We Got Pie!

 Thursday night I got to host my woman's service club at my home for a pie social.

We are always looking for something fun to do as a group.

We have done day trips together, evenings out, and museum trips but sometimes it is nice just to stay in and enjoy each other's company over something sweet.

Besides, it gave me an excuse to break out my grandmother's china.

I love this delicate china.

Not to mention that our club flower is a pink rose.

I had everything set for the gathering.

I even set out some non-sweet snacks for munching on. 

We had a very enjoyable evening laughing, talking, and enjoying some very tasty pies.

We might have to plan something similar to this next year.

Maybe a bring your favorite cake party!

Any Excuse for a Party!

We here at the Peter's Ranch look for any excuse to throw a party.

This year's Christmas party was an open house - we started early and ended late 

so that folks could come and stay as long as they liked 

and still make their other Christmas obligations.  

Tis the season for holiday parties.

I wanted our guests to bring medications for our upcoming Uganda mission trip 

so I didn't ask anyone to bring goodies to share.  

We had plenty of food.

Plenty!

On the breakfast table we had buffalo chicken dip, artichoke dip, pico de gallo, 

guacamole, bleu cheese tartlets, two different cheeseballs, bacon-wrapped dates 

(oh my goodness, these are good) and ham rolls.

On the dining room table there was veggies and dip, barbeque meatballs, 

relish tray, three kinds of cookies, fudge, pralines, Mom's pumpkin bread 

and fruitcake, fresh apple cake, and cheesecake with sweet cranberry topping.

In the decanter is friend Chantell's fresh-squeezed Presbyterian Punch.

Yep, that's the name.

It is to die for!

(especially with a splash of vodka - Presbyterians don't mind.)

Speaking of adult beverages, we went through many bottles of wine.

Many.  Lots.  I got many new labels and corks from this party.

BTW, this is the family room Christmas tree.  

I love the old fashioned tinsel.  It makes the tree sparkle and it reminds 

me of my childhood Christmas trees.  

And as usual, there were friends congregating in the kitchen.

Friends in the dining room.

Friends in the family room. 

Even friends in the laundry room!  

To be honest, the bar was set up in this room.  

There was a steady flow through this room.  Just saying.  

I also had some Apparent Project jewelry for sale in here.

For those last minute gift needs. 

Hey, I am a full-service party hostess.

All of the girlfriends were under one roof!  

This is quite an accomplishment these days.  

We are all so busy.  

Now we have photographic evidence that this actually happened.

As much fun as the evening was, this was the best part!  

My generous friends brought so much acetaminophen, ibuprophen, 

and Tums, and vitamins for our Uganda trip.  

This was a huge help.  

Partying is always more fun when there is a good cause to support.  

Thanks friends!

Dinner with Friends

Tonight hubs and I spent our last night sans kiddos with friends.

We were invited the home of Beth and Mark Kershner for dinner and drinks.

Mark and his friend Brian did the cooking,

Beth set a beautiful table, as usual.

Beth really enjoys entertaining and her home always looks lovely.

She has a flair for decorating.

The dinner tonight was Portuguese.

Gazpacho, goat-cheese stuffed peppers, roasted tomato and pepper salad

a fragrant stewed chicken, potatoes, and a tasty spinach and chickpea side dish.

Thanks for inviting us Beth and Mark!

We always have a great time at your home.

Happy 235th Birthday America!

Someone I know gets very excited about family gatherings.

Especially when they involve fireworks.

Whenever my family gets together there is silliness

and a lot of laughs.

My brother's yard has lots of room for a rowdy game of horseshoes.

That's right people, horseshoes can be downright rowdy.

At least it can with my family.

Such form...

Such skill.

Poetry in motion. 

What's a family gathering without food.

So much food that to try it all might make someone very full.

Not that this happened to me.

Ha!

I also made a discovery at this party.

My mom is quite the cut-throat Croquet player.

She sent her granddaughter's ball flying!

Of course she did it to show Allison how to knock her opponent's ball. 

That's her story and she's sticking to it.

The evening ended with a very nice fireworks display.

Ben had a blast helping his uncles shoot the fireworks.

He managed to keep all of his fingers and eyebrows.

When will I ever get over being nervous about such things?

All in all, a very nice Independence Day Celebration.

Too bad it only comes around once a year.

Dinner Party!

I am really stoked!

Bruce and I are hosting a dinner party tonight with our new pastor and his wife

and our minister of music and her husband. 

We have been looking forward to this evening. 

But I gotta tell you - I am really excited to get to use all of the china that I acquired

during my foot surgery recovery.

Isn't it pretty! I love the china that my grandmother picked out 70ish years ago. 

Great choice Nannie!

Haiti Mission Team Reunion

Today most of the Haiti mission team were reunited.

Becca was asked to preach at a local church and as many as could attended.

After church we all came back to my home for lunch.

We had 5 team members, 5 spouses, and 1 teenager, and 8 assorted children.

It was a lively bunch.

We had lots of time to catch up and meet spouses and kids.

This is Karren (aka Karreem) and Becca.

Karreem is our pharmacist extroidinaire and is a very sweet person.

Becca was our math teacher/permetherin application specialist on the trip.

She is the one who preached today - and did a mighty fine job.

Not pictured is Jenny - she was behind the camera today.

Jenny is a physician and she organizes our trips.  Great leader!

Thanks for commandeering the camera Jenny!

Being the one behind the camera, I don't usually appear on my blog.

It figures I would be talking in the one picture that was in focus!

There were fresh pizzas made by yours truly -

and were pretty tasty if I do say so myself.

This is Courtney - one of my new friends from the mission team.

She is a nurse and has become a close friend.

She has a lovely snarky sense of humor - like me!

The team is already talking about out next trip together - probably in September.

I am ready!

Good Friends, Good Food

When it rains, it pours it seems.

This last week we were invited to three different occassions where meals were being prepared and I didn't really have to do anything. 

(Hmmm, come to think of it, are folks getting tired of my food?)

This particular night was a birthday celebration for a sweet friend of our family.  

His lovely wife prepared a feast for about 15 adults and assorted children. 

It was a delicious spread! 

Homemade spaghetti with meatballs, italian sausage with onions and peppers,

and a wonderful cheesy eggplant casserole that was so tasty.

Here's the happy birthday boy and his lovely bride.

Thanks for the invite - it was a lovely evening.

The Super Bowl Spread

My Wisconsin-born hubs and my son have been working on Super Bowl snacks for this afternoon. 

Let's review:

Pork, ground and stuffed into a casing (bratwurst)

Beef, ground and stuffed into a casing (Hebrew National dogs)

Turkey, ground and stuffed into a casing (Ball Park Turkey Franks)

More pork, ground and stuffed into a casing (summer sausage)

Cheese

con queso made with sausage, cheese dip, and salsa, served with tortilla chips

Pretzels

Here are the additions made to the spread to bring up the health level a bit:

fruit

hummus

fresh pico de gallo (Pioneer woman's recipe, yum!)

veggies with light ranch dip

and

Shrimp burgers made by my sweet daughter. 

Gotta balance things out a bit, you know?