my new purchase.

remember that purchase for the house i was so excited to make? the one i made a trip to marshall's specifically for the purpose of making this one purchase? well i got so wrapped up in the other purchase i made that i forgot to show you this little beaut.

isn't she lovely?

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!

preparing to ring in the new year.

after kettlebells yesterday morning, i started running errands for the new years eve party at our house.  i had wanted to prepare in advance ... but ... well, i just don't really work that way.  the problem was that i couldn't come up with the menu.  travis wanted to do laid back and fancy-free.  he was thinking wings from main street tavern and a platter of nuggets from chick-fil-a ... so i had to come up with a menu that complemented that.

my first stop was marshall's.  vit and i were in there the other night and i saw several apothecary jars i liked.  i never buy stuff like that, though.  i'm re-doing a little nook in the bathroom {i should actually say "doing" because i've never decorated our bathroom}, and i just kept thinking that one of the jars would be the perfect addition to what i already have ... so i stopped by there first.

i ran into mattie {from kate's christmas party & my fb friend} and i looked a hot mess.  i was still in my workout gear with frizzy hair and a sweaty face.  ick.  i was also looking for champagne glasses while i was there {with no luck}.  it was supposed to be a quick trip.  in and out.  and i'm not the spender in our family.  i had to talk myself into going back to the store to buy a $12 jar for heavens sake. 

and then it happened.  something beckoned me to the bags.  and what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a lovely michael kors bag, my favorite, my dears.  i looked down and it was suddenly on my arm.  how did that happen?  i couldn't deny it a new home.  it was asking so kindly to come along with me.  and at 30% of the original price, how could i say no?

isn't she lovely?

shaking from the cold {and my new purchase}, i tried to put it out of my mind and headed into target.  i was able to get champagne glasses for the midnight toast.  a chai latte was sounding really good since i was only wearing a little running jacket and clothes that i had been sweating in for an hour {tmi? gross, i know}. the line at the target starbucks was super long {guess everyone had the same idea as me}, so i hopped back in travis's truck and headed toward party central.

while i was in target, i had called in catering orders with main street tavern and with chick-fil-a.  my cfa order was supposed to be ready by 4:30 and it was a little before 4:00.  that would give me enough time to get to party central.  on the way, i passed a starbucks.  i had a gift card begging to be used, so i pulled in.

i was on my way before i knew it with a chai latte warming me from my head to my toes.

party central had quite a few things to choose from, but i ended up grabbing a fun little box for 10 people (hats, tiaras, horns, and leis) for $10, some fun hanging gold and silver dot garland, and a few packages of balloons.

next stop, chick-fil-a.  i pulled through the drive-thru and then i was on my way to the grocery store.  i was still feeling a little guilty about each of my purchases {i told you, i'm not the spender}.  groceries can add up pretty quickly, so i decided to try my luck with aldi.  i've been before, but it's kind of like ross, and it stresses me out.  i also never know what i'll find there.  i was in luck.  i got a whole bundle of groceries {everything i needed except for pancetta} for $16!  i couldn't believe it.

i had asked travis to pick up champagne and peppermint schnapps on the way home from work ... and he ended up beating me home.  i got home after 6:00 and everyone was supposed to start arriving around 7:00.

when i got home i realized i didn't have pancetta, so kate picked it up for me.  then i realized i didn't have icing, so travis made a quick stop for me when he ran to pick up the wings from the tavern.

when nick and kate got home, gia had attacked the cookie jar on the dining room table, and had eaten 5 chocolate covered spice cakes ... so they were going to be a little later.  and amanda and zach couldn't make it until 8:00 because he had to work.  the delays worked in my favor and i was able to get a lot of things started before hopping in the shower at 7:00.