New Year's Eve

Happy New Year's Eve! I started the evening off at Mom and Dad's. We watched The Bengals game! Mom made kettle corn. She makes THE BEST kettle corn.

Go Joe Burrow! Go Bengals! WHO DEY!

Soooo handsome.

Awwww, Felix and Dad. After the game we had Thai chicken meatball soup for dinner.

Then I went to Emily's house, where she and Ginger were cooking up a storm! Pho and dumplings!

Luckily, I had room for a tiny portion. Everything was so fresh and delicious!

Not all of us made it til midnight. Rafael fell asleep on one couch, Penny on the other. They looked like twins!

Penny!

Rafael. Emily said he looked like a Renaissance painting and he TOTALLY DOES! 

Happy New Year, everyone! Here's to 2024!

Painting Lesson at Summer's

This morning, Summer hosted an art lesson at her studio! We did a free online class led by oil painter James Swanson. This is his painting, that we attempted to learn how to do. 

Here we go!

You can see his lesson on the monitor. It was hard!!! None of us really had any oil painting experience.

Ta da!

LOL Summer and I didn't even attempt to do the tennis ball.

My finished painting. It was a fun way to spend a Saturday morning!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! We got together at Mom and Dad's. Fruit!

Mer made cranberry cinnamon rolls, and Mom made a spinach and gruyere breakfast casserole.

Both were very delicious!

Since Petey the cat is no longer with us (R.I.P. Petey, we love you!), this is the first Christmas morning where both dogs have been able to go into Mom and Dad's house. It was too much drama to bring them both in when Petey was around. They weren't sure what to think of all the presents!

They got pretty bored and wanted to leave.

Felix looks like such a big boy amongst all those presents!

Lucy napping.

We reconvened in the evening for dinner! I made wedge salads.

Mer made a turkey pot pie with dill crust!

And cranberry sauce! YUM.

And Mom made a pumpkin pie! What a delicious Christmas!

Felix was zonked from all the excitement!

 

Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas Eve! We gathered at my house for a lasagna feast. Felix says, "Merry Christmas!"

Cheers!

Ready to party!

Little pumpernickel sandwiches and cocktails before dinner. Mom brought a delicious salad!

Waiting for the lasagna to come out of the oven!

Pete and Lucy!

Little Kate and Big Kate! Little Kate is wearing my favorite sweater from high school AND the Doc Martens I bought myself on a class trip to London in high school!!!!! Awww!

Little Kate gives amazing massages.

Checking out the presents...

Lasagna's ready!

Mmm!

After dinner, we watched 'Twas The Night -- A Holiday Celebration. If you haven't seen this holiday special before, I highly recommend it! It's very sweet.

Little Kate got this Double Chocolate Ring cake from Homeboy Foods as a gift from her uncle, and generously shared it with us for dessert.

It was so so so so so so sooooo good!! We couldn't stop eating it! Now I want to try more Homeboy Foods cakes!

Good night, folks! Santa is on his way!

Happy Birthday, Mer!

Mer's birthday was on Monday, and we finally got a chance to have a family celebration tonight. We gathered at my place. Look how cute Lucy looks in front of the Christmas tree!

I made this Smoky Turkey Chili.

It's so flavorful and tasty. Poblanos are my favorite pepper!

Mom made a Texas Sheet Cake!

Make a wish!

 

Happy birthday, sissie! I hope you have a wonderful year!