Family dinner

I wasn't able to set the table as early as usual (darn cats - there's even one in this picture!) but we got it ready in plenty of time.

Appetizers - the usual meatballs, veggies and ranch dip and olives. I setbthe cheese on the counter and had the cheeses all laid out in layers on a Christmas tree platter ... and no picture? What?

Back porch. I was disappointed that I forgot to turn on the snowglobe lights. I had nametags for everyone to write their "elf name" on, based on the first letter of your name, your birth month and your favorite thing about Christmas. Even E and B wouldn't do it. Party poopers.

This was my dining room centerpiece since Thanksgiving and we moved it to the little china cabinet the other day.

L sent this picture of flowers that W welded for her - they'll last forever!

E and B.

E and D.

And us with our traditional celebratory margarita for getting everything together before the family arrives.

Good thing E asked when she and D should make their sauces for the beef because I said just before the rolls go in the oven. The rolls! We forgot to set them out to rise! I ran downstairs to get them from the freezer and Andy and I started plopping them on cookie sheets. Then, a whike later, he asked if the pans needed to be greased. Yes! We had to pull them off and, of course, they were already sticking. We washed the pans, re-shaped the rolls and set them aside to rise. They turned out ok but next year I might stick to Hawaiian rolls.

Family dinner went as planned. We were expecting 19 originally but Allison was home sick and two others just didn't show. In addition the rolls, we had beef tenderloin, ham, carrots, green beans, stuffing and mashed potatoes.

The kids' table.

After dinner we sat around and chatted.

We kind of had a late start to dinner so it was later than usual when we debated playing games. We had bingo and trivia ready to go, but decided to skip it. We'll try again next year.