Ringing it in

This year our first night was...just right (Goldilocks would be so proud).

Progressive dinner + revelry x 7 families = very happy evening for 32 people

1. dinner at our house (featuring aebleskivers by G) 

2. giant round of the game Celebrities

3. travel to H family house, make festive hats

4. ...like this one

5. light sparklers

6. combine festive hat and sparklers (isn't he a good sport?)

7. play more games, then toast the new year with ginger ale

Then, watch movies all night (option 1) or go home to sleep and return for breakfast and games and sledding and, later, chili for lunch (option 2). I'll leave you to guess who chose which option. 

Quarantine schemes

On the third day of sickness, the swine flu(?) gave to me...three coughing people, two fevers over 102, and a feeling that we'll never be free.  

(via my facebook status this morn. I was pretty proud of that; it only took me all morning to think of it:))

Okay, if I'm going to be sick and ill equipped to write my qualifying paper (fuzzy brain...oh well!) then I will try to use my quarantine time to plan and scheme about Thanksgiving and other November delights.  Greg's parents are coming out for the week surrounding Thanksgiving and we're so excited to host them (first time in about 6 years, I think).  The Thanksgiving dinner part is not too hard to plan; I do the same tried-and-true list every year plus I'll ask others to bring things to contribute to the feast (Greg's cousin's family and hopefully my sister are also coming).

But here's what gives me pause: what about the other days of their visit?  I'd like to move beyond our standard five (you know, mexican night, italian night, pizza night, breakfast for dinner night...) and yet I'd like to not be distracted by the meal prep the whole time.  What are your favorite houseguest meals to prepare (including lunches and breakfasts, too)?

. . .

Thankful for: a new book on my doorstop (Lacuna, Barbara Kingsolver's new one), a bathtub full of almost scalding water, extra time to scheme and daydream and cuddle on the sofa with the other sickies