The usual....
It didn't snow...it was grey....it was quiet.
The bonus....Barb had the day off and came to help with morning chores.
Got into the house about 9 and figured I had better get the lead out if 23 people were coming to dinner.
Gary made all the meatballs...about 170! While I worked on the house.
It was a long day for getting ready....I took my good old time.
Jenny and the kids arrived a little before 6. By 6:30 almost everyone was here.
Gary surprised me with a lamp from the Different Path Gallery. Remember the ones I posted last week?
Below is my least favorite thing that is part of a typical Swedish Christmas Eve Smorgie. Yuck! Pickled Herring. No thanks. Gary loves it!
I don't have enough energy to describe all the food we had tonight. Just know that it was delicious.
OK...I have to tell you that this Asian dish Barb made was a huge hit. Pork tenderloin, rice, stir fried veggies, pineapple and mandarin oranges. Such flavor!
One of my friends confiscated my camera and took these two pictures...me and Roger.
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| Finn and Cooper played the entire evening while the adults did their thing. |
Sidney sat on the couch for over an hour watching Finn and Nanna Pat play a new game. He doesn't care how many people are around. Seymour, on the other hand, escaped out the back door ASAP. Phoebe and Gucci are used to crowds and just roll with it.
I was very happy to have Barb and Ron join us this year. They met a lot of new people.
Everyone left a little after 9 except for Jenny, the kids and Pat (who was ready for a nap after a very long day). It was time for the boys to open their presents.
Tomorrow we are going to veg.
Night all.
Looks like a great day and a fun dinner. Yummmmmm! Merry Christmas, all.
ReplyDeleteYou and Gary are so very fortunate to be a part of such a lovely group of friends. The fun (and food) you all have!
ReplyDeleteIt's so nice to see a picture of you! Everything, the table, the food, your extended family, ...looks great. Your are a terrific host.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry for the loss of Pony, I didn't get around to blog reading this past week. I hope you are doing better.
Merry Christmas...what a wonderful beginning.
ReplyDeleteGood pics of you Lori....your hair looks great! Of course, the one of Sid really made me smile! Merry Christmas...enjoy!
ReplyDeletePeace!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas Lori!
ReplyDeleteWow and YUMMMM! What a feast! Merry, merry Christmas to you and yours, and here's to a beautiful 2011. . .
ReplyDeletexx
Merry Christmas Lori!
ReplyDeleteEverything looks delicious (except the herring, just can't do that). I'm sure you all had a great time together.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas and a Happy Healthy New Year to you and your family and critters.
Here's to good friends, family and good food! Merry Christmas, dear Lori.
ReplyDeletea lovely pictorial review of the day...
ReplyDeletethats what I love about blogging....thousands of similar photos from all over the world....depecting family dinners/....
wonderfulx
You know, if everyone could adopt a virtual reality family and home to also spend holidays with besides our own, ya gotta know, it would be yours! I wanna sit in that dining room and savor all the flavors that no doubt are wafting through the house.
ReplyDeleteAnd your beautiful lamp, wow.
I went to one of my sons and the favors there were magnificent...so I'm a lucky mama, gramma..
but I love your house.
Hi Lori. Good to see a full face photo of you. Strange thing - you and Ann look like sisters.
ReplyDeleteWe've just got home, and I've been catching up on youir blog. Now I must catch up on mine.
Warm regards, Mike and Ann.