ABC Pediatric Dentistry Christmas Party

We went back to our roots this year and invited everyone to our home for our Christmas party.  The past few years we've done it at either a restaurant or a play.  I felt this year like I could handle it at home again and I really wanted our (Stanton's) employees to be in our home.  Don't you think there's something special about being in someone's home?  I do.  I love the family feeling and the intimacy of a home.

Anyway, we invited everyone to our home and I did the food.  Now, a few years ago when we did this the last time, I was a slacker and waited until the day of the party to prepare everything.  Yikes!  I learned my lesson and this year I made a schedule for myself.  Each day from Monday to Thursday, I prepared different parts of the meal.  On Monday I was a stress case.  By Thursday, I was feeling pretty good.  Things were still crazy for the couple of hours before the party, but I don't think there's any way to avoid that, no matter how you prepare.  Shout out to my amazing Kiki who came early and helped us get last minute things done, then tended the kids downstairs during the party -- including putting them to bed.  She's the absolute best.  Love that girl.

I want to remember the menu, so indulge me, please.

ABC Pediatric Dentistry

Christmas Party Menu

Appetizers:

Vegetable Tray

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Thingies

Club Crackers with Hot Artichoke Dip

Shrimp Tray w/ Homemade Cocktail Sauce

Fruit Tray

Main Course:

Roast Beef with Carmelized Shallots & Mushrooms

Smoked Turkey Breast

Twice Baked Potatoes

Green Beans with Almonds

Salad with Cranberries and Almonds

Lion House Rolls

Dessert:

Chocolate Cookies

Rice Krispies Treats

Mint Chocolate Brownies

Apple Cinnamon Bundt Cake

 
The food all turned out well.  The roast was not my highlight (someday that cattelman's daughter's blood is going to kick in and I'm going to cook a decent roast), but really, all the food was pretty darn tasty.  I didn't take many pictures due to the rush the last couple of hours, but here are the 3 I did manage to take.

Here are the employees and significant others who were there:

Every one of them is awesome.  We were missing Ilse & her husband, Ashley & Collin.  April & her husband had to leave early.

We had a white elephant gift exchange and it was the best one I've ever participated in.  Holy cow there were some hilarious gifts.  Some favorites were suppositories and a rubber glove, live goldfish, half-eaten chocolates, a used chapstick that had a $5 bill wrapped around the inside of the stick, a Team Jacob poster, and potted meat and Immodium AD.  We laughed.  A lot, as you can imagine.  It was awesome.

The night was so fun.  Stanton's staff is amazing.  We are really blessed to have each one of them working at the office.  The staff is such a huge component of the image of a dental practice and these girls just make ABC amazing.  Love 'em!

I felt like, as everyone left, the party was a success.  I hope they don't mind doing it at our house again.  They probably wouldn't dare say no, even though I would welcome their honesty.  Ha ha.  I have them cornered.  :)

This week was a really busy one.  On Wednesday night I hosted Card Club at my house, on Thursday  we had the office party at our house, on Friday we had our ward after-temple ice cream social at our home, and on Saturday we went to Blackfoot for my family party.  On top of that, I volunteered in Chloe's class, helped my friend with the program for our ward party, and wrote the Sacrament Meeting Christmas program for next Sunday, wrapped extended family presents, and made a little sense of the presents that have been arriving daily from the UPS, USPS, and FedEx drivers.  I think the biggest relief of stress came once that Sacrament Meeting program was written and approved.  Huge burden off my shoulders.
I love this time of year even though the busyness sometimes gets me a little frazzled.  This week we have our ward party on Tuesday, the First District Dental party on Wednesday, a formal Christmas party hosted by our friends the Lows on Friday, Stanton's family party on Saturday, and the Sacrament Meeting program on Sunday.  I think things will slow down a little after that.  Maybe.  But I'll be bummed when it does - almost certainly.