Fantastic neighbors at Christmas time and always

Here I thought my last post was a few days ago…guess I just proved that I really am a chatty One…

MORE PARTIES
As if our family party a week ago today wasn’t enough work on this ole body not feeling up to par, my husband came home on Thursday from his morning coffee with ‘the guys’ and announced that they were all coming over around 4ish for drinks and appetizers…YIKES…did I fly. I was going to the store anyway that morningfor my own groceries but it turned out to be a big shopping trip. More appetizer fixins and drink fixins. Home I came, whipped up 6 different treats, set things in order and thought WHEW…I can retreat to the bedroom to read when they all get here…NOPE…three of them brought their wives so I was caught! lol  But it was a good time all in all. 
I actually got to sit and enjoy the brief time they were there – they came at 4 and were all gone by 6:30.  But he deserved the party – he’s been such a huge help this past year, bless his heart – he’s done things he never did before and learned a lot.

NEIGHBORS
We have a family across the street from us that have lived there since they got married (his parents lived there prior).  So we have known this family for 32 years now.

Well they have 5 daughters...youngest one just graduated from high school so now they have 4 in college and one living and working in Washington DC.
Every Christmas they are all home and they bake Christmas cookies with their dad. Mom cleans up - she doesn't really care for baking all that much – but she does love to cook,  but it's a father/daughter thing they have done since they were little.

And every Christmas Eve afternoon they bring over a huge tray of their delicious delights along with a cute little letter pertaining to whatever has gone on in their lives or whatever.  This year it was not much luck with baking!

Hope you can read the letter...it's cute
 

SHOPPING
Besides finishing up the stocking stuffer search today, we went looking for something to use for place setting names.
Normally I make them but I just ran out of steam this year.
We found these at Kohl's - and we had a 30% coupon as well, I printed out names on the computer and walla...name card holders.  They’re funny little dudes – they look like Cup Cakes…and as things go they didn’t have enough of the dudes so we got the 2 package ones for Doug and myself - we needed 13 holders and that was ALL they had.

close-ups

CHRISTMAS DINNER
Yesterday we picked up our 7 lb Tenderloin for Christmas dinner – goodness that’s a huge hunk of meat…let’s just hope I don’t ruin it.
 
Our dinner menu:
*Tenderloin
*Twice Baked Potatoes
*Steamed Green Beans and Asparagus
*Waldorf Salad (something I grew up with for Christmas dinner)
*Mandarin Orange Jello (especially for the little ones)
*French Bread
*Homemade Lemon Meringe Pie
*Chocolate Cake w/Cream Cheese frosting
*French Silk pie

GOOD FOR LAUGHS
And if you want a good laugh then watch this little JibJab card I made for our family….but for some reason the mouth thingy stayed black and I’m not sure why…but look anyway…I’m sure it will give you a giggle too.  Gotta turn your sound on though.
http://sendables.jibjab.com/view/0Yr09uSRYUS4dBDL
 
THANKS SO MUCH
Thank you all my blog friends who sent me Christmas cards this year…how very special you made me feel. Gosh I wish we ALL could meet someday, somewhere as a whole group. Now wouldn’t that be fun????

Merry Christmas everyone.

Karen