Nothing so Fun as Christmas Party Nights!

Robin. Sarah. Natalie. Misty.  Smiles!!

Tracy!  Becky! Always put a smile on my face!

Let the party begin!

Layton Ladies Rock!

Surprise!  Christmas Carolers!

The absolute fun of a party comes with a little preparation but keeping it easy on yourself is a must.  Some tips:

• Potluck is great!  A theme such as Appetizers and Sweets. 
• Plan on providing the Christmas Punch, water and coffee.  Hot Chocolate (lots of whipped cream!)  or Hot Apple Carmel Cider is a nice alternative. 
• Christmas Punch.  Ginger Ale.  Hawaiian Punch.  Rainbow Sherbert.  Pretty punch bowl.
• Prepare a hot appetizer.  Costco meatballs with homemade Bar-B-Que sauce in crock pot is a popular (easy) dish.
• Even though it is Potluck, prepare enough foods for those who "forget" "come right from work" or miss reading Potluck on your invite flyer. 
• Have enough food on hand in spite of it being Potluck.
• Easy appetizer:  Block of Crème Cheese smothered with Raspberry Chipolte Sauce and served with wheat thins.
• A punch bowl full of ice cubes and water and lemon slices is nice alternative to bottled water (and prettier).
• Pinwheel sandwich platter from Costco.  Not much work and assures plenty of food.
• Chips and Salsa.  Easy.  You'll never go wrong!
• Shrimp tray with cocktail sauce.  (And if you don't care to keep it easy, I have my sister's fabulous Shrimp recipe I can share with you!)
• I find that lots of people bring sweets, so I tend to beef up on providing the easy appetizers rather than sweets.
• Lots of food on hand!
• A game!  Everyone brings wrapped gift.  Draw a number.  Choose a gift.  or steal a gift from someone.  Make sure there is stealing to make it fun!  The laughter will fill the room.
  
• A fun wrapping for your gift:  Print out pictures from your last year's party.  Use as wrapping paper tied with a big red bow. 
  
  
  
  
  
• Always have an extra wrapped gift on hand.  Invariably there will be someone who forgets to bring a gift.
• Lots of food on hand!
• Christmas music softly playing.  Even with conversations going on, add so much atmosphere.
• More games,ice breakers.  Depending on your crowd.
• Read the Christmas Story from Luke.  Preface this with some Old Testament Prophecies fulfilled in the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  It's why we are here.  Celebrating "For unto us a child is born...."
• Christmas Carolers coming to the door is such a nice surprising touch your guests will not forget.
• A basket full of hand crèmes (or other appropriate gift) is a nice touch.  Hand them out as guests are leaving and you are thanking them for coming.
• Christmas Party! Easy Peasy!

Movie Ladies Kicking Up Some Fun!





We've now been together for a year!





Monday Ladies! Together since September! 









Dinner Together Mondays













Valley





L



we are in love with her!

 This precious and beautiful girl at 11 months and one month later on February 8th!  She is one year old.  Our beautiful great granddaughter, Mila Grace! xoxo 

Where would you rather be living?

praying for mila and ally from head to toe

HEAD

My daughters, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding—indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.—Proverbs 2:1–8 (NIV)

EYES

Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.—Proverbs 4:25–27 (NIV)

MOUTH

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life.—Proverbs 10:11 (NIV)

HEART

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.—Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

HANDS

Diligent hands will rule.—Proverbs 12:24 (NIV)

FEET AND LEGS

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.—Proverbs 3:5–6 (NIV)

I am committed to praying for Mila and Ally and from head to toe. 

based on  Legacy of Prayer by Jennifer Kennedy dean

jayme and her mama

This is the year!

One of my favorite sites is sweet blessings where she has so many practical projects, plans, products, etc.  Much of this is taken from www.swtblessings.com and then I incorporated my own twist for the year.



This year I want to.......

love BIG, seek God first, live less out of habit and more out of intention, listen intently, daily spend time in the Word, choose with no regret, play with abandon, choose a narrow path, EMBRACE CHANGE, own my mistakes, be brave enough to start a conversation that matters, try new things, see the good, look for the good, challenge myself, forgive more readily, guard my time, let kindness rule, learn something new, look for the best in others, ask for help, be GRATEFUL, assume the best, dream BIG, give lavishly, celebrate tiny victories, write more letters, give myself grace, give others grace, be present, donate often, spread kindness, eat less junk, drink more water, consistent in gym experience, give away more than I receive, scatter joy, do unto others, look for and SEE the people God places in my path, DWELL, give the benefit of the doubt, not be anxious about anything, rejoice always, read more books, invite women into my home:  for meal, for fellowship, for fun, for escape from the mundane, for a movie night, for examining a bible verse, for coffee, for tea, for a refuge, to hear about Jesus.  make friends in my new environment, meet more neighbors, walk more, be intentional about my health, appreciate my dutchman, invest my time in ally and mila and kezney and Frankie and brooklin and marshall, cry less, laugh more, memorize scripture, linger in prayer.....







Our kids!  So blessed!  Jayme and James and the grandkids and great grandkids! 

2016

2016

A New Year...in many ways, a new life!  No longer living in California.  Jobs have changed.  No longer in my home where I loved to entertain.  No longer ten minutes from my sister, whom I love to spend time with.  No longer at  People's Church, which holds the dearest of memories.  (Thankful for podcasting)  No longer sitting out on my flowering patio in January!  No more orange blossom smells permeating the entire house. No more Tuesday Night Ladies Bible Study in my home.  No more coffee afternoons with any of my bff's or weekend retreats.  No longer down the street from my gym.  No longer a couple hours drive to the coast, my favorite spot on the planet!  And a whole lot more in changes.  Change.  Transition. Difficult. Hard. Sometimes very hard.

Yet, so many blessings! The greatest is our kids!  They all live 15 to 20 minutes away!  Time with them, priceless!  There is nothing like Jayme calling and asking to come over and cook us dinner.  Or Jayme's call asking if we will be up at 6:00 a.m. so she can come over for coffee.  And nothing like Ally's Saturday overnights.  Nothing like conversations and time with Shannon,  Settling in and becoming content with this home. A new church. Part of a small group of some wonderful people.  An excellent children's program at Washington Height's and Ally loving it!  Watching Mila take her first steps.  Christmas Eve with the family gathered at our home.  Kezney, Frankie, Brooklin and Marshall close enough to now be in their lives.  New friends.  New life.  Let's see what 2016 holds. 

Isaiah 43:

"Behold, I am doing a new thing;

now it springs forth, do you perceive it? 

 I will make a way in the wilderness

and rivers in the desert."'



Lord, I confess my lack of expectancy for fresh experiences of You.  Your power.  Your truth.  Your intervention.  I am looking forward to a year of watching You move, as only You can, in my life,  in my home, in my family.