Cup of Christmas Tea 2013

The Christmas Tea was fun! I loved seeing so many friends! A Christmas Tea is a perfect opportunity to catch up with old friends and get to know new ones better. I do so love a good party!!

We had lots of food to munch on!

Louis Dean made a HUGE chicken salad!

You would have thought he was feeding soldiers instead of ladies!

I did most of the prep work ahead of time so the actual party day was an easy one.

I used a lot of things from Trader Joe's.

We call it a TEA and then serve all manner of beverages - from wine and flavored iced teas such as White Tea with Pomegranate and Black Mango to Ginger Pear to white and red wine.

The HOT beverage station - coffee and teas.......

Do you notice the big honking LOCK? This is by the kitchen French doors and we have good old fashioned PADLOCKS on them!

Then there is the Glogg!!! 

It is served warm in small cups and is red wine sweetened with honey and heavily flavored with cinnamon and cloves.

Louis Dean was out in the gazebo for much of the evening playing live Christmas music for us.

He, Raynie and I sang Froggie Went A'Courting!

He has been working on some really pretty Christmas songs.

Summer brought me this Grinch hat!

A good hat makes a fun party!!

I really did have a good time tonight!

Raynie was another great source of entertainment and even gave tours of the house to some of the ladies and to Cody - the brave one guy in the bunch!! But he's an Aggie so he can handle a whole house of women!

Raynie was particularly fond of him and personally showed him where the CAT POOPIE BOX was located and just how it worked!!

She was the life of the party!!

I didn't take enough pictures.

Ladies were visiting in the living room.....

but I forgot to take pics of those gathered in the den, kitchen and gazebo!

My beautiful daughter and her friend, Joy.

They have been friends since they were 18 months old in the church nursery together!!

This is Joy's Mother, Cathy, and my dear friend, Lynn.

I am a bit vertically challenged!!

My sister blogger friend, Debbie from Ladybug From Texas came!

The first time I met Debbie was at the FIRST Christmas Tea I hosted! I have been to parties at HER place and she comes to parties at MINE! Debbie made this ornament for me! It is filled with all sorts off finds from her nature walks!! I hung it on my red cardinal tree in the dining room for this year. Next year it may go on my memory tree - thank you, Debbie!!! I will always treasure this!

This candy looks amazing and tastes even MORE amazing!!!

My friend, Dee, made these and they are worth sitting down and savoring the eating of one.

Just too good to pop in your mouth and go on. No, you need to sit down and enjoy the whole experience!!

I have more to show and tell but it is late and I am tired......so I will save a few things for tomorrow's journal entry.We are going to Quadville so I need to move Maggie off of the red cape I had PLANNED to wear tonight and and tuck myself in bed!

I enjoyed myself at the party! It is such a blessing to have wonderful friends and family.

I am grateful for each one of my guests this evening and for the way they have touched my life.

I have a sign above our bedroom door that says......

"Don't forget to say your prayers!"

I promise I won't!!