Dinner Party 2009

Our tradition of having friends over for a holiday dinner party is a special one. Max and I are in charge and Hubby helps a lot. Karen and Shelly each bring a course. It all starts with champagne cocktails and then a five course sit down dinner.
This year Max and I decided to make Italian food. Karen and Shelly rose to the occasion with the appetizer and dessert courses. We had the table set with black, silver, white and my Christmas china. I propped the menu place cards against English crackers. The hats, jokes and prizes are fun for everyone. Although this time some of the jokes were not jokes, which was funny too.
Max and I hit it hard and even took a hot tub break mid afternoon.
















We missed Danny last night. Christmas dinner he leaned over and thanked me for teaching him good manners. My guys' manners come from nights like we enjoyed last night.

Last night was the first time I have ever gone from the party straight to bed, left everything on the table and crashed. It's all good, we knocked it out this morning after a good night's rest.

It was such a great holiday evening, loved every minute.

It's All Fun Until the Cleanup

We did a lot of dishes this morning because last night we just went to bed. I was kinda hoping they would do themselves while I was sleeping.

Dishes for 2+ hours this morning and then the breakfast of champions.
I will write about our dinner party later today.

Who Are You People?

Well LaDeeDah. So apparently all (with the exception of Shelly, bless her heart) of my readers are skinny chicks in great shape. Aren't you special?

Yesterday I asked what everyone was going to do to get in shape in 2010. One comment. One of two things is going on here. Out of the 50,000 hits on my blog only one other poor soul besides myself struggles with getting in shape OR y'all are a bunch of chubby chicks in the Land of Denial.
Suit yourself! Whatstinkinever.

Transition from Holidays to IRL*

Blake is HoMe! I am so happy to have these guys emptying my fridge again.

I am starting to think about eat less, move more again. Only thinking about it yet. We still have a dinner party, some good leftovers and boxes of chocolates laying around the house. Has anyone ever done the Discovery Weight Loss Challenge? A pedometer? Or walked a half marathon? I have lots of thoughts but not a lot of get up and go. This could be a problem. Anyway, I am thinking about it so that is a start. Anyone else?

I'm working today and then Max and I will start cooking, scheming and creating our dinner party. Fun for sure!
*In Real Life

A Great Day with Great Grandma

I'm a little thrown off this morning. I just poured orange juice in my coffee instead of half and half. FOCUS TAMI!

For another, Hubby just got home from work, from yesterday. I need to get a million things done at home but I need to get them done very quietly...

Max and I have our Christmas Dinner for Friends this week and we are hitting the wall on one of the courses. I think because we like to WOW the group but we are tired of rich foods so we need a simple wow. We boxed ourselves in with a theme this year. Our table is planned and I think it will be a WOW! The dinner Last year and the year before, if you've forgotten.

Max and I had planning time yesterday as we took a road trip to Great Grandma's 95th birthday celebration in Everett.

When Grandma had her 80th birthday I took a picture of Max and Zach (two of the Greats), they were just walking. Wouldn't it be great if I could find it easily and post them together? This won't happen because I don't scrap, I toss in a HuGe rubbermaid box. Anyway...Zach plays for Lakewood and Max for LC so they had some common ground besides their Great Grandma, of course.

It was fun to see Grandma, delightful prayer warrior, with her family yesterday. An amazing, humble, child of God, she lives on her own and spends her days reading, crocheting, knitting, tending her wood stove, and praying for her family. Grandma has the best sense of humor and a sweet, sweet laugh.

The best part of the day for me was when Max told me that he had a good day, was glad he went and it was better than he thought it would be. Max and I did have a good day, visiting there and back, connecting with family, a Gap stop in Burlington and then dinner at Red Robin. I am so blessed.

Now I'd best get my game ON and FOCUS!

We Are Family

Our 2009 Christmas had a theme, family. Hubby's family came from Eastern Washington and Seattle this Christmas.
After dinner on Christmas Eve we played games. I have no pictures, which may be for the best. We played One Big Happy Family. It really is a game, I'm not being funny.

On Christmas morning we went to church and then back to our place for brunch.




Danny came home in the afternoon. Auntie Laura loves her collection of pics with the guys.


Hubby's family left for other family parties, Hubby went to work, and the guys and I went to Jeff and Kathi's place for prime rib dinner. And dessert with the De Boer family.





