Friday was such a special day!
My sisters, Deanie and Nita arrived with Cousin Pam for a December Gathering.
Alas, Gay and Toni - our other cousins - were ill and couldn't come but they were sorely missed.
Pam (daughter of our oldest living cousin, Joyce), Deanie, Nita and me.......
I had an appetizer table set up since we were meeting a little early for lunch....
Everyone arrived around 11:00.
We spent well over and hour talking, laughing and reminiscing while the food finished cooking.
This is Deanie's recipe but Nita wrote it out for me years ago.
It's really GOOD!
I found these in my freezer and served them in place of breadsticks.
I snapped these pics while everyone was visiting about the table......
This was the only one they posed for.....
But I LOVE love LOVE the expressions in the others.......
You can tell we had fun!
Rayne was a big bright spot in our day!!
Deanie and Louis Dean bonded when they drove back together from Katy, Texas after the quads were born and have had a special relationship ever since!
Pam is an extra special blessing to us.
She looks like a movie star and has the heart of a saint.
Nita is such a beautiful lady - inside and out.
And we all loved getting to spend time with Rayne.
Right before everyone had to leave to beat the traffic going west to Fort Worth, we took this selfie!
My favorite pic of the day!
Thankfully, Summer and Rayne stayed for awhile and here she is washing some bobble head dog figures I had that she remembered from earlier in her childhood.
She asked me about them and I just so happened to remember where they were!
That's a miracle right there!!
I gifted them to her......and I am so happy that Ryne is 11-years-old and loves nature, people, experiences, play and relationships far more than technology or electronics.
She was a total delight to all of us and such a treasure to me.
I can't get enough of just looking at her.
Rayne noticed the stockings in the den.....I am doing stocking stuffers for gifts this year and most of the stockings are already bulging. However, my stocking was empty (Louis Dean went shopping today and filled it up pretty well) and she went out to the car and brought something - I know not what - but she put something in my stocking. She couldn't bear to see it be the only empty one hanging! That squeezed my heart!!
Summer stayed and got our new Spectrum up and running while Louis Dean, Rayne and I dropped some Care Packages of our soup, bread, dessert and candy off to Kimmy and June and to Pam.
I forgot to say that I made Nana Diana's Caramel Recipe for today. SO good!!!
A technician had to come out to put in a cable or something but I must say - Spectrum exceeds all my expectations! Christopher was the guy who came out - before 8:00 Friday night and left at 9:00!
We could not have had a better experience! Our new Internet and TV is better than ever!
I have had the best Saturday!
After temps in the 80's yesterday and the A/C running full time.....we turned it off before I fell into bed exhausted at 9:00 on Friday night....so it was a real treat to have a fire in the fireplace this morning as the weather had turned much cooler!
We watched back to back movies on our new Spectrum TV ....starting with Pretty Woman and then Sweet Home Alabama and then Blindside!
The only accomplishments I made today was doing our meds for a month - which took well over an hour - and addressing Christmas cards, which I really enjoyed.
Every name and address carried such sweet thoughts of all the cards to Lillian, visits with friends on Facebook, messages and emails....
I love that my online journal has given me so many friends and I treasure every single one of you.
I love how our friendships can go both ways - I share my life with you and then you share yours with me.
What a blessing this wonderful party was!!! It looks like every single person had so much fun. I love the new Christmassy background and header of your blog!
ReplyDeleteI know family is everything to you as it is for me. I almost feel like I know almost everyone in this post! Your table was so elegant and there were happy faces all around! I will definitely copy your pastas recipe!
ReplyDeleteLove to you, Linda, and Happy Holidays!🎄
Jane x
Everyone's face is glowing! It reminds me of sitting around Mama's big dining room table and talking while we ate. She loved having us over for lunch often - Sherry, Ed and I, and my aunt and their cousins, and we loved being there! Then cleaning up the dishes together and visiting afterward.
ReplyDeleteShe got to have a second lease on life when she was older and she was able to enjoy so many things and we got to enjoy it with her. I thank God for it; HE gave us that special time, because her grandkids really got to know what a good and generous person she was! And funny and kind -- all the things you want a grandmother to be. 💕🙏
Enjoy your Sunday!
Could you send me your address for a Christmas card
ReplyDeleteBburke701947@gmail.com
My favorite?...the group selfie!!
ReplyDeleteAnd, I think it goes without saying...you are a gift to us Linda!!!
Love the movie Pretty Woman (and I'll be singing Sweet Home Alabama all day now).
each scroll down to see the next photos showed sheer joy and happiness, every photo is so full of joy it comes out of the computer to spread out to me.. so sweet of Rayne to find your stocking filler and she is a treasure, but then all your grand kids are treasures. your family is truly blessed to have you in their lives.
ReplyDeleteAnother successful party and lots of wonderful food. I love that you have such age variety from the 11 to the 80's and all love each other. So glad your new internet is working good for you and that was a great selfie picture.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun get together. Sometimes I miss living close to family!! So glad you got your tv up and running!! It is nice when the service techs are pleasant and easy to deal with!!
ReplyDeleteI love gatherings of people I love! So special!
ReplyDeleteFamily gatherings are the best ! So nice to see all the happy faces. May you all have a blessed Christmas!
ReplyDeleteI can tell there is so much love just oozing out of you and your family.
ReplyDeleteWhat a special day you had laughing, eating and just enjoying each other's company. Treasured memories.
I think I will make your Pasta dish some time this week. It sounds perfect for the rainy, chilly day we have today.
I see that a card from you is in my unopened mail pile.
You are so Johnny on the spot with cards..Me?? I have finally bought some stamps and definitely will have to get going if my cards are going to be sent before Christmas. Now on to opening the mail that came yesterday while we were out.
Sue
Lovely gathering. Great time of the year. I have done my Christmas gift shopping - all online this year - am just hoping it all arrives. Cheers
ReplyDeleteLinda, I loved all the pictures. Yes, that Rayne is adorable. Let's keep her ! Summer is such a helpful person. Your sisters looked so pretty. I am so glad you all got to have such a fun time together. Blessings to all, love you, xoxo, Susie
ReplyDeleteSuch a happy post. Looks like a great time was had by all.
ReplyDeleteRayne sounds like a very special young lady.
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ReplyDeleteHi Linda I was already in the mood to visit your online diary. I'm glad Rayne is so adorable. Today's children prefer technology and don't see how beautiful the world is in nature.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the beautiful family you have. a big hug from samy
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