happy new year

So I've decided that I need to take a photography class.
But not the typical how to use your camera or how to set up a shot kind of instruction.
I need help with remembering to pick up my camera and take pictures.
Sure I grab a shot when one of my kids does something cute or funny or when I have something cool to take a picture of... but in just the ordinary hanging out? I suck.

Case in point:
Another New Years Day dinner gone by with minimal photos taken by yours truly.
I took a ton of pictures of my table setting before everyone arrived, and I did remember to get the group shot this time, but the in between?? Notsomuch.
And it's sad because it was a lovely dinner party. Big group at the table, tons of awesome food, a full kids table this year, games afterward, lots of laughs... probably lots of great memories I could have snapped.

So I think I'm adding that to my New Year's Resolutions. Attach camera to my hand.

Anyway, our dinner was great. We had the Swinigans here this year as well as the repeating Malones and both of the Laughlins this time. This was our Third Annual dinner and maybe one of these years we'll start getting the table full of consistently repeating attenders! Next year's the year, I can feel it!!

We had a Lucky New Year menu again:


(click to enlarge
and read details)












And I had a lot of fun setting the table:





























way too many shots of the table (I just go crazy getting all the different glances):



































I meant to, and never did, get a shot of the table settings full of food or people. Just imagine Champaigne in the goblets and Shrimp lined dipping sauce in the little martini glasses...





















And here's the gang with full bellies:


















At the end of dinner we passed around a Peppermint Pig to break up and share. Sawyer was impressed by getting to pound on a bag of candy! It was a "sweet" little tradition I think we'll do year after year. And get the full story next time, right Ryan??

Thanks for a great dinner, friends!!
Happy 2009!