Dinner Night

Diane hosted Dinner Night this month. I'm sorry to say that I didn't come home with any photos of our hostess...or of myself, for that matter. Above we sit around her table, after a to-die-for dinner of homemade lasagna, salad, garlic bread, and angel food cake with strawberries.

The food was too good, we all helped ourselves to extra servings, and made short order of her hard work. It would have been beautiful-er if I'd taken this photo before dinner:


Di claimed to be sipping on wine & sparkling water, but we all laughed when we noticed her self- bartending technique: THIS much soda, topped off with white wine. And she didn't even have to drive home.


Di has THE warmest house you'll ever step foot in. It's warm. It's cozy. It's candle-lit, and full of beautifully arranged, homey stuff from her past and present. Ask her about anything in the place, she has a memory about it, and will make you love it as much as she does.


It's not just her home that envelopes you, it's Diane herself. When you are her friend, in her house or not, she's taking care of and nurturing you.

We've been friends for over 25 years, and one of my favorite memories of her "taking care" of me, was when I stopped into her place, an emotional mess when my marriage was falling apart.

It was late spring, raining, and I was freezing. She ordered me to take off my shoes, curl up in a blanket. I did just that when she came out a few minutes later with a hot towel. She'd put that towel in the microwave and heated it up (did you know you could do that?!), and proceeded to wrap my feet in it. I don't think I'd ever felt so safe and comfortable in my entire life as I did that evening. Everything really would be ok.

Anyway, Marcy was on the receiving end of this warming on Tuesday night; here she is bundled up on the world's coziest fluffiest loungy chair thing, after Di had tucked her in for some TV:


On the agenda for the night: Cash & Treasures. Zia wanted to catch a show about geodes, and we were all so entranced that we stayed tuned in for the diamond mining episode also. Marcy's a diamond nut, so we all declared that after her baby is born, we'll strap it on her back, grab a pick-axe, and take a girl's trip to Arkansas to dig for diamonds. Wouldn't that be fun?!


We left for the evening to find a few inches of snow blanketing the world, and had a bit of fun yakking and cleaning off our cars.



After mine was cleaned off, I did donuts in the cul de sac Diane lives in, hooping and hollering, and yelling yeeeeee-haaaaaw!!

There was clearly no water in my wine.

Gay night

The only photo that came out, taken right at the start. Probably just as well, since I end up looking like this on 'mornings after'...

Ready, aim, fire!

So what happens when two bloggers go out for dinner and a huge pitcher of sangria? Dueling camera-phones!



Here's Kristin trying to take a picture of me. I think mine came out better. (ha!)



When we ordered a pitcher, we didn't realize it was this huge. I must add, we did finish it.

Girls Night In

Mike's out of town for the weekend, so Momo and I decided to get together Saturday night. A very glamourous evening: home in sweatpants.

Oh. Some of us wore boa's:




We did run out to Village Inn for a few pies. We got the circular booth in the corner, which was cool and very drafty. Unable to find a warm spot, Marcy and I decided body heat was the only way to go, and scooted together for dinner. It was quite romantic.


We came home for manicures:

And chick flicks:


Lazing about in front of the fireplace:


And curling up in the sofa.


Until the wee hour of 11:30 p.m., when Marcy's baby-growing work put her to sleep, and my red wine put me to sleep.

We aren't always Girls Gone Wild.

In record time.

I've decided that I must invite anal retentive people into my life. People with big ideas -- ideas with lots of details to implement.

So....

Melissa is giving a party for her hub's 40th. He's in a blues band. The theme is blues and barbecue. Yum! She asked for my help on some details. We found a great venue. She hired a great barbecue restaurant to bring the food. Of course, beer and wine is under control. But how can we make the place look the part?

Music-related confetti for the tables. Check.
CDs to hang around (with fishing line) to pick up the lights. Check.
Posters of old concerts. Check.
Centerpieces? Hmmm...

Let's make bowls out of old record albums! Yeah, lets!

Turn the oven on to 225 F. Put the record balanced on top of a glass jar that is on an old cookie sheet.

After 3 minutes, take it out (with a potholder!). It'll be all floppy. Lay it over a bowl and shape it.

We decided we liked the 'pinched' method the best. But even the 'scrunch' method looks pretty groovy!

Now we need to decide what to fill the bowls with -- Kisses? Chex Mix? Pretzels?

This party is going to rock!

Hey there.

We had some friends over for New Year's Eve. I know, I know. It's halfway through the month and I'm posting New Year's photos. Sorry. I've been busy. If I wanted to feel guilty, I would have called my mom.

Sound a little defensive? Yea, I know. I'm really frustrated that there isn't enough time in the day...

But, here's a few shots of the girlz (with a couple special guests thrown in...)


There's Kristin with my son, Davis. I think she secretly hopes he'll marry her daughter, Kate some day.


That's my sister and my niece. They came in from out of town. I didn't catch her other two daughters on camera, unfortunately.



Kristin trying to take a picture of me. Ha. I got her back!



Ellen. Great stomach on that girl! But what's with the eye? Somehow, the two other girlz escaped my camera - so here's a shout-out to June and Melissa. I'll get you next time!

Happy 2007.

Finally.

Brand new year...

...same old chores. I hate the after party.