Dinner Party

I love Christmas time. I love to entertain. I love to entertain at Christmas time. This year we have been to 6 parties, 3 of which we hosted.

One was a 1yr old birthday party, designed by my fashionista friend, Mia. Complete with a handmade hanging branch banner and owl tree ornaments, this little girl's party was magazine worthy.

The next evening we hosted a party for a group of volunteers at our church. Even though the cookies outnumbered the 60+ guests by about 12 to 1 , we found good use for the leftovers and the night was a success!

Finally, this Sunday evening we hosted a small dinner party for a few of our pastors and their wives. Elegant simplicity was the theme and although the underdone /had to be cooked a little more pork loin, and the crazy textured chocolate cheesecake were nothing to write home about. I was more than pleased with the evening. I could drink up unhurried, laid-back, honest, un-pretentious, intimate conversation any day of the week. My cup runneth over.

Dinner Party Menu

Melted Brie topped with Caramel and Walnuts

Served with Toasted Orange Cranberry Bread

Virgin Cosmopolitans

Roasted Thyme and Garlic Stuffed Pork Loin

Served with Roasted Pears

Butternut Squash with Wilted Spinach and Dried Cranberries

Buttered and Herb Yeast Rolls

Hot Vanilla topped with Chocolate Cinnamon Whipped Cream

Chocolate Cheesecake topped with Strawberries

First Snow

We woke up to this...

And this...

The kids went out first thing...

We ate leftover party cake for breakfast...

Avery didn't last long...

We made snow creams for snack...

Now I am off to cuddle up with a book, and a kid or two:)

Fredericksburg Christmas Parade

Last weekend we ventured out to the Fredericksburg Christmas Parade. All bundled up, pb&j's, popcorn, fresh baked chocolate chip cookies and hot chocolate in hand we endured the freezing cold and ever got to see the first flurries of the season. Great attitudes all around made for a fabulous evening. We even ran into my uncle and my cousins, who actually are my children's age. So we snuggled up in blankets and watched in wonder (and a little astonishment at what they actually allowed into the family parade) and made great memories. Gush.

Remembering Summer

Check It Out!

My new FAVORITE site...cleaneatingmag.com! We came across this magazine thanks to one of Shane's clients at the gym. I perused the pages and decided I must have a subscription. Then I checked out the website and decided, no need for a subscription, it is all right there! Weekly meal plans, shopping lists, daily nutritional info (calories, carbs, prot, fat....) and recipes. It even offers seasonal meal plan ideas. I love the balance of budget friendly, simplistic meals that are made with whole foods, meat and many organic ingredients. It just works. So...do check it out:)

How can I resist?

Halloween

Peter Pan!!...and Tinkerbell,...and Tigerlilly,...and Wendy,...and the pirates:)

Yada, Yada, Yada...

We are learning about the ancient Egyptians, Moses, the Exodus, and mummies. Lots of fun hands on learning this week! Above, you can see the girls making a timeline of the plagues.

I borrowed these "bricks" from a friend who got them off of Freecycle. We built pyramids, towers and forts. I even made the girls make an assembly line. Avery had to carry the bricks one-by-one to Shelby, who then passed them off to Annalee. They didn't like that idea. So they did it all together, which , of course , is way more fun.

My kids were entertained with these bricks everyday for about 2.5 weeks. They haven't touched them since. I put them in the back of my van two days ago and nobody has even noticed. I will be returning them to my friend soon.

...Reminds me that I really want to participate a toy swap. Everyone brings a bucket of toys their kiddos won't miss and we trade. Then we do it again in a month of so. Brilliant! I hosted a freezer meal swap recently. We each made 5 of the same freezer meal. Then we met for the trade. I brought a chicken and rice dish and left with: meatloaf and mashed potatoes, poppy seed chicken casserole, chicken stroganoff with penne pasta and Cincinnati Chili (made with cinnamon and a hint of chocolate:). We all loved it so much we decided to try it again in 6 weeks, this time bringing a box of toys with us, as well. I will let you know how it goes!

River House with the Brisseys

Almost three years ago, I ran into an old friend of mine from high school, Angie. Back in the day we cheered on the same squad, under the tyranny of the crazy Ms. Tyson, shared common friends and even spent a homecoming group date together. After a happenstance meeting in a local convenience store, we reconnected in a way I could not have imagined. As the story turns out she married another friend from high school, Chad. His little sister and I spent many-a-night together getting in all sorts of trouble:) So Chad and Angie, Shane and I our combined children have become fast friends at an all new level. We share a passion for serving at our church, we share birthdays, dinners...dinner bills (this due to an embarrassing moment in which we totally forgot any sort of viable payment for the dinner to which we had invited them:) hometown fall festival experiences, Bible studies, church small groups, holidays and weekend river trips. Our next planned trip out to their river house is so the guys can appear in court to testify against this crazy old guy who pulled a gun and shot at them for wake boarding in "his" cove on the PUBLIC river. That should be a fun time! I am so looking forward to the road we will walk as we continue to make memories. What an unexpected blessing God has given us.

