Our family has (barely) survived yet another holiday living in close proximity to both sides of relatives. Every time a holiday nears I look at Hubby and tap my foot and say "We need to decide what we are doing for (circle one: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Mother's Day) before it is decided for us." Then, because after a couple of unsuccessful attempts to doing our own thing in the past, we suddenly lack the gumption to just tell our families that no, we are NOT driving all over the damn state all day to see everyone just for the three of us to be tired and miserable by 5:30. This year's odyssey was just disastrous enough for us to grow some balls and declare that we just can't please everyone, so get the hell over it.*
We managed to get a tiny bit of "our own thing" in this year by going to church. My sister-in-law decided that she wanted to join us, and was so late that I had to sit alone for most of the service because Hubby, Little Man and I were only 15 minutes early, which at Easter does not constitute being able to sit in a real seat, so we were forced to sit in the side chapel, who's entrance was blocked by the holidays-only brass ensemble. Hubby had to get up just before the processional to find his sister, thereby getting stuck in a totally different part of the church. Then, Little Man and my nephew embarked on an adorable little Easter Egg hunt in the churchyard, then happily covered themselves in blue cookie icing before we left. Once home, I cooked ONE asparagus casserole (the number one being accentuated because I have declared that I will NEVER make asparagus casserole for my vegetable-averse parents and brother again... Hubby then tries to eat it all and has to pop a Pepcid). I'll add the recipe below. Personally, I think it's yummylicious, and it's the one recipe adapted from Hubby's grandmother that the inlaws enjoy.
After awakening from his nap with a muffled "Ma? Dat?", Little Man was ready to head to his great-Grammy's for another Easter Egg Hunt (this time he abandoned it early to check out the tires on a nearby SUV) that was about 30 minutes away, then headed down to my parents' house which was yet another 55 minutes from that location.
We arrived at my parents' at the prescribed time only to learn that my brother and his new girlfriend hadn't even left their house yet (back in the town we started in), and then dinner wasn't even on the table until 8:00. Little Man goes to bed at 7:00 on the dot every night because he has inherited his grandmother's persnicketyness combined with my insanity for scheduling. Those qualities also make it impossible to put Little Man down anywhere but his crib (thankfully we've been lucky thus far when it comes to hotel rooms!). Hubby and I both tried in vain to get Little Man to go to sleep in his Pack N' Play upstairs, but it just wasn't happening. So, in order to actually eat, we let him sit at the table with us for dinner, during which he screamed and fussed and cursed us out for allowing him to be away from his domain at his bedtime. Had we planned to still be at my parents' at this hour? Hell no! Had my mother? Definitely!
We finally got home and transferred the finally sleeping Little Man to his crib and plopped onto the sofa to toast each other with a Red Stripe (we were somehow out of wine... the holidays will do that to you!) and retire. Simple, right? 11:55pm brought terrified screaming from a little boy who realized that he wasn't in the same place as when he went to sleep (in the car). 1:30 brought the same scream. As did 2:30 and 3:30.
What's the next holiday? Memorial Day? That one's easy because it is also our anniversary, so we can usually get away with blasting out of town unnoticed. What's next, July 4th? I think I hear the beach calling (yes, the inlaws even fight over us for Independence Day!). I'm also dreaming of St. Barth's for Christmas. Anyone have a few plane tickets to donate to the Save Shani's Sanity Fund?
Asparagus Casserole
6 boiled and sliced eggs
1 bunch of steamed asparagus
1 large (family-sized) can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 sleeve Ritz crackers
3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 stick butter or margarine**
Preheat oven to 350. In a properly greased casserole dish, place one layer of crackers, then half the asparagus, then three sliced eggs, then half the Cream of Mushroom soup. Repeat with subsequent layers of each (crackers, asparagus, eggs, soup). Cover the top with cheese and place stick of butter or margarine on top. Cover. Bake for 30 minutes. Set oven to broil at highest setting (500 degrees) and remove top of casserole dish. Let broil for 5 minutes to brown the cheese. C'est magnifique!
*I do love family, don't get me wrong.
**Personally, I prefer to use organic butter when I cook because our brains do need some fat to operate properly, and I tend to keep the rest of my family's meals pretty low in fat. If you do go with butter for this recipe, be prepared to sop some grease off of the top with paper towels.
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