Tonight, Kristen, the kids, and I spent the evening readying the house for the final party of the year. Not much a New Year's Eve party-goer, we have always enjoyed staying at home with a few friends, eating and drinking, and as my dad would suggest: "staying off the roads".
The menu is going to be finger foods, but with a twist: Chile Crusted Beef Tenderloin with Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill Steak Sauce (perennial favorite), King Crab Legs (yes, I got them on sale at Restaurant Depot for $8/pound), and Roasted Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce. Kristen is making Queso Dip, some cool Baked Crab appetizer, and a cheese tray. Neighbor Irene is bringing the Jalapeno Corn Muffins to go with the Black Eyed Peas from sister Vickie (my sibling, not a convent member). Dessert is Chocolate Sundaes from Julie Maupin and Carla Dyess.
Now as far as I know, we will have about sixteen people counting the kids. See a problem with this picture?
2009 has been a good year for us. The kids have just blossomed, and that word doesn't even do justice. Will has matured into a nice young man -- kind, sensitive, excited about the world, and growing up right before our eyes. It will only be 4 years until he plans on heading to college. Scary for me. Right now, though, he has become a proficient welder as well as player of video games. But most importantly, Will has developed a spark in his eyes this year -- you can just see him being happy. That makes me happy too.
Cathryn (or, as her daddy refers to her, Cat), is so smart and creative that sometimes I can't believe what she comes up with. Whether its technology, drama, art, or poetry, she just has a love of learning. She has now become the second biggest user of Amazon.com in the household next to me. And, she has decided this year to be a marine biologist. I know she's only eleven, and she will probably change this many times before she decides on a career, but as a biologist dad I'm excited to see her fascinated by nature. I guess I vicariously see the romance in studying some obscure fish.
So the "Last Party of the Year" is really the beginning of a new year for our family. I hope 2010 turns out as good as the last.
Dan
Sounds like preparing for the "last party of the year" was fun in the McCoy household. It's amazing to think that the first decade of the 21st century is entering its last year. Seems like only yesterday that the Timmerman family was camped on our lake lot at Richland Chambers, with a tiny TV outside our camper to view the change of the century. The foundation was poured on our new lakehome, which we would eventually occupy in June 2000, and our greatest concern was "will our computers, televisions, bank accounts still be available at 12:01 a.m., January 1, 2000.
ReplyDeleteIn 2000, I knew Dan as a valued member of the Navarro College Foundation Board of Directors (one of my fifteen "bosses" as Executive Director of that Foundation); Kristen was a young woman I knew because she went to high school with our boys; and I barely knew Cathryn and Will. How life has changed in nine years -- now the McCoy's are friends who are as close as family to "T" and me, and we are fortunate to have them involved in our lives and to be involved in theirs.
So, it's hard not to "think ahead" to 2020 -- a mere 10 years hence: Will and Cathryn will be in graduate school!), Dan and Kristen will be international culinary experts in chocolate and cakes with their Sugar/Sugar franchises; and the Timmermans will have "finally" really retired and be traveling the globe! We'll rely on Dan to fly us to the airport in his personal helicopter!!!! (Oh, well, it's fun to dream).
HAPPY NEW YEAR McCOYS!!!!!!
Linda T
Your comments are very nice...just like you.
ReplyDeletei cant believe my brother in four years is going to colledge
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