Christmas Day Recap

Christmas Day was low-keyed for my hubby and me, and very relaxing after much hustle and bustle.  

Our son, Jeremy, sent a couple of pictures taken at their house on Christmas morning. Thankfully, Ellie is on the mend.

A toy pizzeria was on her wish list from us, and she told her parents it was her favorite gift.  Samantha [her mother] said she had eaten at least four large pretend pizzas!  ;-)

In the afternoon I worked on my presentation for the monthly assisted living tea at Shore Pointe, which is this Sunday, Dec. 29th.

Our grandson, Brandon, and his wife, Venessa, came over around 5:00 o'clock to visit for awhile since they were unable to be with us on Christmas Eve.

When they left, Jerry and I watched my new DVD Downton Abbey movie that I received as a Christmas gift before calling it a night.

Thursday and Friday [as well as today] were work days at The Whitney, serving 160 guests Afternoon Tea.  I'm ready for a slower pace.  ;-)

I received a few surprise gifts before Christmas Eve arrived.  A surprise package came in the mail from my friend, Linda, containing a tea cozy, personalized key chain, and a teapot sugar cookie. Thanks, Linda!

My co-worker, Steve, gave me a 2020 Teapot Calendar.

My girlfriend, Lori, gave me a year's subscription to Tea Time magazine - my favorite magazine!  Thanks, Lori!

My sweet neighbor brought over a plate of goodies: sugared pecans, almond pound cake, a gourmet caramel apple, and a cute tea strainer.  Thanks, Lorraine!  The pecans were to die for!

Do you like fruit cake?  Have you ever made one?  My hubby loves them, but I can easily pass them up.  I confess that in my 53 years of marriage I've never been inspired to make one, but I remember my mother and mother-in-law making them.  When I was grocery shopping for my Christmas Eve dinner I saw them in the store and purchased one for Jerry. It was actually quite good when accompanied with a cup of tea.

Here's the gifts I received on Christmas Eve:  An Upstairs & Downstairs book of Highclere Castle, a DVD of the Downton Abbey movie, and a Barnes & Noble gift card.  I can hardly wait to have time to sit down with my new book with a cup of tea in hand.

~ A Christmas tea set from Williams & Sonoma ~

A tin of tea from Great Lakes Tea & Spice Company - Roasted Almond Delight

A spa package of scented bath crystals and a candle from sweet Izzy.

A pair of slippers and a gift card to Chico's - one of my favorite stores.

A gift basket of edible goodies including a restaurant gift card, and a soft comfy throw from Kirklands.

And last, but not least, a holiday sweater and slacks from Talbot's [another favorite store], money to go shopping, and a devotional book from my hubby.

But the BEST gift of all is God's gift of His Son, Jesus!  Following close by is the gift of a wonderful family and friends.  I am SO blessed!

Christmas Eve Recap

I hope you had a Merry and Blessed Christmas!  We did at our house.  As has been our tradition since the early 1980's [when my mother-in-law passed the baton to me to continue the Christmas Eve family gathering] everyone arrived around 3:00 o'clock.  Well almost everyone - granddaughter Ellie had the stomach flu so Jeremy stayed home with her.

With working 12 days straight at The Whitney, I was so behind this year and didn't get my tree decorated until Dec. 23rd - cutting it very close to the wire!

Usually I serve dinner buffet style by setting up a long food table in the family room, but this year I decided to serve my family restaurant style in courses and even though we aren't Italian, our meal was.

We began with homemade creamy Minestrone soup, followed by a garden salad [Olive Garden style with their salad dressing and croutons].  The next course was a side of Spaghetti with meat sauce, and the main entree was Chicken Cordon Bleu, Green Beans, and Corn Pudding.  I bought Italian bread and bread sticks from the local Italian bakery. Dessert, served later in the evening, was our birthday cake for Jesus - a Cassata Cake and a chocolate cake [the grandkids favorite].

Izzy and Papa in their red buffalo checked tops.

~ Jerry and Me ~

~ Landon, Samantha and Izzy ~

~ Sharon, Brooke and Brianna ~

~ Steve and Sharon ~

Steve, Sharon and Girls.  It's been nice having Brianna home for three months, but she leaves Sunday morning to head back to Nashville to begin another semester of her graduate studies.

I have to brag on her talents - below is the drawing she gave her mother for Christmas.

~ Lori and Dave ~

After dinner, Izzy read the Christmas story from Luke's Gospel.

