Dinner Party!!!

This weekend we hosted our very first dinner party for LD's team at work.  I have been wanting to have his team over to get to know them and their spouses and since we now have more space to accommodate everyone LD agreed!

 

Last week LD was out of town, which was a great time for me to get to work on preparing some treats to send home with our guests.

 

Of course the cookie jar idea and recipe came from Pinterest, but I love how they turned out and the cute little labels I made.

 

The morning of our party, our sweet elf named David (named by Clare at age 2) left us super sugary Christmas treats for breakfast.

 

And my little sweet tooth girl LOVED it.  Elle was ok with it, but she wasn't too into all the frosting first thing in the morning :)

 

Clare went to her very first drop off birthday party and LD took Elle Christmas shopping and out to lunch, leaving me to clean and prepare.

I absolutely love stuff like this, especially when I can focus and work without being interrupted, which doesn't happen often with my peanuts.  So it was a treat to set it all up.

 

LD wanted to move our dining room table into the eating area so all 11 of us could sit around one table and enjoy conversation, and it honestly worked great.

A few Christmases ago my mom bought me winter dishes and with the added charger they were so pretty!  Also, LD had gotten me actual SILVER ware when we got married in a set of 12 and I had put them away and totally forgotten about them!!  After 8 years of marriage this weekend was the first time we've ever pulled them out.  They are so pretty, I am so glad to be reminded we have them!

 

 

It was so fun setting up for an adult evening, which to be honest does not happen..um...ever!!

 

 

And I had been doing Christmas baking over the last few weeks and freezing batches of cookies, which worked out perfectly.

 

 

Another great Pinterest idea were these centerpieces, which is dollar store vases, epsom salt and little ornaments.  I decided to risk it and leave them on the table through the holidays.  Hopefully they will survive!

 

 

 

And then we sent home these yummy cookie mixes with our guests. 

 

I have to say LD and I are a pretty good team!!!  I'm glad we don't do stuff like this too often because my 34 week preggo self was mighty tired when all was said and done.  But we had a great time!