It's hard to believe that one week from today is Christmas Eve. It has been a great season thus far and this week will be the "icing on thee cake." Our daughter and her boys will arrive Wednesday night and we will have our family Christmas on Friday evening. Since she lives 8+ hours away we have our Christmas whenever it works for her to be here. It's just what you do and it doesn't matter at all to me. What matters is that we're together and I think there have been a couple of times that she was unable to make it home for Christmas and we went to them after Christmas. We just make it work.
I am generally prepared well in advance for Christmas and that leaves me with plenty of time to enjoy the season. I do not do well having to hurry or feeling rushed. I try to plan ahead and then work my plan. This year it has worked and I've enjoyed and am still enjoying the season.
The first week of December I invited all the ladies in our neighborhood over for dessert one afternoon. We all (there are 10 families) live here on what is known as "the hill" so I have named us "the ladies of the hill." Even though we are neighbors, we rarely ever visit with each other, it's more a wave as we drive by. So, this was a fun time time of actually visiting and enjoying each other's company. I'm thinking it may be an annual event.
This past week the Formidible Women got together for lunch. If you've been reading my blog for very long then you know this group was formed over 20 years ago to celebrate each other's birthday. We are definitely a force to be reckoned with but I can guarantee that you would want us on your side if the occasion arose. Yes, we are formidible women!
And, in-between holiday fun I took my sweet Daddy for his holiday pedicure. I take him every 6 weeks and it is something that he thoroughly enjoys. He doesn't have a lot of pleasures in life any longer, so as long as he is able to go and get in the pedicure chair, I will be taking him. The gals at the salon are so sweet to him.
This past Friday I enjoyed "lunching" with some of my church friends at our local Italian Bistro and then doing a little retail therapy. They had never scouted out our town square so I did the honors. Amazingly enough, no one went home empty handed. ~smile~
This past Saturday evening we attended the Christmas wedding of a young man that we have known since he was born. And, we are close friends with his Grandparents and we've known his Momma for most of her life as well. They are a precious couple who are enjoying a honeymoon in NYC.
Most Sundays we enjoy the buffet at our country club. They do an exceptional job of decorating for the holidays and Rod Allen always does the most beautiful job of entertaining us at the piano while we eat. Yesterday we enjoyed eating with Tommy's cousin and his wife who are also our dear friends as well. It was the perfect start to a new week.
I had to include this picture of Coleman with their last Corgi puppy from their last litter. Our daughter and her family raise and breed Corgi's and Coleman falls in love with everyone of them. He plays with them as soon as they are big enough and he has withdrawal when they are all gone to their new homes. Several of their recent litters are going to be Christmas presents.
For the first time since I can remember I did not send Christmas cards this year. I just decided I wouldn't and I will rethink it for next year. They are definitely a whole lot of work, especially if you do a photo card. There's getting just the right pictures, picking out just the right design and ordering them, addressing them, stamping them and sealing them. Plus, they are soooo expensive, even if they are on sale and it's 48 cents to mail them. Anyway, consider this my Christmas card to you.
I will be taking a blog break the remainder of this week but will be back after our Christmas to share our fun with you.
Blessings abundant to you as we celebrate our Savior's birth.
You are not alone in the Christmas card department! I haven't sent them in the last few years just because I can never get a picture that I can be proud to put on a card! Ha! I recognize some of those faces from your time with friends! Love, love, love the square in Bastrop! Merry Christmas, Lea!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas, Lea! You have had some great celebrations this week. That is so wonderful to do a neighborhood ladies lunch. Our area is the same way with a quick wave and not much conversation. The country club looks fabulous, and who could resist a Corgi puppy. I felt the same way about Christmas cards this year. Last year, the number of cards we received went down drastically so many people must be thinking the same thing. I will probably send them out for the next few years until the kids finish high school and then give it a rest.
ReplyDeleteLea, you've been busy! Its nice that you take your Daddy for pedicures. My hubby's Papa is 94 and he gets regular pedicures too. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2019.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on not rushing the season and enjoying it. I was finished by Thanksgiving and now we are going on a short winter/snow vacation for two days!
ReplyDeleteI'm admiring your coat (shopping trip with church friends). It is so elegant on you.
Your dad is blessed to have you attend to him.
My heart is absolutely overflowing with joy for you after reading this sweet post! I'm so glad that you've been able to enjoy fellowship and fun with friends, neighbors, your dad, and have much more family time to come with your daughter and her family visiting soon! So glad you're savoring the season! Enjoy your precious family time and celebrating our Savior! Merriest Christmas wishes to you and yours, dear one!! xoxo!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas - enjoy the holidays!
