There are 1,786 things around the new house that STILL need to be done around the house. The list is long and tedious, and honestly I try to avoid it. Especially this time of year when I become a motion graphics widow until July. So, the blank walls and the 1981 kitchen? They are just an artistic choice.

But one of the few things we have managed to do is buy the TV that we kept waiting to move to buy.

Said TV meant that we hosted the Super Bowl this year.

The rule was simple – anyone who invited themselves to our house after having seen our TV in person, was invited. It also meant the party was relatively small, which was perfect.

The kids holed themselves up in the playroom (which is just beyond the double doors that are closed in the picture) and dumped pretty much every toy that Three owns out on to the floor. It was fabulous.

The adults ate, drank, watched the game, played commercial bingo, and were generally disappointed that we never saw a monkey doing a Sarah Palin impression.

We all breathed a sigh of relief when the Giants beat the Patriots AGAIN. Is there anything better than a dejected Tom Brady on Super Bowl Sunday? I would say no. And I really don’t even like football. Plus, I was pretty sure that at least 1/4 of the group in attendance would never show up at our house again if it had brought the Giants bad luck. Very glad we dodged that bullet.

And at some point in the chaos of doing the prep work, enjoying the fire in the fireplace, getting everything out for dinner, making sure the kids weren’t going totally crazy in the playroom, hearing my friends and family laughing and teasing each other, drinking a beer or two myself, and catching a couple glimpses of the game, it occurred to me.

The new house, has finally become home. And it was so nice to have the house filled with friends. Even if there still isn’t a darn thing on the walls.