Tuesday was the night of my annual 'Cup of Christmas Tea' party!
I think this year was my 5th one! I missed 2012 - the year the quads were born and we were living in our RV in Katy!
I think this year was my 5th one! I missed 2012 - the year the quads were born and we were living in our RV in Katy!
The house is all clean!
The living room is waiting.....
Every nook and cranny is decorated for Christmas!
The foyer angel waits to greet everyone as they come in the door.
Next year I intend to place a guest book on the table for everyone to sign.
As a matter of fact - Louis Dean suggested we get a guest book for 2015 - and use it the entire year!
That's a thought!
Let me introduce my guests!
This is Jamie - whom I met through the Texas Gals Fun Group - and Brenda - whom I have known for many many years! They actually know each other through the insurance industry and this was the first time I connected the two together through OUR friendships with each other.
Aren't they beautiful?
Everyone knows Ruth Ann!!!
My dearly beloved sister in law! Not really but she is as dear to me as she can possibly be.
Ruth Ann is the sister of my Louis Dean's late wife.
Louis Dean has known and loved Ruth Ann since she was 15 years old.
I count her my dearest friend.
She is holding a tray of her famous pinwheel cookies!!!
Mummers and Rayne!!!
Mummers is aka Summer!!
She only gets prettier every year - she NEVER ages!!!
My granddaughter, Rayne, and Maddie - our Christmas Cat!!
Say hello to Shirley!!
She and I used to go to church together and she is one exceptionally sweet lady!
I had not seen her in at least 10 years!
Summer is pictured here with Jean. Jean is Shirley's mother.
Jean and I ran around the country together back when Amber was in synchronized swimming!
I mean - literally.
My neighbor, Ilene, and Brenda. Brenda is Louis Dean's favorite musician.
He LOVES to play music with her and she is a sucker for his pretty face!
She says, "TWO songs!!!"
They play several more........
We gathered in every room of the house - nearly!
That's Sherry sitting left next to Ruth Ann and her sister, Cindi, is to the right of her.
June - a LONG time friend - and Virginia - a friend I met at First Christian Church years ago - are on the left sofa. I am so grateful for Facebook which allows me to keep up with friends that I seldom see.
My sister, Luann, is on the right and her best friend, Carla, is next to her.
Carla's friend and room mate is on the left.
Ah, my!!!
Lynn and Maria!
Two dear ladies I met through The Pirouettes of Texas!
Amber and Jennifer and Christina all swam together and we were the Synchro Moms!!
I treasure the memories I have made with these amazing ladies!
My own sweet Amber came to my party and here she is with her oldest friend, Joy.
They were in the nursery together. I think Amber was 18 months old and they have virtually grown up together!
Not only did Amber come to the party - she brought the LADIES with her!!!
Here's Kailey checking out the veggies and dip!
Joy and her mother, Cathy, me and Amber.
We all go WAY back!!!!!
Cathy and Amber share the same birthday - June 6th.
Be still, my heart!!!
Talk about walking down Memory Lane!!!
This is Tara and her mother, Beth. They lived on the corner house across the street while Tara and Amber were growing up.
Beth was THE most loving and caring neighbor anyone could hope to have!
SHE was the one who was instrumental in getting Amber into Synchronized Swimming. I had never heard of it but SHE found a flyer one day advertising a class and she KNEW how much Amber loved swimming. She marched herself down to my house and the rest is history. Amber swam for 11 years.
Sherry, Ruth Ann and Cindi......
Luann and I.......
My dearly beloved Stephanie - you know her as the neighbor Louis Dean wishes he could adopt!!
She and Beth will never fully know the impact they have made on my life.
They made some extremely hard years for me a little easier just by being themselves.
I wanted to be like them.......and now I am.
I didn't get photos of everyone who came but I had 30 sweet ladies and ONE man - Louis Dean!!
It was a WONDERFUL evening filled with the sounds of chattering and the clinks of glasses and the gathering of friends! I loved every single minute!!!
The morning arrived sooner than I wished but I lingered long over our coffee and reading.
The weather had turned colder so I built up a good fire in the fireplace.
Amber brought the quads over about 11:45 and they came in wanting TEA!!!
I think Harrison was afraid Logan was going to drink it all!!!
Never fear! MeeMaw has LOTS of tea!!!
Kailey spied the Texas Trash and LOVED it!!!!
So did Logan! They ALL did!!
Kailey decided THIS tin was for HER!!!
Lunch was easy! After last night's party, I had plenty of lunch snacks from fruit to deli meats to cheese!
Mealtimes are excellent learning opportunities!
They always keep their hands in their laps until it's time to EAT!
Everyone loves children with manners!!!!
Somehow Kailey ends up eating in Granddad's lap!!!
She has HIM eating right out of her hand!
After cleaning up lunch - and the trick to having the kids all day is to clean up after each 'event!' - we all headed to the den for nap time!
A comfy furry blanket and a cozy cover and pillows for each little head!
We were all set for Story Time!
I donned my Grinch hat and started to read!
Louis Dean knows this book by heart and is one of his favorites!
Nap time complete with live music and a fireplace!
They all slept as did Granddad. I read a little.......and rested.
Last night I played a Fireplace Movie DVD.
This afternoon I had the real thing!
I dearly LOVE the soft sound of a fire!
Our afternoon entertainment was Peter Pan. Louis Dean found this on FIOS on Demand and it is a new musical version that was quite entertaining. He LOVED it and the kids stayed pretty interested in it as well. Later tonight Logan was throwing her doll up in the air and saying, "FLY, Tinkerbell!!!"
