Christmas Party

We enjoyed a nice gathering of folks Saturday evening.  We weren't sure if people would be up to coming out considering the weather, but it worked out really well.  Thankfully, we were scheduled for Saturday night, not Friday night, when the storm hit!  :)  It is always fun to spend time with wonderful folks - visiting, eating and enjoying one anothers company.

Below are several photos, but you can see an entire album by clicking here.  

Jane and Katherine...

Julie, Jane and Katherine...

Then we added Hena to the mix...

Then Hena added me!

Anna came into the room and wanted in the photo...

Finally, we grabbed Matthew, too!  :)

This may be my favorite photo of the party… or of the year!  :)

Jeremy, Marvin and Erick

Mary Lee, Julie, Matt and Rick

Karen, Brian, Brinda and Tim

Elsa and Rich

Erin, Anna, Nancy and Julie

I have to tell you about the wonderful gift that Nancy (in photo above) brought me this evening!  She had asked me awhile back whether I had one of the collectable plates from the 100th anniversary of the university.  The answer was, no, I didn't have one and had always wanted one.  Well, she located one at a sale and purchased it, then brought it to me Saturday night!  What a treasured gift!!  Thank you so much, Nancy!!  :)

My special plate from Nancy P.!!!

Alaina, Jonathan and Aviel

Melina, Cody, Aaron, Jeff and Jackson (can't believe I missed getting Megan in the photo!)

group in the basement

It was Emma's birthday!

Jonathan gave Cody his Minecraft costume that he made.  :)

Maddy, Erica and Leah

Victor, Dean and Andrea

Julie and Hena

Elaine, Glen and Matthew

Daddy, Shana and Mama

Aaron, Miles, Deb and Bryan

Victor, Tyler, Jeremy, Shonda, Alaina and Jonathan

A note about the below photo… when I was a little girl my Grandmother Jewell made stockings for me, my brother and my sister.  You can see my original stocking in the photo below right.  When we moved back to town in 1996 I was able to reconnect with Trish and discovered she knitted.  I asked her then if she could possibly recreate the family stocking so that we could include all the 'newer' members of the family.  Ever since then dear Trish has made a stocking for each new child born and for each newly 'married into' family member.  What a wonderful friend to help us continue this cherished tradition!!

Trish and the stockings

Chris, Alicia, Marvin and Shonda

Although Brianna had to work the night of the Christmas party, she was able to slip in for the last few minutes.  Long enough to have her picture taken with this group!  :D

Anna, Matthew, Pradip, Jonathan, Jackson and Brianna