shiny and new

Before we get any further into 2011, I feel compelled to share with you the awesomeness that was our New Year's Eve. You might recall that I was particularly eager to kiss the ass of 2010 goodbye, requesting that its wretched mojo never return. So although we had just recently returned home from a liver bending visit with my family, there was no doubt that December 31st would be filled to the brim with parrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrTAY.

Our great friends and neighbors hosted an inspired sort of pot luck, where each family was asked to bring the mixings for a round of vodka martinis.  We also brought toppings for both pizzas and cupcakes. There were five families.

I sought the wise council of my facebook posse for ideas about what my martini would be.

SO looking forward to celebrating the end of 2010. What's your favorite martini recipe?

I don't have a recipe but I LOVE basil martinis.

I think they are called cakebread martinis... vodka, amaretto, pineapple juice and something else.... but my all time favorite is a good dirty one :) . Have fun! Happy new year to u and ur family. 

Dirty, dirty, dirty!

Happy Anniversary Jacquie and Bill..... here's to many more....   (Aw, thanks, Mom!)

‎2 1/2 oz gin, a WHISPER of vermouth-shake over ice (do your abc song for the shake time)- pour into a pre-chilled martini glass with 2 olives in it.......HEAVEN!

Chopin vodka, shaken not stirred,, strained into a pre-chilled glass with 3 olives in it.

 

Espresso Martini........ ooooooh yaaaaaa, baby!!!

Chopin is the best!

Dirty dirty dirty dirty dirty!


Despite this helpful advice from my adorable peeps, I remained indecisive about what I would bring. I narrowed it down to two top choices, and prepared copious amounts of the ingredients necessary to create both. The result?

everyone brought a variation of the martini to the party, and the clear favorite was my cilantro lime, yum!

But enough about drinks, I want to tell you about the party! The party with all the drinks!

There's my cilantro dreamboat, front and center.

Grrrrrlllllzzzzzz

I forgot to take photos of the pizza, but it was abundant and delicious. After dinner, the kids retired to their lair to concoct cupcake masterpieces. Apparently, our host children had spent many a rainy day watching "Cupcake Wars", and it was on.  A panel of judges was arranged.

Are you familiar with the expression "sober as a judge?"

Yeah, me either. 

What we lacked in sobriety we clearly made up for in festivity.

We required each contestant to stand and defend her entry (the girls went first). Then we sent everyone out of our chambers for a sober somber critique and tasting. 

Then we called the girls back to hear our results.

The details are fuzzy,all I know for sure is that the girls were neither impressed nor pleased with our ability to think of a winning category for each entry.

Next victims:

The boys weren't big fans of our "Everyone's a Winner!"concept, either.

After the big competition, it was getting late so we hurried to gather our supplies in anticipation of the big midnight extravaganza!

If you run out of noisemakers, raid the cupboards! Pots and pans are super noisy.

We headed outside around 11:45 so the whole town could enjoy our enthusiasm!

Hoodlum hoopla

Happy Anniversary, dahlink!

Once we'd been adequately thanked and praised by the neighborhood (deep down inside, where it counted), we headed back in for the dancing!

party like it's 2011!

There were a few victims after our frenetic noisemaking.

Is that heavy metal horns or sign language I Love You?
Note: I had a hilarious video that my husband shot while trying to snap this photo, but blogger ate it. boo!

Until there was nothing left to do but sweep up the pills and wash them down with vodka.

Happy New Year!