Sunday Celebrations

[LadyMaverick]

There are many reasons to celebrate today.

One of those reasons is because it is one of our DSHE's birthday! Happy Birthday Twins!

[LadyMaverick]

Cathy is on my mind today as she travels home from her adventure. Safe travel!

I have everything ready in the kitchen for the final prep. I do not like serving a meal for group gatherings right after church. Being gone from home those 2.5 hours makes prepping the meal dishes a bit tricky to get accomplished. I also am learning that ordering prepared food from establishment is not my favorite. I made the decision on a whim because I was feeling overwhelmed, but I would MUCH rather cook everything from scratch. It will be okay for this time, but it is not something I will repeat.

I am excited about the dirty santa exchange today. I had to do it a little differently because I'm not sure how many people will be here.
I told my family they could bring friends and DD47 took that to mean she could post on FB that everyone is invited to our house today. ANYway I have an abundance of gifts bags filled and ready to be exchanged. I have double what I think we will need and a plan to easily be able to triple the number if needed. I want it to be lighthearted with plenty of belly laughs. Hopefully we can share some good moments, and everyone will walk away feeling like a winner.

[Harriet]

Have a wonderful time, LadyM. We always do seem to keep learning from our previous gatherings/parties what we will do differently next time!

Happy Birthday, Twins' Mom! Often our early bird, inspiring us to get busy on our new day and PWweC.

I slept the sleep of the weary - a very long sleep, awakening with a backache. Ugh. I was very tired, and such a long sleep in just a couple of positions really did me in, but I've been getting better and more flexible as the morning goes by.

Yesterday I received a figurine for our nativity from HRH - a shepherd woman holding a lamb - and I've placed her into the nativity in the china hutch with a lot of joy.

Ds' family gave me a gray earthenware/clay (?) chicken planter and they put her into her own seatbelt for the ride back to my house, lol.

We did not come home with any of dd26's large casserole because the boys loved it so much, she sent it home with them. So, I need to cast about here and figure out what's for lunch. I'm sure there will be fruit!

BTW - I did NOT mean to criticize papaya in general when I posted about the fruit platter yesterday. They are a lovely fruit but this one, notsomuch.
The big hit was the Golden dragon fruit, much sweeter and juicier than the purple. If you can ever find those, they are delish.

Looking forward to the last sermon in the series that has the timeline all around the sanctuary walls - that has been so interesting.

HRH is trying to help line up a family photo for some on his side of the family for Sunday (Christmas) afternoon, and there are many pieces to that puzzle. I'll be interested to see how this works out.

Everyone enjoy Christmas Eve!

[blessedw2]

d twins is our present!!! Happy Birthday!!! What a lovely gift!

thank you d lady for starting us d lady!!

I think it's wonderful that you took the overwhelm out of your day by ordering the food. It will be a joy just to sit with your d family and enjoy them.
oh my that's a lot of people. hope you have so much fun with the game.

hello d harriet! hope your back stops hurting! how lovely to receive a piece for your nativity. Very thoughtful!
I don't care for papaya but my girls and mom love it. (lol so it doesn't show up on our fruit platters)

have a lovely Christmas Eve!

[Nancy]

Happy Birthday Twins!
I have slept in & did a m writing stuff.
Game day.
Glad I made dev. eggs.
Nearly time to think lunch.
Bread has a hole in the center! LOL!

Celebrating bc my new slippers & pj's fit when I tried em on, then took a pic. for my sis & sent it.
changed back to other outfit saving em for tonight or in the a m .

Cleaned up in the back yard and walked around a bit.
Talked with dsis our uncle is not well heading for heaven soon it would seem.

Walked the ddoggo.

[Twins' Mom]

We had brunch out with dfriends A and V. Not great service but they compted some parts of meal so we didn't pay for all. Probably would not go back but that's okay. WE love spending time with friends. I got in a nap when we got home and now ddog is tormenting me with the in and out business. I think she's hoping for an early walk.

DH has gone to grocery store for a couple of things. I'll need to shower before we head out to dfriends tonight.

[CathyS]

Happy Birthday Twins' Mom!!

I'mmmmmmmmmm back!

All 3 cats have made an appearance. We both missed them so much.

Hotel was nice. Room was nice. Food was astonishingly amazing. Dh had seafood every day for lunch and almost every night. Lobster, calamari, fresh fish. Weather was cool and on two days it was windy and overcast.

Dh has gone to pick up Chinese food.

[Twins' Mom]

Welcome home, Cathy! Glad the cats weren't traumatized and you're home safely!

Thank you for birthday wishes! It's sixty-eight years young! It's been a good year. I've improved my fitness and achieved genealogy goals.

We'll be going to dfriends soon. We'll pick up ds on the way. DD called earlier - she was on her way to a "Jew Fondue." Our other son Z texted earlier too.

Tomorrow we have dinner at dfriends with two other couples - celebrating four birthdays 24 Dec through 30 Dec. Next Saturday we'll celebrate dh's birthday with the FL state game and friends over for lasagne.

[lucylee]

Happy birthday, Twins!!!

We got home late last night, of course, although bedtime was about "normal" for dh and me...
-- church... (dh and dgs stayed home. DGS -- stomach issues again, he got sick at the Opry and had to go throw up; dh is battling gout again. Both are going to church tonight and to ds' for family Christmas Eve supper.)
-- after church, neither of them ate anything. DGD and I ate...
-- I took a nap...
-- then spent a couple hours at ds' house helping their friend clean I told dfriend, they all need a life coach. DGD opened the freezer; a Wmart bag fell out with frozen hot pockets, etc... and a shelf fell. (They have a side-by-side fridge/freezer). In putting things back, we discovered three empty boxes of Uncrustables, and another empty box of something, plus a paper cup of ice cream from a week or more ago.)
-- back home now, getting ready for church tonight.

I need to be out at dmom's around 10:30 in the morning to help her get our "brunch" ready.
Then we will either open presents here at our house with ds & family, or we'll wait till they finish at ddil's parents and do it later tomorrow night.

LadyM -- I cannot wait to hear how many show up at your house, after that FB invitation!!! Oh my...

Merry, merry Christmas to all of you!!!

[Harriet]

Cathy, I'm glad you had such a good time and arrived safely home.

After a complete fail on getting the in-law get-together done, HRH got more phone calls and the whole thing is back on again at our house. Dbil, dmil and 3 others are coming from different directions, and dstepson will come over from his house, too. In total, we will likely have 6 visitors. This will not be lunch. In fact, dsisil is cooking for her mother, and expects her shortly afterward.

But I did make another fruit platter for snack while they are here, even if it is not for lunch. I had enough pineapple for another boat, and made a "bowl" from the watermelon for more of the 2 melon balls. Plenty of kiwi, strawberries. It can just be laid out and if anyone feels like a little before-lunch fruit snack, it's here and shouldn't spoil anyone's appetite for dsisil's meal. Better see if I have small seasonal paper plates and napkins - I think I do. Hmmm... .. do I have some crackers? Perhaps.