we do.
We eat roast pig (lechon asado) on Christmas Eve, which we call Noche Buena. We have yuca with a garlic mojo on the side.We fight over the fried, ripe plantains.We hold hands and give thanks to God for his generous provision.We draw names for a gift exchange, but end up getting little gifts (we call those "regalos de arbol" - or ...
Christmas Greetings
We were all dressed up that day. It was the day of Heather's wedding. "Perfect Christmas card photo op!" (at least that's what I thought. . .) We had tons of pictures taken that day, all dressed up and shiny and smiling pretty, but this is my very favorite. The one where Eric extends the camera with his left hand and we all ...
Why it’s so fun to be me . . .
I don't ever decorate for Christmas any time before December (it's like a mortal sin to me, which won't really make any sense unless you were ever Catholic, but that's not important right now). I usually put up my tree around the second week of December and mail my cards after the 15th. But I have to confess. . . I do shop early. ...
A Wonderful Christmastime
One week til Christmas and this right here is the very best part of it all for me: The preparations. The houseful of busy Christmas preparations. The crossing stuff off lists. The anticipation of the happy and surprised looks. Christmas music playing and busy people in the house.The girls call out for us to look at a ...
Yes, that’s Andy Garcia in our family home movie. =D
It's a week before Christmas and I find this taped to my studio door. What on earth. . .? Oh yes, it's crunch time. You see we (Amy, Lucy and I) make a Christmas film every year. We take all our home movies and set them to music and cut the clips together and give it a fun title and ta-da! it becomes a family keepsake. Okay, so ...
There are four basic food groups: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate, and chocolate truffles
Hershey's Chocolate is celebrating 100 years of chocolaty happiness. How do I know this? (umm . . . maybe because I'm not supposed to be eating chocolate and am therefore obsessed with it, but that's not important right now. =D) Okay. So, the other day, Lucy and I are cruising through Target and we came upon a big ole Hershey's ...
Flan in my blood (or is it my cheeks?)
Over at Babalú today, I tell the story of how my amazing grandmother made perfect flan in a tin can, in a coal burning stove back in the 1930's. She should certainly have received a crown for that accomplishment. (it still blows my mind) To this day, my mom calls herself La Reina del Flan (The Queen of Flan). The art of flan-making is ...
This magic moment (or Wow. I really love my Christmas tree.)
We put our Christmas tree up over the weekend and I am completely enamored.Seriously. As Amy posted a few days ago, my kids all have small trees they put up in their bedrooms with their own ornaments (yes, artificial - I'm really over that whole vacuuming-pine-needles-for-months thing =D). I'm not being a cool mom or anything by letting them ...
Look at your life through Heaven’s eyes
I think of questions for him all the time. I remember things I want to discuss with him.And then I remember. He died.Eight years ago today. My dad passed away. And I cried orphan tears. Big, fat, splashing down my face tears. Papi was gone. And I still miss him. My kids, Amy and Adam cut together this video with photos and a little bit of ...
