New Years at Wintergreen

We just got home from an amazing week up at Wintergreen. It was great to get away and unwind after the rush of the holiday season. We even got some snow!

Andy and I started the week off alone, it was nice to relax, and we even used our gift certificates to the Spa and both enjoyed massages. We went on a nice long hike and rewarded ourselves with some yummy dinners.

By Wednesday, however, we were ready for our friends to join us. Dave and Alysia got there first, in time for lunch and some sight seeing. Greg, Erica, and Roxie showed up around 4:30 and we were ready to celebrate New Years Eve!

The evening started with the introduction of Roxie to Liddy. We were impressed at how well they got along, and I believe they are now officially best friends!

We enjoyed amazing appetizers: shrimp cocktail, chorizo stuffed bacon wrapped dates, spinach and parmesan puff pastry balls, and crab dip. Of course that was just the beginning as our late dinner included: lobsters, petite fillet of beef, twice baked potatoes, and roasted brussel sprouts! We did not go hungry!

As the clock got closer to midnight, we all realized that staying awake that late, especially after a meal like that, was not an easy task! Fortunately, around 11:45 I was able to rally the troups with party hats and noise makers--they have a great tendency to bring the child out in all of us! As the clock struck 12, we were all thankful to be celebrating the start of 2009 together, and also thankful that it was officially "ok" to go to sleep!

After Dave and Alysia left on Thursday morning, we took a nice long walk on the golf course and headed back to the house for an evening of Virginia Tech football! We are still in shock that not only did the Hokies wind up ACC champs, but that they are now Orange Bowl champs as well! Who'd have guessed it!?

Friday was our wine touring day. It had been five years since Greg and Erica had been up to the mountain, so it was fun to bring them to the various wineries, and the weather was even nice enough that we were able to do a small afternoon picnic at the Wintergreen winery.

It was a great week of relaxing, lots of cozy (though sometimes smokey) fires, yummy food, awesome wines, fabulous friends (both two and four legged) and an amazing start to a new year!

Here's to an fantastic (and blog worthy!) 2009! :)