Celebrating the birthday of our Savior has been special this year. Our church had a very meaningful Advent celebration with the Lord's Supper each week. It kept me focused on Jesus' birthday through the season.

Today we are celebrating another birthday. Grandma is 95 years old. She is an amazing woman and it will be great to celebrate her and the blessings she has in her Savior and in her family.

But I Want It NOW

Remember this guy? Well, last night, Christmas night late in the evening he decided he wanted his haircut. Uhmmmm, no one is exactly at the salon at ten on Christmas night. Stew and fuss, right now! he wants his haircut!

He had to wait until morning. We found someone open and available. He almost had enough hair for locks for love. But not quite.

Max with his new do. Hubby didn't recognize Max when we got home. Hubby thinks he looks younger and I think he looks older. What do you think?

JustWhatIAlwaysWanted

Since our chicks have flown the coop these times when all three of our sons are in one place are few and far in between so I treasure every second.

The little guy in the middle may have passed his BiG brothers in height and may just be a tad smug.

More Christmas details and good things coming. It was ALL good.

TRAdition, tradition, Sing It People

A night filled with traditions. We had our family party at my folks last night.

Since the kids were just wee little ones my Mom has made them sing for their presents. It is a sweet thought that our offspring would all want to gather around their Nana while she plays Christmas carols on the piano and sing their little hearts out but alas tis not true. We just are not a singing family. Years ago they each came with a special number, trumpet solos, recitations, duets were sang. Now it is a required Away in a Manger and Silent Night.

We almost had a mutiny from the teens last night when I finally said, "Grandma chose, purchased and wrapped all of those gifts loving placed under the tree and if you stinkin' kids don't sing we're all outta luck!" Isn't that nice? They sang.

Obviously I got the biGgEsT gift because I've been a good little girl this year. So there!

So what happens when a Snapsister gets her camera taken away and used on her? It got a little ugly. Almost everyone was laughing...


Another tradition is that the gift giver has to present the gift to the giftee. Sometimes these presentations come with speeches, sometimes it is painful to watch.

I had Katie's name and gave her a book that I had enjoyed and some Gap scent and shower gel.

Max has a hard time being giving and loving, so it was difficult for him to GIVE Alex his gift.

Sam had my Dad's name and gave him a belt and more importantly a U.S. Army hat. Dad loved it and wore it all night.

We had traditional food too. Meatballs, chicken wings, potato salad and a plethora of dips, snacks and goodies.
Fun times, for sure.

Tis the Season

Pretty much the good, the bad and the ugly all over again...

Bad:
Wouldn't it be great if when the yeast wasn't going to work it would turn a different color so you'd know before you make the Swedish Tea Ring? Do I frost it and pretend it's supposed to look like this? The other recipe I made today is called White Trash and I like it.

Costco is really making me hoppin' mad! I decided I would order online, have the prints sent to my home and thus reduce the stress of a Costco visit. For some stinkin' reason they are cutting heads, feet and people off my prints. {bad words} This is cramping my December Daily. Big time.

Good:
We had our Dykstra Christmas party on Sunday. Thanks for hosting Dan and Melinda. Nicely done. Courtney found the desserts. Nicely done.

We had turkey, ham, meatballs and all the trimmings and Max(the miniMax) had a bun! Yikes! I asked him if that was all he wanted and he told me no, he'd like some orange pop. I went and got it. What else can you do?

We started to unwrap the desserts and the kids came rushing up to the table. We told them they had to get behind Bill. BIL Bill has never had so much power.

Emily and I went for a Christmas pedicure on Saturday. We can't have all work and no play. Christmas RED.

Hubby is on nights and I have been hitting the Big Red Box pretty hard. Those $1 movies are hard to resist. I need ideas though, so if you've watched a good movie lately, please do tell.

More Bad:
I was going to blog about people who have pumpkins on their porches today. Then I read this on Kelly's blog. Sorry Kelly.
Really Bad:
Oh and if our visitors from the north could park while at the grocery store, I'd be much happier. Seriously, pulling up to the curb, throwing on the flashers and making traffic navigate around your vehicle is just poor manners. At Safeway someone parked and stayed while I went in, bought $128.16 worth the groceries and numerous gift cards. Too long for loading and unloading ONLY!
The Ugly:
I posted this earlier and it disappeared, email troubles too, and the soap dispenser didn't open in the dishwasher during the last load. I'm scared

Okay, that's all. Probably enough.