I know most of us are over 2015 and have moved on to the bigger and better of 2016 but we just bid farewell to our last house guest on monday and well.....It's taken me all week to write this post. And by gosh I still want to blog about the whirlwind we just experienced the past 2.5 weeks J It’s a shot in the dark but just maybe next year when you need a holiday appetizer idea, outfit idea, or gift idea you can come back here to this post and get you some ideas J
Alright – our first house guest (my mom) arrived on Friday Dec. 18th so that she could so graciously babysit mine and my brothers kids on Saturday the 19th during our Christmas Party. Next year we have GOT to work on the menu. This year we wanted it to be easy. The party started at 8 so we figured most people wouldn’t be hungry until around 10ish. We tried to figure out food that was easy to pop in the oven (since it would be during the party) yet also maybe still good while cold. So we served…
Antipasti platter with meats and cheeses
Crabcake bites (frozen costco)
Deli Spirals (these are great for parties because you just place them on a platter frozen and by the time people are ready to eat them they are defrosted)
Layered Greek dip with Pita chips (I replaced the greek yogurt with store bought taziki)
And for our Christmas party I wore this adorable number with these sparkly shoes. It’s even cuter on!! Can’t WAIT to have an excuse to wear it again on a date night (echem - Hunter are you reading?)
Moving on to the week of Christmas...
Monday daycare was still open so Mom and I shipped the kids off and enjoyed a glorious mother/daughter day of last minute xmas shopping.
Tuesday we baked. Two batches of my grandmothers cut-outs. These are a true tradition in our house. I LOVE hearing my mom’s stories about what a great baker my grandmother was and about how my grandpa would eat a whole tray of these cookies and no gain a pound. They are seriously delicious! We did once batch with the kids and since those typically turn out barely edible we did another batch sans kids to give cookies trays to our neighbors.
Wednesday we ventured out with the kiddos and took them to see the singing bears in uptown Charlotte. Every year Hunter V is less and less scared of this adorable yet frightening moving bears. James – as long as his buddy Henry is around he’s golden.
Thursday we were hosting Christmas Eve at our house with my parents, my brother and his family, and my father in law. So we prepped food and cleaned that morning and hosted that evening. My parents managed to sneak away to the front porch for a rare quiet moment...I caught em red handed and quickly put them back to work ;) (kidding) (maybe)
I personally (for xmas eve) was super excited to wear my new red pants from j.crew that mom and I picked up that Monday before. I wore them with a jean shirt and these cute silver banana republic shoes.
Side note: I swear new years resolution: take more pictures of myself and Hunter before parties. I’m super bummed we didn’t get one picture together before our xmas party, xmas eve, xmas day, or on new years eve.
We LOVE doing heavy apps on Christmas Eve. This way people can socialize, drink, nosh and be merry all night. Some we're repeats from the our Christmas party because we had extra.
On the menu was:
Grape Jelly & Chili sauce crockpot meatballs
Frozen crabcake bites from Costco
Pork tenderloin sliders with horseradish spread (Hunter cooked the pork tenderloin on the grill)
Layered Greek dip with Pita chips
Veggie Tray
Cheese and Meat Tray
I claim him as my bother - my sister in law (his wife) is a
"professional" food blogger. #jobenvy So he's clearly comfortable being in pictures :)
After we drank, chatted and noshed we let the kids open presents from Nana and Papa. The boys go the cutest
train and
spider man sleeping bags from Potterybarn. Crazy James rode his like a horse.
And we sent the kids off to bed with a reading of Twas the Night Before Christmas
After everyone was sleeping...I had a santa spotting ;)
Santa left Hunter V just what he asked for "Lots of toy story toys, a Mr. Potato head, and a super why costume. James got a balance bike, blocks and wagon, and a lawn mower!
The kids woke up usual time around 7:30am and the madness ensued. Hunter V really understood this year and made it A LOT of fun!! James thought not different than any other morning and just cried for my iPhone. LOL.
Santa (I mean Papa) got some bread grooming goods since it seems to be here to stay despite my Mom's demise.
Saturday after Christmas my Aunt/Uncle and cousins came into town for a quick day visit. Sunday Mom and Dad headed home. New years week I shipped the kids off to daycare, took down Christmas decor, and prepped for our next guests to arrive.
Our friends the Wilson's (a college friend of Hunter's) and their two sweet girls came for a visit from northern Virginia.
New Years Eve my brother and sister-in-law joined us as well. I'll admit we didn't leave the house so I didn't wear the heels with this outfit...but wouldn't have been cute if i did ;)
6 adults, 6 kids with make your own pizza night and sparklers fun was had by all!!
We did our traditional New Years day meal of hawgs jowl, black eyed peas and collard greens. The wilson's left Saturday and I had exactly 2 hours to turnover Hotel Lunsford before my Uncle and Cousins came for three days.
Everyone's gone now, and we have one week of back to the grind under our belt. I'm looking forward to some quality family fun (just the four of us) in the month of January! Happy New Year Everyone!
