Christmas Party Game

Good Monday morning!

The Showcase Pic is from the 12 Teas of Christmas which I celebrated with some friends this weekend. This was our 11th tea, and each year we pick a new tea room to take our little crew. This year, we enjoyed hot tea and lunch at Butterflies which is very close to our little town and is located in Fultondale. It was excellent. We had wonderful service, good food, and a "Christmasy" atmosphere. A must at any Christmas Tea! If you haven't had tea at Butterflies yet and you live in the area, it is time!

The Gallery Pics are from our big family party Saturday night. We have nine great-grandchildren on my side of the family, and we're blessed to have my grandmother (a/k/a the GREAT-grandmother of this clan) enjoy this time with us in front of a roaring fire each year.

CONTEST! - I haven't heard from all the winners yet, but Miss Ann had to relinquish her prize. I drew a new name, so as of today, the winners of the 300th Post Contest are:

EVELYN CRENSHAW
PATTI FLIPPO
DANA SORENSON (She took Ann's place.)
ANGIE COBURN
LEANNA BROWN
JONELLA WOODS

Patti and Evelyn... I need to talk to you about your band commitment. Dana and Jonella... I need to know if the date for the party is good for you. Let me know!

CHRISTMAS CARD COUNT - Everyone can breathe a little easier. I'm up to 64 Christmas cards. I only need 11 more cards in four days to meet my goal. I can do this... with a little help. So... HELP!

CHRISTMAS EVERY DAY IN DECEMBER

DAY 15

20. People sometimes wait until the day AFTER Christmas to buy new Christmas decorations for the next year. However, many stores already have their Christmas decor marked down 40% to 50% a few days BEFORE Christmas. If you need a picture frame, wreath, ornaments, etc., while you're still in the Christmas mood, do some of this shopping now instead of the day after. (If you're like me, when Christmas is over, and you have to pack up all the decorations, you really don't feel like buying NEW stuff to pack away. Buy it while you're in the MOOD, and still get the discount prices.)

21. Buy a new Christmas book for your Christmas Book Basket. Go to your local Books-A-Million or Christian book store to find the classics and the newest Christmas lit. Again, many of these books are already on sale, and you and your family can enjoy a new Christmas book this year before bedtime.

Carpooling Article - My Mom gave me a copy of Today's Christian Woman which contains an article she wanted me to read. I loved it, and I wanted to share it with you in two parts this week. It is called A Purpose-Driving Life by Nancy Kennedy. I'll warn you... it's an eye-opener!

Years ago someone asked me what I wanted on my tombstone. I replied, rather flippantly, "She drove girls."

At the time, I had a 1989 red Ford Tempo with 189,000 miles on it, of which I was sure 188,000 of those miles had been used to drive girls... to the mall and volleyball practice. To softball games and the mall. To the mall and church youth group. To the beach. To Taco Bell. To school. To the mall.

It was either drive them or risk them finding rides with someone's sister's boyfriend. As long as my daughters and their myriad of close, personal friends were in the backseat of my car with me at the wheel, I knew where they were. It's a control thing, but a common sense thing, too. Although I didn't realize it at the time, it was also a ministry thing.

Not too long ago, Kelly's mother called to thank me for what I'd done for her daughter, Kelly, who had died from leukemia at age 21, and had been my daughter Laura's childhood best friend.

At first I thought she was thanking me for reading something I'd written for Kelly's funeral, but I realize now she'd meant something else, which brings me back to my purpose-driving life.

As Paul Harvey would say... "Tune in tomorrow for the rest of the story."

Monday Morning Mayhem - Friday night Roxie's basketball team claimed victory not once, but TWICE, in the Christmas tournament. It was thrilling, and we ended that fun night with a trip to Krispy Kreme with the team. Doughnuts are good for losses, too, but they taste especially sweet eaten after an amazing WIN!

Saturday I hosted my tea. It started 11 years ago with ten women. It is now down to six or seven each year. Three of the women have moved to different parts of the country over the years, but the rest of us are hanging in there! Eleven years ago, I unknowingly said, "Anyone who comes to all 12 of the teas will receive diamond earrings." Little did I know four of the girls really, really wanted diamond earrings. The only way I'm getting out of this is by telling them we're having the tea in one place... and then me having tea (BY MYSELF) at a different location. That, or Cubic Zirconium!

Saturday evening was spent with extended family enjoying everything that makes Christmas "fun." Kids, gifts, fireplace, good food, millions of Christmas lights, etc.

Sunday was simply Sunday! We did our most "Christmasy" thing yet! We watched the three-hour finale of Survivor... wearing Santa hats... drinking hot chocolate... humming Christmas carols during commercial breaks. You know. The typical Christmas celebratory "stuff."

Just so you know, we all picked who we thought would win the $1,000,000 the first show... just by looking at the contestants. You will not believe this, but the underdog, Natalie, WON. And guess who picked her the very first show? That's right. Mikie. Who would have thought? However, we all did very well. Two of the people picked (by me and the brothers) were in the jury, and the guy Roxie picked (Mick, the doctor) was in the final three. We're a pretty uber-smart family, aren't we? I was very impressed with us. (And that's why I could never be on Survivor. The really cocky, boastful people tend to get voted off the first week!)

(And just so you know, Roxie and I went "Christmas Light Lookin'" before Survivor began, so we absolutely did something festive Sunday evening.

Christmas Party Game

I'm not sharing an entire party with you today, but I am going to share an activity to use at a party. We had a Gingerbread House Building Contest.

The Gingerbread House kits (with the pre-made gingerbread walls, roofs, etc.) were on sale ($7 instead of $9). We have nine great-grandchildren with the oldest two being 17 and 18. I bought three houses, and the moms divided the kids into three different "workable" groups. We put Austin, Brad and Tyler (the oldest and the youngest) in Group One. Roxie, Katie and Josh made up Group Two (they work well together). And finally, Monica, Abbie and Zac were the members of Group Three.

There wasn't a specific time limit, but I had bought six boxes of candy from The Dollar Tree (giant gum balls, jelly beans, gummy bears, lemon drops, etc.). Those candies were put in individual bowls.

To keep all the houses from looking almost the same, the kids had to use at least one of each of the different candies on their house. The kids were amazing. It took almost an hour for them to finish the houses, and they were very imaginative.

The judge for the evening was my brother-in-law, Tommy, who had a child in each group. Pressure... yes. But we knew he would be the most "objective."

The winning team received $1 apiece (which they gladly put with their Christmas money stash). Will we do it every year? No. It was a one-time thing, but it was different and fun. Could you do it with college students, young adults, as well as older adults (like me)? I think you could... especially if you chose the groups ahead of time and "talked it up." It was just something different to try.

Have a magnificent Monday. I hope you complete everything on your "To Do" list. (I know you have one!) Come back Tuesday for a great recipe to add to your collection. I'll also have another idea for Christmas Every Day in December. I'll finish sharing the Carpooling Article with you, too. It will change your perspective on this "chore" forever.

Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda