MPM--Last Post of 2012!

I am just a horror of a person about the "last times!" and "first times!" and "last time this year!"s. I drive my kids crazy with that. But for time-challenged me, I think it helps.

We are ending 2012 with an uninvited guest: I almost stepped on a mouse on my way down the steps to the laundry. The dog was psyched but since the mouse was not moving (but alive) I didn't want her anywhere near it. So we're doing still more dry-good removal this week.

Monday: What are you doing New Year's Eve? We have a kids' party to go to and then I think we will come home and enjoy the Wii that Santa brought. (Oh, that Santa.) Growing up, our family's tradition was lobster tails on New Year's Eve. I don't see it happening for us. I made some leek potato soup and we will augment that with...something.

Tuesday: Happy new year! We are hosting the birthday party for my father-in-law, a New Year's Day baby. Pulled pork (from my standby crockpot recipe on sidebar), potato salad (from Colonial Village), more pizza dip (last time! this finishes all the extra ingredients around the house for the year). I might also make meatballs (see below...) and there will be creamed onions, his favorite, and some other good things, I hope.

Wednesday: Back to school, but my husband and I have off so a little pressure off as well. Dare I say it? We are thinking of doing a Wednesday spaghetti for our neighbors and check that off the list for 2013 in a hurry. Here's hoping by putting it down I actually do it!

Thursday: Taco Thursday (maybe a new thing for 2013?)

Friday: Now, finally, the last of the freezer cleanout. We are getting rolling on our home renovations and I need to clear the shelves, both frozen and traditional. So it should be an interesting meal...probably some chicken fingers, some soup, and not sure what else!

Holiday Wrap-Up: For Christmas hors d'ouvres fest, we brought a cheese plate (my picky boy son fell in love with Seven Sisters cheese, I enjoyed the Tallegio, and so we vamped and got some).

The cranberry-pecan dip I made was really more of a garlic-rosemary dip, but in my world, that's a fine thing. It wasn't a hit with the family, but I liked it. And hot pizza dip (see sidebar) never goes wrong and mac and cheese (ditto). I also did the rosemary bean spread, and that worked too.

Our seven fishes this year: tinned smoked oysters; Trader Joe's bacon-wrapped scallops; Co-Op sushi and lobster mac & cheese (uh, yum); shrimp cocktail; salmon; and crabcakes. Next year I need to remember sauces for things (tartar, cocktail, etc.), but otherwise, it was very good. Boys had pizza, of course.

Looking for more new year planning ideas? Try I'm an Organizing Junkie, and best wishes for 2013!