Christmas Explosion

Christmas has arrived at our house. Ryan's dental office has a big Christmas shabang every year, and since it is our first Christmas in our new home, we asked if we could host this year. We thought it would be fun. While the party itself was wonderful and everyone had a good time, I learned that the prep work for a holiday party is not as fun. In fact, it is a lot of work. Thank goodness Ryan took a week and a half off for Thanksgiving because every waking minute was spent cleaning, decorating, fixing, painting, raking, shopping...you get the picture. Phil and Sherrine came up to help us with odds and ends, like decorating the mantle, installing chair rail in the dining room, and fixing the garage door.

What happened to our garage, you ask? Funny story. Someone in our household was backing out of said garage and realized a little too late that they had not opened the door first. I won't tell you who it was because they would be embarrassed. The only hint I will give you is that that person's name does not start with a C. Luckily there wasn't a ton of damage and it was something we could repair ourselves.

Anyhoo, after a full week of work, the giant tree is up, the lights are lit, the stockings are hung by the staircase with care, and we are exhausted. But we are done decorating and it is only Dec 5th.

The party was a roaring success. Everyone had a fun time and the food was delicious! The best part was that it was catered, so I didn't have to do a thing in the kitchen. Not even one dish. They were awesome! Ryan got a Patriots hat with LED lights in the bill in the gift swap. Truly a treasure. And to make the evening perfect, it SNOWED for the first time this winter. Just a dusting, but it was such a festive touch. Winter is here and Christmas is just around the corner. This is my favorite time of the year. And don't worry, Ry. Your next vacation is only a few weeks away and you won't have to lift a finger. It might even be relaxing. Here are a million pictures that document our massive decorating efforts. And one of a really cute baby.