I was surprised when I woke up Sunday morning and heard dishes rattle in the kitchen!
Louis Dean hadn't been able to sleep so he got up super early and mixed up the dough for his cinnamon rolls! I thought he might be too tired to go to church with me - but NO, he marched right in his room and got dressed!
We were actually ON TIME!
It was the Christmas service and I did not want to miss any of it!
We had lots of friends who also attended the service and we all met up afterwards.
Amber's beloved head coach of The Pirouettes of Texas, Patti, was there along with lots of her family!
Brenda and Billy found us by the one of the Christmas trees so it was like a great big party after church! Lots of photos were taken and visiting and hugging, hugging, HUGGING!!!
It had been way too long!!
I took this one of Amber and her dad just as we were about to leave.
It was SUCH a good service!
It's not too late to attend one!
There will be services on Friday and Saturday this week at Fellowship Church!
You will long remember THIS service - trust me!
On our way home we stopped at Home Depot for faucet covers as Texas is about to go in the deep freeze! Tomorrow will be fine but Thursday the temps are going to start dropping all the way down to 10-12 degrees! It will be teens for another night before more normal weather moves back in.
Louis Dean went back to work on his cinnamon rolls while I made another grocery store run up to ALDI.
His dough never fails to rise just as it is supposed to do!
While I was shopping I saw this heated throw and put it right in my basket.
I KNEW Louis Dean would love it and he DOES!!
He has one at the camper so he needs one here, too!
I frosted all four pans of rolls and packaged them up.
Before I went to bed, I spied not one but TWO possums eating the supper I put out for them!
Monday morning I got right up and went right to work!
But not before I stopped to say good morning to Tabitha.
She's such a good kitty!
And a BIG one!
Although Miss Samantha out eats her!!!
I had a goodie bag fixed up for Kimmy and June - some stew, fruitcake cookies, pumpkin muffins and cinnamon rolls!
Sweet Kimmy and her even sweeter baby girl came by to pick it up!
She came in for a quick tour of our Christmas house!
After she left I went to work heating up the stew - adding some spinach noodles to it - and lighting candles, getting a fire going in the den and then waited for my friend, Jimmy, to come over.
I've know him since he was a little boy and love him like a son!
He had some pretty serious foot surgery done last week and was going back for his post op appointment before his son dropped him off here to spend the evening.
I had dinner all ready and waiting!!!
We ate and talked and caught up with each other.
We've been trying to get together for 6 months and we finally did it!
After dinner we went out to the den and watched football and visited some more!
I went back to the kitchen to put a cake in the oven and then I filled all the Christmas stockings!
I so enjoyed seeing Jimmy!
He's one of my favorite people.
He took an Uber home.....do you Uber?
I have never done that but he showed me the app and explained how it works.
Once again, I got up and hit the floor running!
Normally I do a big Christmas Tea for all my lady friends.
Life has not been 'normal' now for several years.
Today I hosted a small group - and that was just perfect.
It was a simple meal of chicken salad on croissants, a garden salad, cheese and crackers and sweet treats.
I had made a pumpkin spice crack cake....which Louis Dean loves!
A dish of warm brie cheese before I put the raspberry sauce on top.
We ate and lingered long at the table visiting!
Such sweet friends!
Virginia, Shirley, me and Brenda....
I sent cinnamon rolls home with each of them!
It was such a good afternoon of friends and fellowship.
Low key and just what I needed.
There were a few others that I had invited who couldn't make it so maybe we can get together in the New Year.
It's only 3 days to Christmas Eve - when I will have all my children and grandchildren here together under my roof. That is a blessing to cherish and I do not take it for granted. I'm also grateful for friends who are like family - Pam and Jimmy - who will be here, too.
I am so blessed!
Tabitha looks so much like our Beckie! Cats are wonderful, aren't they? Glad to catch up with you and Louis Dean, looks like the heated blanket sure was a good find! That was real nice get-together you had for your friends and the food sure looked yummy. The sweet lil possums are so cute, they are quiet and peaceful creatures, eat lots of bad bugs. It's almost Christmas!
