New Year's Eve!

Whoooeee, do we know how to have fun at our house! Hosted our first small New Year's "event" here last night, and let me tell you, the anticipation was running high. Schroeder was curiously watching the preparations...



(Picture does not depict actual later Schroeder party-behavior, which included hiding in the basement and running away from guests, because all strangers (with the possible exception of Melissa) are SCAREY).



And Bill was resting up (Bill's fan club insisted that I show him enjoying this new bed a bit more thoroughly...W says this is the Bill egg/embryo pose).






But poor Lusten had no idea that the height of festivities would include Melissa trimming her nails!


But really, we did have a good time. We wanted to stay home, and Melissa and Jen were looking for a nice, quiet place. We celebrated with some Chick-Pea and Spinach Soup (really needs a better name) from the Tassajara Recipe Book and played games, roasted produce in the fire (apples, yams, etc), sneezed (Jen is getting sick, we are taking all possible precautions with Zinc and Vit. C and sleep) and didn't quite all make it to Midnight (They headed home early, but we all managed, separately). There were celebratory kisses and all that... all 5 inhabitants of the house in the same room. Not sure what the chickens did. Quieter than the last few New Year's, but nice. Best wishes to everyone for a lovely 2006!