Are the holidays really OVER?

I'm sure the general consensus is that starting a new year is exciting. I, too, am super pumped up for 2015.  I swear! But I'm so sad that the holidays are DONE. I look forward to hitting all my new goals with recharged boldness, but I have honestly been enjoying lounging around in pj's and binge watching "Homeland"--I'm having a heart attack with these episodes!! What...Brody???  (Take that however you want. It's not a spoiler if it's vague!)

So, as I get ready to return to reality with work tomorrow evening, I shall bask in happy end-of-year memories with loved ones. Sniff.

Thanksgiving was the bomb.com.  I even woke up early to go downtown and do yoga. Then it was a downward spiral of a horribly uneven ratio of calorie intake to calorie burn off for the rest of the year. Oh well. I tried, guys.

After a local, low-key NYC Thanksgiving with my husband and dear friend, my husband and I got together with his family in Pittsburgh for the classic T Day feast.

During the planning and cooking throughout the day, this Jury family quiche kept us going. 

It's so amusing to me when the kitchen starts filling with frenetic energy as instructions are called out and everyone's running around being a "Director of Mashed Potatoes" and "Director of Stuffing".  It's like a nicer version of Hell's Kitchen.

Look at them onion balls in that bechamel sauce.  I think I was one of the few people who actually ate the onions. That sauce...yum!  The onions...intense.

Nice.

courtesy of T. Train

Approving the desserts! I guess she was "Director of Desserts".

Deeeener is served!

courtesy of T.Train

And our Thanksgiving is not complete without our duct tape fashion show. 

If you're wondering if that baby has Madonna cones, the answer is yes.  And Baby Natalie rocked them.

This outfit was very hard to take off.

T.Train photos

Then we got most of the same zany crew together again for Christmas. We missed you, Jurys!

I love watching the girls cook and catch up. <3<3<3

For our White Elephant Gift Exchange, the theme was "Throwback from Your Childhood".  I included the dope fried chicken shirts that KFC sent me.  Because seriously, fast food was a huge part of my childhood. Michelle Obama would not have been pleased, but I remember trips to McDonald's, Wendy's and Taco Bell with much fondness. (That Wendy's Super Bar was crrrraaazy.)

Oh yeah. So I should probably explain how I got those shirts.  I follow Chrissy Teigen on Twitter. She is in love with John Legend (her husband) and fast food.  When she was in South Africa, she had posted an Instagram photo of her eating KFC's mashed potatoes in bed.  In response, KFC sent her a lovely package including the shirts. I tweeted that she should definitely wear the shirt, and that's when KFC asked me if I wanted one. And they sent TWO so I could share. Social media...who knew! Thanks, KFC! 

In between Christmas and New Year's Day, I just kept eating.

Using our wedding gift card to Rubirosa. Thank you, friends! Next one...Pok Pok!

Got to take my niece Jane to Milk Bar. She loved the Cereal Milk Ice Cream!

And the Thai whole red snapper as part of our dinner at Wondee Siam!

Then a pre-NYE outing to a Hoodie Allen concert in Boston for my other niece's belated birthday celebration. 

I actually had a lot of fun even though I wasn't that familiar with the singer.  The girls stayed close to the stage while my sister-in-law and I had our own dance party with adult beverages (not so close to the stage). A line of people threw cake into the audience.  Bras were thrown onto the stage. 

Here, Hoodie is jumping over a "rope" made of the bras.  After the concert, DJ Fresh Direct (yes) continued playing. Good times.

Post-concert.  Loving the to-go box snacking mid-photo.

We drove back to CT, and I took the train to NYC with all the people who wanted to go all out for New Year's Eve.  I was going home to pack and get ready for a CHILL night in Jersey.  In PJ's.

On the menu:

Andrew's Clams Casino.  I think this pic is actually from our NYC Thanksgiving. But you get the idea. I must remember to post the recipe up. So good!  We also had cheese, Korean "french fries"- basically pan fried slivers of potatoes, cookies, and smores. 

Blake smelled that bacon.

From ATL to NYC!  I think we can safely say friends for life. We've known each other since middle school.

She really likes confetti.  That couch though.

 It looks like Mardi Gras to me.

I was in PJ's since I walked through the door. I think I'm in workout pants here though because while the pj's were festive, they were fleece and gave me swamp butt.

I had an awesome picture when everything just blew up in their faces at different times (apparently, it was hard for them to open).  But my stupid Galaxy will delete all the burst/multiple shots if you don't pick one right away.  And I didn't pick one right away. Because I was drinking.

 

Happy New Year, everyone!  I hope to be a better, more productive, and more contributive (weird word) person.  Friends and family, holla at me if you ever need me!