Good Bye 2011!

It is hard to believe a whole year has passed by.  Didn’t we just ring in 2011?  Did my hopes and plans for 2011 come true?  I’m not even sure.  But I do know it was a year of ups, downs, and plenty of in between.  So here is a final “Hurrah!” for 2011, you have been a good year!  Now we can turn and ring in 2012 with all the celebration it deserves!  

 Happy New Years Eve!!!       

A Christmas Recap.

Ah Christmas, how is it you are over already?  This year we were lucky enough to have my Aunt Cindy and Uncle Cliff fly in for the holidays!  We had a cozy and fun Christmas filled with good food, fun games, lots of laughter, and a few special gifts tucked under the tree from Mickey & Minnie Mouse.  

Our special guests :)

Christmas smiles.

Laughter at surprises!  I got a HappySlip mug!

I love Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

"For unto you is born this day . . .

". . . in the city of David . . . "

". . . a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

Luke 2:11

Have 8 minutes to spare?

I have to confess, I have a soft spot for a rather fat and obnoxious orange cat.  So if you have few minutes to spare in between wrapping gifts, cooking Christmas dinner, and greeting guests, check out Garfield's 12 days of Christmas for a laugh!

 

Ha! Ha! Hanukkah!

I came across this on Facebook, and could not resist passing it along!  :D

Hanukkah.

Last year we decided to add Hanukkah to our list of celebrated holidays, it turned out to be so much fun we plan on repeating it every year.  We even added a special item to make it more authentic . . .

. . . a menorah.

Eight candles to celebrate the eight days of Hanukkah, 
plus a ninth to be the attendant.

It created a beautiful glow.

We drizzled olive oil over our food to symbolized the oil which burned for eight days in the temple, 
though it should have burned for only one day.

We learned to play with the Dreidel last year, 
but this year it only served as decoration.

My favorite touch, the star of David.

We finished off our evening watching “Fiddler on the Roof,” a wonderful film that gives us a glimpse of a time, a lifestyle, and a tradition very different from our own.  Happy Hanukkah everyone!

Party!!!

One event I absolutely love attending every year is Calvary Bible Church’s College and Career Christmas Party.  (Try saying that three times in a row!)  It is always incredibly fun, and the traditional white elephant gift exchange is nothing short of hilarious!  I thought I would share a few of the pictures from our gift exchange.  The actual “white elephant” was my handiwork and was quite the hit.  Now I have to think of something to top it next year!  Enjoy!  

A Christmas Tea.

Another Christmas tea has come and gone.  Annually, the ladies of our church gather together to put on a beautiful tea for the women of our church and community.  Thirty tables, uniquely decorated by each hostess, remind three-hundred women of the joy of Christ and his birth.  This year our table had a musical flair.  From the small harp showcasing Jesus’ name, to the sheet music napkin rings, it had a simple and elegant style befitting “Simply Christmas,” this year’s prevailing theme.

Thank you to all the hostesses, servers, chefs, decorators, crafters, and everyone else who made this event such a beautiful and delightful experience!