Weekend Wrap Up

What a full weekend! I am exhausted this morning. I need a weekend to catch up from my weekend. It started on Friday when I took part of the day off to go shopping with Hubby. We did pick up a few Christmas gifts so at least we got a start. Check out the really big storage bag that is soon-to-be-released from Thirty-One. It's awesome. It's coming in handy right now to put presents in until I can warp them. 

When we got back home, I made my Reese Peanut Butter Brownie Trifle that I seem to end up making for every dinner or function I get invited to. It is in high demand. 

Hubby and I bought some lights to put on the little tree on the curb. We may do some more outside decorating, but not sure. We are almost at the end of a cul-de-sac so not a lot of people see our lights. And on the back side we are at an angle so you only see them coming from one direction IF you glance over that way. So not sure about anything else, but we did want the little tree lit. 

Friday night was a Christmas Party hosted by the three local Directors who have "adopted" me into their fold. I was so excited to be invited. 

We had some really good food. 

Some chips and dips.  

Some cheese, crackers and fruit. 

Some little sausages in pineapple and brown sugar and some meatballs in barbecue sauce.

Some awesome dessert. 

Then we played Dirty Santa and the laughs were on. Lots of fun and everybody ended up with an awesome gift.

At the end, we posed for a group picture to commemorate the party. What an awesome group of ladies. I am so blessed to have them in my life. I'm the "grandma" of the bunch, but when I'm with them, I feel like I'm about 30 again. 

Saturday morning was the Christmas Parade in Sevierville. One of my grandsons was riding in it with his baseball team so I went with my daughter. Saw lots of the girls from church in the Sevier County High School band. 

Our church had our newly decorated float in it.  

Hats off to a great job by the float committee.

My grandson, second from the left was happily waiving as they went by. He was more excited about riding on top the firetruck than he was by actually being in the parade. 

After that, I did a little more shopping and then went on home to finish decorating for Christmas. I was very happy with how my table turned out. I put my pine cones in a basket in the middle of the table since my little place mats have a Snowman woodsy look to them. The brown of the pine cones contrasted well with the little bit of brown in the placemats. Thanks again to my granddaughter, Alexis, for remembering to bring me some pine cones. 

This little shelf is going to be my "seasonal" item that I decorate every season. Here it is with the Christmas decor on it. 

A man I worked with made these for me around 20 years ago. I have a little window sill that they fit perfect in. This may have to be there new home every year. 

These are three of my favorite pieces for Christmas. The Santa on the left is Home Interior, the little tree was a birthday gift from my mom a couple of years ago and the other Santa is one I love because of his pipe. 

After I got all that done, it was time to tackle the tree. I always hang some of my old ornaments first. This year, somebody decided to help. 

This is one of my favorite ornaments. It belonged to Hubby's grandmother. (Stay tuned for further posts about ornaments this week.)

I am still old fashioned on my trees. A hodge podge of ornaments, lights, tinsel and good old fashioned stick-to-you-when-you-get-too-close icicles. I cannot see me ever giving up my icicles. There are way too many childhood memories attached to them to every quit putting them on my tree.

My daughter surprised me Saturday before the parade by buying me a new tree topper I've had my eye on. My living room is mostly Santa stuff so I wanted a Santa for my tree. Isn't he gorgeous. 

Then Sunday came and more fun and excitement. Next week is our Pre-K Sunday School class program It's a GRAND Christmas that we are putting on for the grandparents. Here is our live Nativity. Mary with the little blue headdress is my granddaughter Shelby. She had wanted to be an angel all along but at the last minute yesterday, her and her little friend Megan decided to swap out and Shelby wanted to be Mary. I'm pretty sure it was because she wanted to be closed to the baby doll in the manger. 

Then we did the Christmas Story and they got to help tell the story of Jesus's birth with a little nativity set. We have so much fun in our class. 

We always have snack time so it was not unusual for there to be a table set up with plates and snacks. I never really paid attention to it until the teacher said it was time for a snack. Then she proceeded to tell the kids we were having a birthday party. It was a surprise for Miss Janie and myself. Both of us have December birthdays. We were so surprised. We had a huge chocolate chip cookie and the kids got to put on icing and sprinkles on to decorate their own. 

I got a Visa gift card which is going in the New TV fund. We finally settled on one we want. It is a 32" LED and even has a built in DVD player. Hubby and I have decided that will be our big Christmas present to each other this year. I can't wait to get it.

Guess you can see why I need a weekend to rest up from my weekend.