ringing in the new year.

from the time i made it home from all of my errands, to the time i hopped in the shower at 7:00, i was a busy girl.  i started slicing veggies for the tray, started crisping the pancetta, baked the red velvet cake that we would use for cake balls, prepared the queso and popped it in the microwave, browned sausage for the queso, and started slicing pears.  i also got the soup into the tureen, started setting the table, and pulled out all our serving platters.  that's a lot to squeeze into a 40 minute period!  i stopped in the middle of everything to run and hop in the shower.

when travis got home from the tavern, he picked up where i left off: mixing the icing into the cooling cake, slicing up veggies, taking out the trash and recycling, heating up the meats, and helping get everything set up.

i came in and finished up the pears and was just putting the finishing touches on the table when nick and kate arrived. 

we had pears with pancetta, cracked pepper, feta, and honey

nuggets from chick-fil-a

mild wings from main street tavern

homemade jam-filled sugar cookies

veggies

corn chowder

and {not pictured} red velvet cake balls, the most amazing homemade queso, and pink dip

these are the fun garland strands i found at party central

we started the evening with food and football

and then started a lively game of guesstures ... 

travis and i not only won the game, we also ended up with the best performance trophy at the end {winning us even more points}!  we watched a little couples retreat and then started watching dick clark's rockin' new year's eve until time for the ball drop.

happy new year!!

amanda and i decided to moonwalk the year in ...

wait, that's not how you do it??

justin and lindsay arrived at about 1:15 {a.m.!}  justin had to work until midnight, so they drove up after.  we played a few rounds of kent {we didn't win this time}, but it was still a lot of fun.

while we were playing, beer suddenly started raining on everyone -- kate had somehow managed to splatter everyone with jamoch from an "empty" beer bottle.  it was quite a site to see the surprised looks on everyone's faces. 

the leaches headed home a little before 4:00 in the morning. and amanda and zach headed to bed a little before then.  that was the latest i've been up in a very, very long time.  because of my migraines, i didn't really drink anything except for the champagne at midnight.  it was one of the first events we've been to {or held} in a long time that i didn't develop a chronic headache.

may we live to learn well, and learn to live well. may you live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live.

here’s a toast to the future, a toast to the past, and a toast to our friends, far and near. may the future be pleasant; the past a bright dream; may our friends remain faithful and dear. 


we wish you a very happy & bright 2013!