HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I have no pictures, but we just finished cleaning up after a big party with our usual crew (the Elliott and Williams families), and about ten of Ian's friends as well. We ate hot and honey wings, 7-layer dip (homemade this time since the last one was kind of spicy!), egg nog for the final time this season, fruit, veggies, caprese, fondue, cheese and crackers, cocktail weiners, drinks and drinks, and drinks (of the non-alcoholic variety, of course)! The kids played Rock Band/Guitar Hero and then watched Labyrinth and we just continued making food and visiting throughout the evening. Around 11:30, we took the adults downstairs to play Guitar Hero while the kids went upstairs to play the game, "Curses."

I got to kiss my sweetheart as we rung in and toasted the new year. Even one of Ian's friends, Randie who is a girl, got a kiss from a boy at midnight. Unfortunately, that boy was Wilbur the Beagle. I don't think it was quite what she was anticipating. Happy 2009!

It's Christmas Adam!

My kids informed me that since Adam came before Eve, today is officially Christmas Adam. We celebrated with my friends and their families--the Elliotts and the Williams--as well as Nellie Myatt (Cherise Elliott's sister), and the Elliott family friend, Bob. It was to be a night of truths: a true pot luck and a true white elephant. So everyone brought what they wanted without telling anyone else or coordinating the meal, and you had to bring something from your house to swap (no going to the dollar store or anything).

It was a fun evening, just what I needed after spending the day out and about delivering gifts for work. Tomorrow I'm looking forward to a quiet evening at home, wrapping presents and preparing for another monster snowstorm that's scheduled to hit early Christmas morning.

We brought chocolate dipped oreos, Sarah's salad, Amish breakfast casserole, bruschetta and profiterole. Carma provided a turkey and ham, drinks, and assorted crackers and cheese. Cherise brought tempura vegetables and sushi. Nellie brought a gorgeous pie and some pinwheel wraps. I'm sure I've left some things out, but no one left hungry for sure!

The white elephant swap was truly entertaining. Carma read "The Night Before Christmas" with strategically added "rights" and "lefts" so we could switch our gifts accordingly. At the end, everyone opened up what they received. I got a box of used 3.5 floppy discs, Ian got 2 CDs (one of Gregorian chants--just the case--and one of Vladimir Horowitz), Maggie got a $100 bill in a small bottle, Ellie got an entire outfit from Hawaii (grass skirt, top, shell necklace, flower for her hair), and Griffin got a stuffed Hobbes doll which is absolutely perfect for him since he reads the Calvin and Hobbes comic strip all the time.

Nellie, Cherise and Carma's profile