It struck me this weekend, as I wove my way around our housewarming party (which was absolutely phenomenal, I must say!), that my life is constantly evolving.
Friends from all walks of life. Mine. M’s. From high school. College. Various jobs. Barre N9ne. An evolving set of people that have been with me at all stages of my life. Evolutions.
Enjoying the people around me, and not focusing on the food so much (and of the food I did enjoy, it was healthy choices, which of course, helps that I made the menu!). And ending the night not feeling stuffed to the gills, but *just* right (even with the brownie I chose to eat as I cleaned up!). Evolutions.
Entertaining with M felt like such an evolution for me. We did it together. That might sound weird, but I honestly cannot remember how my ex-husband and I ‘entertained’ together…I just remember being the one handling the details, and he’d basically just ‘show up’ so to speak. This weekend, I felt like a team with M, and it felt so smooth (even when I got stressed trying to find an outfit and also getting the crostini’s ready…M made the executive decision to open a bottle of wine, handing me a glass, with a smile and a kiss. I love this man. He knows me so well and nothing.ever.ruffles.him.ever.). Evolutions.
*Not* overthinking. I can’t stress this enough. I really can’t. I am feeling freer than ever from overthinking every little thing. I am not so worried about some of my usual ‘triggers’ – running (and comparing), my body (not nitpicking so much), my food choices (not feeling guilty if I choose a brownie every once in awhile!). All I can chalk it up to is just feeling a little more confident and believing in myself more. Believing that my body is capable of change, mind and body, and that I just need to trust that more. Evolutions.
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As for the housewarming party itself? It was absolutely perfect.
The night flew by in a blur, but the food came out just as I had hoped (my sis Jess and I made a slew of ‘skinny’ versions of yumtastic recipes like buffalo chicken dip, taco dip, crostinis we made three ways – sundried tomato and pesto, goat cheese and chobani yogurt, and white bean spread, Greek style turkey meatballs and the good ‘ole cocktail meatballs etc).
Our friends came, we ate, drank, enjoyed showing off our home to everyone. This was the first time many (almost all, actually) had seen it, and I was so happy so many were able to come. Everyone mingled, it wasn’t awkward with different friends from different ‘circles’ to speak, everyone chatted and got to know each other. Perfect.
And in the end, when I shut the door to the last party goer, I looked around and it felt like home more than it ever has.
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Here are a few pictures (no food pics, fail!)…sorry for the somewhat disjointed post today, but I thought the evolutionary theme went well with a short recap of the party (since there isn’t a heck of a lot to say about a party, from what I already said on Friday anyway!).
Us, pre-party, just after my mini-stress attack. Glad M had given me a glass of wine at this point 
The barre n9ne crew - Jess, Tanya (owner and mastermind!), me, Steph - this was fun to take!
And, as always, the requisite sister shot
I love your pictures! nice to see people enjoying life with their friends. You and your sister look soo much alike! amazing!
Best of luck to you and M! I hope you continue to enjoy your new place and each other.
HS
Thank you! We DO look quite alike, huh? You’d think we were related or something hehe.
It’s nice to hear how happy you are lately! I wish I lived in your area and could have come to your party. Sounds like it was a good one.
Thank you Lee! I really am. And I would have loved it if you were there too! So many bloggy friends I would have loved to have seen!
LOVE you describing how you and M entertained together. I love entertaining with Kyle…it makes the joy of having people over feel like so much more of a partnership.
Yay for a successful party!
It really does make it feel more like a partnership. It felt so different compared to the long-ago past.
You look so happy together! And I can totally relate to how you entertained “together,” rather than you doing the work and him showing up. So nice!
And please share some of your low-cal recipes, especially the buffalo dip and taco dip. Yum!
Thank you! We are really happy together, and I totally appreciated all HE did for the party too! I tweeted you a link to the recipes – but I got them from Skinnytaste.com – love the recipes! http://www.skinnytaste.com/2007/07/appetizers.html
So glad the party went well!! You look gorgeous and fit and insanely happy in the pictures!!
Life is good, no?
aww…((hug)) thank you for the compliments, you are so sweet.
Life IS pretty darn good right now, indeed!
The party was such a blast sis — and truly showcased your relationship in action. I never thought about it until you brought it up, but you and Pete never really did seem all that unified when it came to parties and stuff. But you and M? Totally unified, totally on the same wavelength, and it showed. I loved celebrating you two on Saturday — and also loved to see how we both approached the party vs. parties in years’ past. We’ve come so far sis, so proud.
I had so much fun and so much fun party prepping with you too, even though we never took pics for a blog! Guess we were just too speedy
I know, I didn’t think about it before either – entertaining w Pete vs. entertaining with M. I frankly don’t remember what Pete even DID during or for parties before?! And yes, we have come so far in our party going/eating ways 
I wish I could have been there to enjoy all of that yumminess!
So happy to see you releasing yourself from the stress. I’m working on it. Baby steps! (And yes, my man hands me a vodka tonic and a melty kiss when I stress like that!)
I wish you were there too! and I LOVE that your man does the same thing when you are stressed
sounds like a hell of a party!
it sure was!!
So happy that the party was fun, I love your top, so pretty. It seems like it’s just flowing with M and you really are naturally a great team. So great.
thank you! The top is Jess’s, so I have to give her credit on that one
It is flowing, that’s a good way of putting it 
Glad things worked out for you! You and your sister look so much alike! Does she blog too?
Thank you! She does – EatDrinkBreatheSweat (on my blogroll)
Teamwork makes all the difference in life. I love knowing that Sam will help me through everything and I don’t need to carry the burdens all alone. That’s what keeps me more mellow. I don’t stress like I used to because of that alone. Clearly, you have the same in M. Cherish it. These guys are rare.
Mwah!
It is a rare quality, but so much needed in a solid relationship, I am convinced.
I love that – working as a team. That’s how it should feel. You have someone supporting you and helping you. It wasn’t just your party or his party it was yours together.
Exactly! Just like you and Jason cook together, I love that. Such teamwork.
You should post some of those recipes. They sound way too good not to share!
Most of them are from SkinnyTaste.com! Go to the appetizer section
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Did I look at photos from another party? Lol. Do you have a whole bunch of low candles on the mantle? I like that idea.
Love that you and M entertained together! So many times, the woman has to do 95% of the work. xoxo
Ha, maybe?! Yes, we do have candles on the mantle. Which pics did you see before?! We were a great team entertaining, I loved it!