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Location: Northern California

Saturday, December 09, 2006

 

What to give the hostess with the mostess?

I was just sitting here thinking about how great it was going to be to have nothing to do tomorrow since we have no social obligations planned; I have all day to sign and address my holiday cards. Cool. Then I remembered that I sign and address 110 holiday cards, and I thought to myself, What is wrong with you that signing and addressing 110 holiday cards equates to having nothing to do?

Even though it sounds insane, I'm looking forward to my big day of holiday card making. Do you know how good I'm going to feel when I push those babies into the big blue box on the corner? Good, real good. I am housewife, hear me roar.

Ah, holidays. What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger. That's my motto for this time of year.

Tonight we had the family over for Thomas's big birthday bash. I made beef stroganoff, potatoes au gratin, and salad; my father-in-law brought a honey baked ham from the HoneyBaked Ham Store. The ham was freakin' amazing. I (oops!) accidentally forgot to give out leftovers to our guests. Not! I'll be eating that ham all day tomorrow. I need pork-based sustenance while churning out my signature 110 times, ya know.

Pork-based sustenance. heh.

Unfortunately, the stroganoff sucked. I'm allowed to write that because I made it. Have you ever made a dish for a dinner party that you've never made before, then sat down at the table to eat it (with your guests) and realized it was horrible? Ya, that was the stroganoff. It should have been wonderful, but it wasn't. Oh well. The potatoes were okay, but I have a feeling they'll be better tomorrow fried up and served with a side of eggs over medium, a slab of ham, and toast.

At least the table looked pretty:

Birthday Dinner for T


My mom helped a lot by watching the kids while I cooked, setting the table, and making placecards. She also bought really cute gifts for each of the guests that matched the table setting. Good work, mom! Tomorrow, she and my stepdad leave to go home to Illinois and the kids are really going to miss them.

Enough rambling...here's a question for my awesome readers. What do you give for hostess gifts? We've got three parties next weekend alone and I want to bring something for the women who I know will be working their behinds off for days before the guests arrive. I'm going to bake Christmas cookies this week, but I was thinking something more personal, maybe bath salts or lotion? What do you think? I'm really trying to think of something that says, "Girlfriend, I know how hard you worked to make this party happen. You rock." My mother-in-law brought me champagne and flowers, which I love, but what if the hostess isn't a lush like I am? Ideas?

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