Specials Christmas Party

One of the Specials Nurses, Kathy, had everyone over for dinner on Sunday evening, since many of them weren't able to make it to the whole Radiology Department party that the doctors put on for them. We had a great time- she and Kenny have a beautiful home (and it's HUGE), and they were very gracious hosts. She had a formal sit-down dinner, and I especially LOVED her plates. They were beautiful. She said that they were her aunt's and she was borrowing them. That made me just a little nervous, since I'm kinda klutzy when it comes to stuff like that. We played pool, ping pong, games, and (my personal favorite) a vintage pinball machine. The company was great and the food was delicious. John is blessed with such a wonderful work team. They all wanted a picture together:

Back L to R: Amber, Denise, Linda, Sheri, Kathy and Chris

Front L to R: Dr. Church, Steve and John

Tuckered Out

We were at Wal-Mart, (of course, that's where we ALWAYS are) and Hutch just zonked out sitting up in the back of the cart. Some lady stopped me and showed me. She said, "Oh! I just wish that I had my camera!" Well, she might not have, but I did. So we snapped a picture. Priceless!

8 Years

Note: I am reposting this from last year because it still sums up my feelings for John, only one year later!!

"There is no remedy for love but to love more" -Henry David Thoreau



This was our first picture together-taken at Ryanne and Steve Bollenbacher's Wedding
I Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up. It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful. It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

This is the passage of scripture that I read that same day for Ryanne and Steve's wedding. If each of us were to obey this one passage of scripture, think of all of the heartache that could be avoided?! I thank God for bringing John and I together, and am thankful that John is a more wonderful husband and father than I could ever have imagined him being! I am truly blessed and honored to call John my husband. Thank you, John, for seven wonderful years! I look forward to many many more, God willing.

Around the Christmas Tree

Last night at church, our Women's Committee held a Ladies' Night Out. I decided to host a table. The theme was "Around the Christmas Tree". Each hostess was in charge of setting her table and decorating it according to this theme. It was so fun to see everyone's take on the same theme. I was so glad to break out my antique dinnerware that collects dust most of the year! The hostess also invites women to sit at her table for the evening. At my table, I had Aunt Connie, Aunt Lisa, Lynette, Mom, Nancy, Ryanne, and Jackie. We had a great time, and I am so happy that everyone could make it!

A few people at my table were actually listening to the speaker! -and a few (maybe one) was hiding behind me! -and a few got cut out of the picture! Ha But other than that, this is our whole table!

A picture of my table before dinner

My centerpiece was a Pomander Pyramid. I took grapefruit and studded them with cloves. Then, I stacked them and added glittered greens (courtesy of dad!) I LOVED it, and I think that it turned out really well! It was so fragrant, too!

Another cool thing was that some of the men of the church served us. They all wore white shirts with bowties. How cute! I snapped a picture of Dad! and a picture of him in action. What a very gracious server!

The food was fabulous!

The menu:

Cranberry-Orange Salad

Christmas Tree Crouton

Creme Brie Stuffed Chicken Breast

Cranberry Orange Sauce

Christmas Rice Pilaf

Roasted Asparagus

Rolls with Christmas Butter

Cream Puff Trees

I took a picture of the Creme puff trees. Yummo!

Mom-enjoying her 'tree'!!

There were demonstrations on how to make cinnamon scented pinecones and how to make a Cream puff Christmas Tree as well as how to make Christmas Rice and Butter (I helped make all of the food, and the butter was SO cute. We spiced butter and then molded it into Christmas trees with candy molds. Then we sprinkled them with sanding sugar and put them on plates. Adorable!)

There was also a craft! We made Christmas Crackers! Jackie, putting her cracker to good use!

Tiffany forgot her camera, so she asked to borrow mine. I didn't realize that she didn't get a close-up of hers. It was SO adorable. The colors were teal and black, and it was so modern. So Tiffany!!

There was music, and I sang in a group a song called "Good News of Great Joy". It was a great program. I am so glad that my church does something like this.

The decorations in the gym were awesome!! There were about 50 Christmas trees set up and lit (probably not exaggerating). It was sooo pretty in the gym. After everything was over, we decided to take some pictures, using some of the trees as a backdrop, and since we all looked so drop-dead gorgeous!!

Nancy and me

Jackie, Me, and Ryanne

I have no explanation for what we are doing here!!

John stopped in to drop off Gwyneth, so I snagged him for a picture since he was so dressed up!! I figured out how Ryanne's kids have such GREAT pictures from studios. She was standing behind Nancy making faces!! And she is good at it (: I mean, look at John's smile! Ryanne-I am bringing you along with me whenever I take my kids' pictures!

Jackie spotted the castoff Creme Puff Christmas tree that was used for the demonstration. And she STOLE some of the puffs. I took this picture for photo evidence!!

One more shot of the centerpiece! I couldn't resist!

The message was given by a woman named Sue Vanderweir. She is a sweet lady, and she read the book The Three Trees to us using Power Point. You can click here to read the story (there aren't any pictures) It was so neat, and her message was based on that. What a fun evening! I'm glad I could share!

Christmas Tree Sign

The sign I painted for Dad's trees

I'm sure he'd LOVE to sell you one!

Speaking of trees, I thought I'd share our Christmas tree.

Much Better!

I walked into school last week to pick up kids, and the secretary grabbed me showed me Hutch's re-takes. She had the proofs, and wanted to let me know that she thought I'd like them! She was right!

The Most Wonderful Time of The Year

I don't like it when Christmas decorations, music, really anything is unveiled before Thanksgiving! The older I get, the more it bothers me! I specifically do not put anything out until the day after Thanksgiving, as I try really hard to focus on Thanksgiving, and what it means to me(more than food and football!) BUT- the day after Thanksgiving, I'm usually chomping at the bit to switch gears around here. The tree goes up, the music comes on, the blog layout is changed (: This year, I was sick on Friday, so no tree. Last night, we FINALLY got around to getting the tree up! We didn't get the decorations up. One step at a time! I love to get the Christmas boxes out and rummage through them. There are so many things that I forgot about, so things are like new to me! It's like Christmas all over again!

I snapped a few pictures, just because!

Gotta love a pre-lit tree!
The boys (HELPING!- break the Christmas tree box! ha) They were evidentally riding in a ship here. Tonight we actually decorated the tree. That was no small task! We use all glass bulbs, and I refuse to decorate only the top half or build a fence around my tree so the little ones won't bother it! John and I were guessing how many times the tree is going to fall over this year!