This little guy, Cash, has the brightest blue eyes I have ever seen. I swear I had to de-saturate the picture so it didn't look fake.

My own Reece-man getting dirty.

Annalee and Avery testing the water, again.

Saylor is only 4 mths younger than Avery and the two of them are so very independent, and opinionated it is almost scary.

And of course, I couldn't resist those dimples. He is more than my little heart can handle!

Cousins

I posted recently that I was in FL for my Grandfather's funeral. It was a special time. I am sad to say that I don't get to see my FL family as often as I should, or want to. But, I will say, we are a uniquely loyal family. Everyone comes out of the woodwork for funerals. Sadly, we have had several over the past few years. I am thankful though, even when we gather for sad events, we take full advantage of the opportunity to enjoy each other while we are together. Between the tears there are many, many smiles and uninhibited laughs.

There are 11 of us grandchildren. We are surprisingly close for living so far apart and not really growing up together. Well, everyone grew up together, except my immediate family. But, despite the distance, we have spent several Christmas mornings together shooting-it-out during our annual Nerf BB gun wars, shared meals at our Baba and Dada's home and watched many movies piled onto their bed.

Now that we are adults we appreciate the family ties so much more. There is something so very special about family. I love my cousins in a way I can't really describe. I love that I knew them before their spouses and girlfriends, before they had babies and before they stopped placing a measuring mark on Baba and Dada's door frame every time the visited. These people are a part of me. I love family.

DC Fest

We were invited by some friends to attend the DC Fest.Whoo-hoo -- I was really just excited to hang out with the friends! They had backstage passes. That really meant we got pushed through a line, no pictures allowed, with only enough time to give them your name, not that they remembered, and maybe get a signature. Seriously, the best part of the whole backstage thing was the free chic-fil-a meal. The headliners, Mercy Me, weren't even there. Not that I really cared. I didn't even know half of those people, and I have no desire to shake their hand, give them my name, or get a signature, but I kind of felt bad for the people who did care. I think those things cost a lot of money.

At least the whole experience only got better from there. We had second row seats. So we were up close and personal to all that crazy energy. My producer mind was rolling. Our pastor was with us. He and I were collaborating on set design and lighting ideas all night!

The line-up consisted of some people I have never heard of before. But, I did know Building 429. It is a good thing they were not on stage too long because I was totally crushing on the lead singer:)

Francesca Battistelli was looking as if she would give birth any minute. But she belted it like she had all the lung space in the world. Her interaction with her drummer/husband was too cute.

Jeremy Camp is as powerful in his worship as he appears to be in his arms. I told Shane he could grow a beard, too if he had biceps like that. I mean, his are pretty close... but, well, it is a good thing he wasn't the headliner either.

Amy Grant was in there somewhere. I think she was trying to prove a point in all of her forgiveness/love songs. All I have to say about that is her about-to-give-birth-any-day-now back-up singer and percussionist was ah-maz-ing!

Mercy Me, wrapped it up with a fabulous set. There was no crush developed there. But I did take about a thousand pics of one of the guitar players because he was such a cool rocker. I think he thought I was obsessed. But, no. I just really liked the lighting. Their songs always reach straight to my soul. I could have sang for hours. It was a wonderful night, and I will be forever grateful for these little glimpses of Heaven.

Baptism

Annalee was sooooooo excited to be baptised today. After many long talks about the meaning/importance of baptism, and lots of prayer, she finally assured us she new exactly why she was wanting to do it. "Because I want everyone to know I love Jesus." Well, that is good enough for me! We are excited to walk this journey with her. Shane not only hand delivered Annalee during her birth 6 years ago, but also had the honor and privilege of baptizing her as she declared to the world the she is a follower of Jesus Christ.

Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.

John 3:3-5

And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name. Acts 22:16

Verse for the Homeschool Week

Interesting Scripture to ponder considering our day and time.

Girls Night Out

My dear friend Tammie had a birthday. I have been dying to check out this new restaurant, Coco Sala, in D.C. So, we all got dressed up and hit the town, sans husbands and children. We had a blast and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these girls! I wish more could have joined us, but we were limited on space. We will have to do it again in rounds:) The restaurant was uber chic. Chocolate adorned everything from the mojitos to the gourmet mac & cheese tappas. The private, velvet covered booths and silk drapes made for a dramatic set as we talked the night away. It is quite refreshing to remember what it feels like to get pretty, have adult conversation, and eat a hot meal...without having to cut up your neighbors food.