New Year's Eve 2010

Seeing how a certain toddler really cramps our style, we were thrilled when dear friends accepted our invitation to “party” at our house this year.  So, Patrick and Steve & Mary all traveled in from Michigan to spend the weekend with us.

We enjoyed strolling through the snow and shops in downtown Naperville, a yummy lunch at Lou Malnati’s, a fun introduction to Bananagrams (which I later found myself addicted to the iPad app – thankyouverymuch), too many tasty appetizers at home later, and lots of stimulating conversation and debate.

I found a really cool idea on Noble Pig, based on an old Spanish tradition to partake in 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight – each grape representing the months ahead: sweet for good months, sour for not-so-good months.  I threaded a dozen grapes each onto skewers and served them in glasses of St. Julian Sparkling White Grape Juice.  While we didn’t quite inhale them in 12 seconds (the grapes were too big!), it was a fun activity to mark the beginning of a new year, and one we plan to do again.

Thanks for coming to visit ~ Patrick, Steve & Mary!