A new tradition?

A new tradition may have been born last night. My first annual best friends party took place last night. Everyone was told to bring their favorite cookie recipe or family recipe and we'd all cook it up together, splitting the batches before we left....all while drinking wine. I was very excited for this party and I planned as much as a non-planner could plan. I made little tiny Christmas trees for each guest that symbolized them to me. All silver bling for Angela, red modern metal balls for architect Katie, black and silver to match Amy's room, obnoxious display for the other Amy because that's how our family does Christmas, crosses for Jess because we love God, puppies for Stephanie because she dresses up her dogs, black for Connie because she is sexy like that, bright pink for Shawna because she wears it a lot, and a multi-colored, artsy tree for my expressive friend Theresa. I made a great Christmas playlist on Itunes, and I bought new wine glasses since my previous ones didn't survive 4 moves + 2 babies + Steve. I made a big batch of chili and tried to find matching bowls. I bought wine and got out and cleaned all of my baking dishes and pans. Steve even let me buy a pack of 3 new cookie sheets. Lucky. Anyway, I hope all my work paid off. Everyone seemed to have fun and so did I. Here are some pics. You can tell which ones were pre-wine. Not very many. One, maybe.



These ones turned out. Thumbs up.

A very funny turkey Olivia brought home from school. She lovingly gave it to Theresa as a gift.

Theresa tried a new healthy cookie recipe. They tasted like dog treats.
Katie & Amy

A "family" portrait with Jess

Let me highlight my guests of honor for you. Amy- my sister in law, Katie-my friend from ISU and camp, Amy-my best friend since we were little punks at camp, Theresa-nursing school friend, Shawna-nursing school friend, Connie-nursing school friend, Jess-nursing school friend, Angela-hard to explain how we met friend but really good friends for life, Stephanie-roommate from ISU. Connie and Stephanie couldn't make it and Shawna had to leave for work (the life of a nurse), but we had a great time overall. Lianna was there in spirit of course.

The point of the party was to celebrate my friends, because I really have great ones. Of course, all of my really good friends don't live close by or even in Iowa or even in the midwest anymore (gasp!). But for the ones close by and the ones far away (Tara, Tanya, Jana, & Nicki), I love you! And thanks for standing by me through drama and calm. Let's all celebrate another year past and a new year around the corner.

22 days until Christmas!