Party Time

So, I don't have my Christmas photos uploaded (surprise surprise), but I hope everyone's holidays were fantastic.  We decided that we were such ridiculous slackers and so terribly out of touch with our friends that we needed to have them all over at once.  Ok, this was decided awhile ago, but it HAPPENED recently.  And, thank goodness.  I don't know how we get so wrapped up in the standard, daily grind of work, play, clean, sleep, that "people" just don't happen.

When I started inviting people, I anticipated lots of "No's" because of the holiday season, so went wild.  And I continue to think of people I missed and feel terrible!  HOWEVER, once I hit 7 toddlers (plus their parents and real-life adults that didn't add to the kid craziness) I started to freak out.  Not only 7 toddlers, but FIVE of them were between 10 months and 20 months.  3 18's.  WOAH.  And, let me tell you, there could have been 5 more if everyone came!  Must...consider...the toddler ratio to protect my sanity in the future.

As I got to planning, all thoughts of "fancy" went out the window.  Paper products, comfort food, and child-proofing were the plan.  Ok, child-proofing SHOULD have been the plan, but it wasn't.  I left my tree up, the glassware in an accessible cabinet, and didn't gate all the stairways.  For the most part, this went fine, though it worried one mom that wasn't as fancy-free with letting her kid have access to stairs.  Yes, mine rolled down them once last week, why do you ask?  (He was fine, and it's the only time it's happened.)

Robby and I baked cookies pretty much every night the week before, though I took one day off to have a 24-hour stomach bug.  I'm sure my guests appreciate that I didn't bake them some germs.  He learned the wonders of cookie dough, though it's not really my thing.  I know!  Blasphemy!  I really don't have that much of a sweet tooth, but Robby's got his father's.  While making Chocolate crinkles, he snagged some dough.  And then...woah...all bets were off.  He was lunging for that bowl.

The ultimate menu:
Mac n cheese (crock pot)
Meatballs (crock pot)
Pigs in blankets
Spinach dip
Pizza pinwheels
Chocolate crinkles
Peanut butter blossoms
Chewy ginger cookies
Fudge
Way too much to drink

And lots contributed by other people.

You should now be as shocked as me that there were virtually no leftovers.  How dare everyone!  My meal plan included a night of raiding the fridge!  ;)  Really, I'm glad that I didn't have more junk left in my house!  I'm sure I would have eaten it all.

Honestly?  It couldn't have gone better.  The kids were all largely well behaved, with only a couple scuffles over their preferred chair.  It was so great to get to see everyone, even if the girls' parents ruined the lie I've been telling Chris of, "It's just the mama's boy/daddy's girl phenomenon.  A girl would choose you."  Apparently, all the toddlers prefer mom, except one BOY prefers dad.  Who knows.  It'll change.

So, there's a quick glipse into our holidays.  Below, since I failed to take pictures, I swung the video camera around when I caught Robby and Kaden being cute.