Then it was time to open presents from youngest to oldest.  Landon LOVED his 'Comfy' blanket/hooded sweatshirt from Brooke and Brianna.  Izzy got one too.

~ Brooke ~

~ Lori and Dave waiting their turn ~

Being the oldest, Jerry and I were the last ones to open our gifts.  I'll share my gifts in a separate post.

After gifts we had dessert.  Lori made a tray of decorated sugar cookies which we enjoyed in addition to cake.  Then we played games around the dining room table.  Everyone stayed until around 11:00 o'clock, and then our house suddenly fell silent and Papa and I settled in for a long winter's nap! ;-)  It was a very fun family time together, but we definitely missed Jeremy and Ellie.

Today [Thursday] is a work day for me so I'll be heading off to The Whitney after enjoying four days off.   Christmas Day next post.

Merry Christmas!

This will be a quick post as I've much to do before my family arrives for dinner this afternoon at 3:00 o'clock.

Below are some pictures from the Christmas Tea at The Whitney last Saturday, Dec. 21st. The Director of Operations [my boss], Dave Duey, read A Cup of Christmas Tea by Tom Hegg to the 50 attendees.

The tea was held on the second floor of the mansion.  The guests ate in all the dining rooms [formerly bedrooms] and assembled in the ballroom area for a sing-a-long and other fun activities.

Pictures of some of my co-workers.  John, one of the servers, standing next to me.

Steve and Sierra.  Steve serves tea on weekends when I'm not normally there.

Alyson  works at the reservation desk, and Daniel is a server.

Sunday the 22nd was Christmas Sunday at church.  We had a beautiful morning worship service, and a candlelight service in the evening with some of the Romeo High School Chorale Members presenting a few numbers.

Brooke and a friend sang, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"

There's much more I wish I had time to write, but I need to get to my kitchen and get busy cooking.  

My hubby just returned from picking up the birthday cake for Jesus that I ordered from the local Italian bakery - a cassata cake.  Yum!

More later...

Date Night With My Hubby...

As you know, I've been missing from my blog the last few days.  I've worked six days straight, serving 140 guests Afternoon Tea, and there aren't any signs of slowing down yet.

My evenings were spent making a Shutterfly album for my son Jeremy's Christmas present [not to worry, he's too busy to read my blog].  I mentioned in a previous post that he and his wife went on a Mediterranean Cruise for their 40th birthdays.  I thought it would be nice for all their pictures to be together for fast and easy access.  Since this book is a surprise gift, I couldn't ask details about all the places they went, so it required hours researching all the pictures.  Thank heavens for the Internet and Google!  By the time I finished, I felt like I had been on the cruise myself!  The book is 53 pages with 130 pictures.  Shutterfly sent me an e-mail today saying it will arrive tomorrow.  Very quick service!  Below is the cover.

Friday night my hubby bought tickets for us to go out to dinner and then see the 1954 movie, White Christmas, at the vintage Redford theater.  What a treat.  As the saying goes, all work and no play makes a person dull!  ;-)  It was a lovely evening.

As you probably know, the movie stars Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen, and features Irving Berlin's classic song, White Christmas.  They don't make movies like that anymore.

Next weekend they'll be showing It's a Wonderful Life.  I'd like to return for that, but I can't make it fit in the schedule.  

Below are some interior photos of the theater.

I LOVE the organ music that's played on the original Barton Theatre Pipe Organ before the movie begins and again at intermission.  At this time of the year it's Christmas songs and carols.   When the organist is done playing, the organ is lowered under the stage.

Last weekend Jeremy and his son, Landon, along with another friend, flew to Minneapolis, Minnesota to watch the Lions play the Vikings.  Quarterback Kirk Cousins played football at Michigan State during Jeremy's last year, and they became friends.  Kirk now plays for the Vikings, and they met up with him after the game.  We gave Landon a Cousins jersey for his birthday last month, so it was the perfect time to wear it.

The Vikings beat the Lions - 42 - 30 [no surprise there! ;-)]. Landon was thrilled to meet Kirk and Jeremy was glad to reconnect again.  It was definitely a weekend for making memories!

I love this father and son picture.

I will try to post at least once more before Christmas.  My gang will all be here on Christmas Eve, so things will be busy. 

Below is my 2019 Christmas Card that I had printed through Zazzle.  It's my wish for you!

Inside verse:

May your teapot overflow

with the blessings of Jesus

this Christmas Season and

throughout the New Year!