We worked on our Fencepost Santas after the movie and I KNEW the button box would get dumped out on the floor - and it did!!!
We picked them up once and then Kailey dumped it AGAIN!
Kailey and I made a DEAL that she not spill them out!!!
But, once again, they got dumped! This time Logan - my ever present helper! - tripped on the box and tipped it over!!! I may be finding buttons for days!
Once the Santas were done , I sent Granddad out for pizzas while the quads and I donned socks, boots and jackets so we could go outside in the gazebo. It's been a cold rainy day here in Texas and I thought I would introduce the quads to hot warm chocolate!
This didn't start off so well.......
Nor did it end well.......
Let's just say - we will revisit hot chocolate another time - in the future!
While they enjoyed being in the gazebo and hearing it rain - that didn't last very long.
We came back inside to wait for Granddad to come home with the pizzas!
He had forgot his wallet so he came home and then had to go BACK!
See the small toy wagon to the right? There by the tree?
It has a little elf in it and I had piled my bows and ribbons that I am planning to use on gifts inside.
Well, while I was not looking - Harrison got this wagon down from the table - without knocking anything off! He dumped the elf and ribbons and bows......
and then proceeded to give his sisters all wagon rides!!
It just doesn't get any cuter than this!!!
They are all adorable!!!
Dinner arrived and we all ate and were in the Home Stretch!!!
Only baths were left to do.
I had been saving bottles all week for them to play with in the bathtub.
The only things they have had were four plastic cups.
I cleaned these and filled them up with water.....
Bath time with their NEW 'toys!'
I LOVE how they all THANKED me for their new toys!!!!
Just goes to show it doesn't have to cost $$ to entertain children!
After baths we played Beauty Shop and I used the blow dryer and new claw clips on the girls' hair.
A couple of Paw Patrol programs and Mom and Dad arrived to take the munchkins home!
Louis Dean and I poured us a glass of wine and sat back reflecting on our day.
The last TWO days!!
Tomorrow continues our Christmas activities with another party!
This one is for our Jam Session Friends!
The Christmas Season continues!!!!
I hated that I missed your party this crazy weather has done a number on my allergies...I hope you get a little rest...the quads are just precious
ReplyDeleteLinda what a party! That all just looks like so much fun! The quads are adorable, I can't wait to see what they make of Christmas Day. So happy for you that you are having a busy, fun, happy and healthy Christmas season! X
ReplyDeleteI sure wish I had been at your party...wow, you have A LOT of friends! It looks like it was so fun, everyone is smiling and laughing! Your home looks wonderful, too. So festive!
ReplyDeleteOh, I can see the quads kept you busy the next day. I love their table manners and plastic bottles in the tub...who would have thought?!
Merry Christmas to you, dear!
Jane xxx
Loved seeing your tea party Linda..so festive! But my favorite picture is the one of those sweet quads in the bathtub...melts a nana heart.
ReplyDeleteMy grandparents had a sign in book that everyone had to sign in each visit. It dated back to the 60's and it is now a family heirloom. It is really cool to see all of the handwriting change over the years. Also, they noted important days in history.
ReplyDeleteHail hail the gangs all here and I do mean ALL... you are truly blessed to have that many women friends in your life...amazing and every one looks so happy. glad the little women got to come to
ReplyDeleteLinda, Wow....what a time. I loved meeting your long time friends. Was Louis Dean a sheik in his other life??LOL 30 women and him. Your home looked so welcoming. The children with manners, love,love,love it. Amber and Mike and you grandparents can take a bow. Thank you my dear friend, I received a wonderful bookmark and card today. It made me smile. Of course I thought of LD when I saw that guitar.:):) Blessings to all of you, Love, Susie
ReplyDeleteHi Linda! It's nice to meet you and I have to say what a wonderful post this was. I enjoyed it from beginning to end. I almost felt like I was right there with all of you. Oh and thanks for following me. I'm following you now, too. I love meeting new bloggers so I look forward to getting to know you better. Blessings to you, new friend... :)
ReplyDeleteI love that you host a tea every year for your friends! I need to do more teas, I do the church's annual Ladies Tea but I need a friend tea!
ReplyDeleteI love how your days with the Quads go. Such special memories are being made!
Deanna
What a wonderful couple of days you've had. The party looked wonderful and your house is beautifully decorated! There's nothing like a day with the grandbabies is there? They are so sweet!
ReplyDeleteYou have such a beautiful bouquet of friends! It must have been a fun evening. Love to see the quads happily doing their thing and you are such a fun grandmother turning everything into a game. They must love their day with you both.
ReplyDeleteYou are one busy lady! I'm tired just reading all that you've been doing and to think you're not done yet. The kids are adorable, as always. You and LD planned so many fun things for them to do while visiting you. I love the homemade toys you gave them. Good idea! It was fun seeing all the pics from your tea party. I also wanted to thank you for the sweet surprise you sent me in the mail. I just got it today and just love it! I will enjoy using the book mark for years to come. I have it sitting next to my chair right now so I can use it next time I'm reading. Loved getting a card all the way from Texas too! Thank you again for your sweet hospitality.
ReplyDeleteIt was a BIG tea party! You have a lot of special friends. And each one looks like you would be right at home meeting her. I love the way Louis Dean reads to the Quads, he is so enthusiastic!! He gets them involved. Your house looks like a fairyland! The girls love my button box, too. As I did with my moms. I make them sit down beside me to go through it, that way it kind of forestalls spills. He had the best idea with that wagon, so cute! So is the bath, they are adorable. I would never have thought of saving the bottles, a brilliant idea! Wow, you even have a special Christmas chip and dip plate, it is pretty.
ReplyDelete