ReplyDeleteAs usual you are one busy lady, Miss Linda! Everything has such sweet meanings to you and that means sweet memories. Like you, I love having friends come by and dearly love planning a special get together for them ... which will be next year! But your menu with your friends sounds perfect for my gathering. Love it! Thanks for the idea! Your church home sounds like God just planted ya'll there and knew it would be perfect. It definitely sounds like it! And I'm so excited for you to have all your loved ones gathered together in ya'll's home full of love! :0)
ReplyDeleteYou have been very busy. I'm glad you're enjoying this time with your family and friends. Louis Dean's cinnamon rolls always look so good. My sister-in-law made us homemade cinnamon rolls when we were over for dinner Sunday night. They were delicious. What a sweet picture of Louis Dean and Amber. It looks like a good part of the country is going into a deep freeze over the Christmas weekend. Keep your faucets dripping at night so you avoid any problems. Merry Christmas to you and Louis Dean. Enjoy your family, friends, food and make lots of memories.
ReplyDeletei almost didn't recognize ld without his overalls!! he is so sweet, that's why his cinnamon rolls are so good!! you two are so lucky to have each other...really living the good life!!
ReplyDeletei enjoyed today!!!
Yum on the cinnamon rolls. Yes please, I would love one...got milk?
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to both of you. Uber and Lyft save us…my daughter and part of her family…they fly down every few weeks…they take one of the services to my condo and back again. My family here flies often and do the same…grand in NYC takes the cars also…we all do when in NYC…the best ever…I am hibernating this week…we had the youngest grandson’s birthday Monday with gifts, but he and his brother are under the weather…Nana is getting there…today is a special day for me…the 24 th is Mother’s birthday…we do plan on gifts here at the condo that night…no food with all of the allergies, etc…Christmas Day gifts at the house and snacks…all of this is on hold to wait and see if anyone is sick…the big meals are a thing of the past…but the fellowship is great…I have loved loved your blog this year. I love my Santa card, and it is there for me every time I pass it in that area of the condo. Thank you for being so fantastic and such an inspiration…prayers dear sweet Linda, a gift to many. Thanks for your delightful husband.
ReplyDeleteYou are such an inspiration Linda....wishing you and your family a very happy and blessed Christmas Day.....how I love the adventures of your days!
ReplyDeleteWhat a blessing that you enjoy cooking because you bless so many people with it and I am sure it is all delishes. LD's cinnamon rolls looks amazing.
ReplyDeleteLinda,
ReplyDeleteI just adore you, friend! What a gift you have for reaching out and making people feel special!
LD could make a living with those cinnamon rolls! Man!
Your temperatures are similar to ours. We are very cold right now.
Christmas Eve is a big day around here too, it's Tim's birthday! His mom always said he was the best gift!
Hi Linda. You and Louis Dean sure know how to do Christmas right. Such a wonderful, festive time of the year for your and your family. I am so glad you will all be together! Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteYou’re a ball of energy. I want to be like you!
ReplyDeleteYour life is like the ultimate number one Hallmark movie. Family and friends and so much love being shared around and around
ReplyDeleteSuch a comforting, warm post. Loved it!
ReplyDeleteYES !!! You are truly Blessed...
ReplyDeleteFamily and friends are what makes our world go 'round.
I love everything you have been doing this week and how you give from your heart.
I got your Christmas card and am cherishing it.
You are my "Blogging sister" for sure.
Sue
Happiest of Christmases to you and your family. I love this post. You do so much and always seem to be smiling. Once again, Merry Christmas and all the very best in 2023.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the possums are a mated pair! You got such a good photo of them. They are good to keep around the house, they eat so many bad insects, hundreds of them! Are there stockings for Samantha & Tabitha? Wal-Mart has filled stockings for kitties, I bought one for my friend's cat.
ReplyDeleteYou know you are inviting possums in towards your house! lol
ReplyDeleteLove Amber's dimples.
Love those rolls too!
Low key is obviously a state of mind... Cheers from New Zealand
ReplyDelete