Wine Night(s)

most nights are whine night around our house
but this is about wine night

i'm talking a glass of 'mommy juice' (aka wine in our house), clean sweaters with no drool or puke on the shoulder/sleeve, food that took longer than 10 minutes to cook and contains no noodles or peanut butter and jelly and adult conversations that leave my brain feeling alive instead of drained of all intelligence and patience.

have i blogged about these nights before? i don't think i have, and yet this tradition has been going on for 7? maybe 8 years? what started out as a way to find good wines, has become a great reason to gather together for great food, great friends and laughter. The location rotates from house to house. The wine theme changes each time. But the rules stay the same: each couple brings a wine bottle wrapped in foil (avoid being influenced by the name or label), taste and rank each wine to determine your favorite, combine scores and unveil the winners and looser of the night. there are always some great laughs. there are always great 'themes' and comparisons of the wines, and there's always a spittoon close by.

this past wine night was in honor of my friend, nancy, who's one birthday wish was to get us all together for a wine night. well happy birthday, merry christmas and thank God for babysitters, because we all gathered together for one of my favorite nights in a long time.

[i LOVE this photo. i have known these ladies pre married, pre kids, pre greys and wrinkles. and yet, i think they all look more beautiful today then ever.]

[don't let this cute label fool you. i think this entire bottle ended up in the spittoon]

[husband and cohost with his 'christash']

[i love this photo. each of these merry men are enjoying one of the great parts of the night - conversation, creme bru le and more wine.]

[my two favorite artists who have taught me so much about style and creativity]

[cheers to the birthday girl and to wine nights!]