Celebration on the Avenue!

Every year, our street, well actually, it is a fancy-pants Avenue, has a holiday cocktail party (adults only, please).  We all wait and wait and wait for some sucker sweet neighbor to volunteer to host.  This year, it was me and Mr. Tennis.  I figured that the house was decorated early due to the home tour (wait, I forgot to tell you all about this --the newspapers totally got my  name wrong in every single article and called me Kathy repeatedly -- so I got no credit for that event).  Ok, now that I've vented about that again, back to the neighborhood party!   Since we were hosting, we got to pick the date, time, etc.

  So, guess what -- I scheduled it on a day I had a hair appointment so as to avoid the frizzy and frazzled look that is my trademark!! :)  Sometimes it is all about me, after all!! HA HA HA -- are you all laughing?  I hope so --I'm trying to be funny, here!



How sweet -- I stuck some gifts in my side cabinet -- have I been reading too many  holiday decorating blogs??



The evening before the party when I was prepping and cooking some delicious items, my oven started to smoke -- and I'm not talking cigarettes here!  I'm talking Smoke Alarm!   I figured it was a fluke and after I wiped it out (after letting it cool off, of course) and airing out the entire house, I thought it would be fine in the morning.  Nope, barely had it turned back on to make those yummy Hershey Kiss cookies and the thing started smoking again!!!!!!  Do you believe my luck???  Well, cookies are not the only thing I know how to make - stop looking so surprised!!  I whipped up some fudge -- oh my word -- so delicious!  And I didn't turn on that naughty oven again! All other food items were microwaved!   It really turned out ok as neighbors brought food too, so there was plenty to eat!

Connor (Mr. Bar Owner) suggested having hot toddy's along with wine and beer.  Since he is young and hip, we went with that idea.   The wine and beer were very, very popular.  Hot toddy's were delightful, but the wine and . . .



A few of the empty wine bottles!





beer appeared to be the drink of choice!



That box is full of empties!



So many neighbors came by -- we do live on a fun block avenue!  It was especially nice to meet some of the newest neighbors -- sweet young couples (one of those couples promised to host next year though they may not remember that promise), and it was a fun, fun time! 

So much fun that I neglected getting any photos of moi with party guests. 

 However, here is one of me at the end of the evening nursing a hot toddy! 

 This was very late, so please excuse the tired look! 

You'll have to take my word that I looked much better earlier and even had lipstick on!!! Woot!



My sweet younger sister was simultaneously partying, but sadly (for me)
 she was at a party in Florida, not Nebraska!

She did manage to get some photos (she was having a really good hair day too). 

 So, here's a photo of her with some cute docs in her hub's group. 
Adorable!
Isn't her hair gorgeous?  She really has the best smile!



Adorable Amy and friends



You'd think I would be partied out, but the very next day, we had Miss Maddy's birthday party! 

And next up, a Santa party at another house on the Avenue on Thursday!!