The Office Christmas Party

One of my favorite activities in December is going to our office Christmas party.  I love picking out just the right gifts for my boss, his wife, and my co-workers...and I really love wrapping the gifts up in pretty paper, ribbons and bows!  

Here's my "gifts to give" piled up near my front door...ready to be loaded into my car.

For the past several years we've had our dinners at the home of my boss, Geoff, and his wife, Peggy.  It's such a pretty home...a little bit of snow, and you'd have the perfect Christmas card!

Dinner was served in this cozy dining room....grilled pork loin and homemade mac & cheese among other things.  So yummy!

Geoff's son made each of us these wonderful snowmen!

And Peggy made us these amazing coconut cake, 
and a delicious apple pie (it's hidden under the foil)!
Notice the red and white checks in the background?

Here's a better look!
Love this cozy corner!!

A toasty fire waited for us.  More of Greg's handiwork is in here. The mantle, and the birds and ship on it, and that beautiful coffee table!  The photo doesn't do it justice.  It's made out of two planks of wood and a set of old sewing machine legs.  

It's perfect in this room!

The tree is so pretty...I love seeing ornaments I've given them hanging on the branches.  
I also like to get ideas from other ornaments hanging there.

Like this angel...I love her wings. 

A doily folded in half. So sweet!

I gave Peggy this little felted sheep several years ago.

Another friend gave her this pig...I LOVE this pig! 

Every pig needs a polka dot sweater!

Speaking of sweaters.....how cute is this one!  Peggy found several of these at a little coffee shop.  

I can see bits of three other ornaments I've given her in this photo.  A silver vase, a paper mache star with baby Jesus on it, and a creamy, white mitten.

And here's the most important part of the evening...the people.

This is the current office staff.

Geoff, Jennifer, Regina, Mike, and me.

Definitely a fun group of people!!

First of all...this is black and white because I couldn't get the color edited correctly.  

Secondly, this is the office staff as we began the year.  

Four of us.  The same four that have been together for seven years.  Joan retired the end of June.  We were happy to have her back with us for our Christmas party!

I'm so blessed to work with such nice people!!

Here's a peek at last year's party.
And here's a photo of Peggy and Greg....a little grainy, but special just the same!

It was a wonderful office party!

Speaking of parties...there's another reason to celebrate today.
It's my daughter-in-law Johanna's birthday!!
Happy birthday to you!!
Hope you have a wonderful day!!

Happy Birthday x 2!

Today this sweet girl is six!!

Happy Birthday to Charlotte!!

 

Last Saturday, she and her little sister Lulu had a birthday party at their house. Momma (Katie) loves to plan parties for her girls and this time was no exception!

Bet you can't guess the theme!  It's all about pink and flamingos!

Even Fletcher joined in the fun. I love his pink flamingo outfit!!

There were photos of each of the girls, from the past year.  

Charlotte on the left and Lulu on the right.

The cake was yummy...white cake with raspberry filling, plus raspberries mixed into the frosting, and pink flamingo swizzle sticks on top.  

There were Pink Peeps (aka "sitting flamingos") too!

There were flamingos everywhere!

  

 

 

Lulu loved her share of the balloons!

 

Hand print flamingos were the planned craft....not all crafts came out as planned. 

But they all came out beautiful!

Everyone was encouraged to wear pink (or orange if you thought you were too manly for pink). I love that everyone joined in.  Katie and Mark have a yard made for playing in...and that's exactly what everyone did!  Dodge ball, a tunnel and castles, a pinata, and lots of balls.  The "littles" ate their dinner on the blankets that were spread out on the lawn.

At one point during the party, Charlotte went inside and returned dressed as "an old lady"...complete with cane. She said the boys were bugging her, and she knew 

they wouldn't bug an old lady!  She's such a hoot!

There's that cake again...Yum! 

(Yes, that's me with the camera. Thanks for this photo Katie...I think!)

After the cake, both of the girls opened their gifts! So many fun things!! 

(flamingo glasses were one of the party favors...of course!)  

Charlotte said that a Flamingo party was just what she wanted!!  She had the very best time!!

Tonight she is going out for dinner to celebrate her actual birthday. She got to choose where.  Her choice.....Arbys!

She's such a fun little girl!!  Actually (her favorite word right now) I guess she's really not so little...she's growing up way to fast!!  I love you sweet girl!!

Today is also my son Kevin's birthday.

(poor guy, doesn't even get his own blog post!)

For six years now, he has shared his birthday with Charlotte. 

He's such a good uncle!!

He's also a pretty nice son!!

I hope you have a wonderful day Kevin!

Love you lots!!

Two Special Birthdays

Today we're celebrating birthdays for TWO people I love! 

My oldest son Kevin and my oldest granddaughter Charlotte.

 

Happy Birthday to both of you!!!

I hope today is extra special!!

 

Charlotte "posing" with Grandpa before her party (May 5th) began.

See  Pascal, the chameleon?  He's a clue to the theme of Charlotte's party.

It's a "Tangled" party.  I love the cake Katie made! 
She got the idea on Pinterest.

Family friend, Regina, offered to braid hair at the party.  That made some little girls very happy!

Charlotte insisted on being barefoot...'cause "Rapunzel doesn't wear shoes!"

A fun game...."tangling" some of the Dads in crepe paper hair!!

Kevin looks happy to have escaped a role in this game.

Lanterns are a special part of the "Tangled" story. There were a lot of them hanging about,
and the little girls got to decorate their own as well.

One blow....and all the candles were out!

Love this cake!!

Momma and Daddy got Charlotte a bike.  She'll be wearing her helmut in the future.

Gramma and Grandpa got her a doctor coat. 
Her name is on the pocket under her hand
She wore the coat to the hospital when she visitied Lulu!

What a good uncle....poor guy, his birthday has never been the same
since Charlotte, "the birthday stealer", came along!!

 

Love you both!!