ReplyDeleteColeman and those puppies... oh my goodness!! You have had a great week, full of fun and love and lots of good food! 'Tis the season!! Nice that you could work in an early Christmas celebration with your daughter and grands! You are right... it doesn't matter when, only with whom!
ReplyDeleteYour Christmas photo card via blog is just fine with me, and it's so cute! Yes, finding a suitable photo, coordinating it with the right card design, etc, etc etc is a lot of effort. I got my cards ordered and received way back in early September! (unusually early for me).
ReplyDeleteThe Corgis are so cute. Animals definitely play a big part in Bridget's family life. Such fun!
And all of your friends -- they are beautiful women.
Enjoy your week celebrating Christmas!
Both Coleman and the corgi are adorable! Sounds like you had a seriously full week! What a wonderful luncheon with all of those formidable women! I so wish I lived closer to you. Yes your country club really does do a great job of decorating… That looks beautiful! My family does the same and we kind of work around each other and come up with a day to call Christmas. This year it's going to be the Sunday before Christmas. I wish you and your family safe trip here and a Merry merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteOh sweet Coleman and the pup, I bet it is hard to say goodbye but great lessons about life. Your girl comes home tomorrow!! yay! So glad your daddy can still engage in simple and sweet pleasure of life, I do bet the salon ladies do love him and you! Love all your festive tops!! Have the sweetest time with your family dear friend!! Lots of hugs!
ReplyDeleteSo many sweet holiday moments. I love how you invest in your friendships! We didn't do Christmas cards this year either.
ReplyDeleteI stopped sending Christmas cards quite a few years ago and yes, there have been a few times when I have reconsidered...but I haven't quite yet! Yes, they are a lot of work and $$. I do send a few on special occasions still. May you and your family have a wonderful Christmas celebration this week...mine are coming in too from TN and we will having our Christmas on Friday AND Saturday! Merry Christmas to you and yours, dear Lea!
ReplyDeleteI still love to send and receive cards, but they are expensive. I guess when I stop to calculate it's less than buying a card in the store and I enjoy them so much. Baby boys and puppies! So cute! I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas. Enjoy celebrating with your daughter and her family. We do what we need to when our kids live a distance.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed all of your pictures and I love seeing your Daddy! Have a blessed Christmas dear friend. Busy days around here. HUGS!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas Lea! I'm like you . . . I prefer to get everything finished early so I can really do things I enjoy in the weeks leading up to Christmas. I've so often thought about doing a tea for the neighbor ladies. Several of us talk often but several are in the "smile and wave" category. I gave up on the cards a few years ago. I used to make them and again, it just took so much time to make them even if I started in September or October!
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed all the wonderful pictures. I know you are anticipating your daughter and family and you all will have a great time. I too like to get things done as early as I can so I will not be rushed and stressed as well. Oh I quit sending Christmas cards out a long time ago. Now there are a few I send but very few. I wish you and your a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year. Hugs and blessings, Cindy
ReplyDeleteHow exciting to be celebrating with your daughter and her boys. I agree, the day doesn't matter as long as you can celebrate together. I always try to be ready early but that didn't happen this year. First time, I normally get sick after Christmas not before. That was nice of you to have the ladies over. Glad you got to have your lunch too with your group of Formidible Woman. How awesome taking your dad for his pedicure. Oh my, a wedding too! You have been so busy. If I was ready early I would have nothing to do but go to the show. Those are such sweet photos of Coleman.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas Lea! I don't blog anymore but still read a couple of blogs regularly, yours being one of them :)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to have a sweet group of neighbors. I REALLY miss that. I don’t have it in our current neighborhood. I hope you had a wonderful time celebrating with your daughter tonight. Your grandson is precious with the puppy. And I just adore that you take your sweet daddy for pedicures. He’s cute as a button❤️ Have a Merry Christmas lea! XO
ReplyDeleteAren't holidays the best? I hope that you and your family have a very Merry Christmas and Happy, healthy New Year, dear Lea!
ReplyDeleteYou sure have been busy! This has been somewhat of a quiet Christmas season for us...granddaughter was here with me all week sick, but thankfully she's better now. Went to visit our mothers yesterday and had Christmas with them. I will be busy tomorrow planning for our big Christmas family breakfast and then will attend services at church. On Tuesday it will be over in a flash!!! Hope you and yours have the loveliest of holidays.
ReplyDelete