Happy New Years

Sure, only a few months behind. This year we had a truly excellent start to the New Year with a somewhat impromptu party at our house with some good family friends. Everyone contributed and it ended up being very fancy, delicious, and fun.

We made black eyed peas, of course -- a Texas tradition for good luck in the New Year:

And that absolutely amazing gruyere, lemon and rosemary bread that I can't believe is so easy and is great:

 James made beef and leftover ground venison chili, which turned out delicious:

 Bradley and Barron brought oysters straight from the Gulf -- they were fresh and a true treat:

Amity brought this  fancy bourbon punch, which was quite festive (I think is essentially this recipe). I may be thinking about it all year until next Christmas/New Years! And I got to break out the ol' punch bowl for the first time:

And Alicia brought her perfect tomatillo salsa that I love and Aaron brought delicious brownies. But the best part was just enjoying the wonderful friends we've made over the past four years, and watching our kids play, and the very secure, safe feeling of knowing they are going to grow up together. Amity and Alicia by the fire:

 Kid's table:

Kids always get excited about parties, and to pass the time before friends showed up they decorated party favors to pass out:

Kid train:

 SPARKLERS! (Rosemary was a bit scared but finally accepted holding one)

 A very hot fire -- it was kind of a romantic closing out of the old year as we burned, it so happened, Amity and Robert's very old hackberry tree that had to come down. We had pilfered it for wood several months prior, and they recognized the nails in it from a bird feeder they had hung right after they first moved to Texas after getting married.

 Happy New Year! To continued health, happiness, and loving friends and family!

I think this was the best party we had at our house yet -- partially because it was spontaneous and there was no fuss. Louis ended up falling asleep in James's arms which pretty much NEVER happens as he fights it (successfully) so hard, and Esme ended up spending the night (after her mother went home to get her blankie). When the girls woke up, I made them cinnamon rolls which is something I'd never normally do but I had tipsily promised the night before, I guess to make Esme feel at home since her mother is constantly doing stuff like that. I must say, it was fun, especially because as I did it, the two girls sat at the piano playing together for a at least an hour, having a blast, while Louis studied his new Saint-Saens book and CD that Roger had introduced in piano, and then they all did math problems from Bedtime Math (my mother claims to be very un-Tiger Mom-like but she's the one that gave that book to Rosemary for Christmas -- then again, I think it was pretty much her favorite gift!) I swear to you -- I felt like I was living in another century, or at least another decade. There was no fighting, no competition, no technology, just the whole morning together of self-directed fun. It's certainly not always like that around here, by a long shot, but it was sure lovely.