Annual Friend Christmas Party, PEACE ON EARTH

 The theme for this years 2013 Christmas Party was
 Peace On Earth.  

It was a beautiful setting for our party,  like a white wonderland with fresh snow.   

 Just a few pictures of decorations and our table set with advent wreath

 and goodies for the party guests.  

 There was sloppy joe's,  sausage and sour-crout, jello, little smokes, chips, Ham ball and crackers, and lots of cookies, tea, wine, hot chocolate etc.

 We each had a number and made up a word to fit the 12 days of Christmas my good friends gave to me.   Some turned out rather hilarious like the hairless cats, crying babies, homely dogs, box's of chocolate and mandolins. We all had a good laugh as we sang the finished song.

The gift opening of the anonymous gifts was fun like usual. Below was one of the unique gifts to fit the theme of Peace on Earth.  

 Jim got the traveling gift that has been passed along for about 13 years now.  It started as a yellow patio Bee and was given as a white Elephant gift in 20002.  It has been a ball to see what that YELLOW BEE would turn into for each years theme.  I had the Bee this year so I created a white Dove of Peace and added a pewter ornament to the center that said CHRISTMAS PEACE.

Way at the end of the party we decided to take a few pictures of friends/couples.   

The "BEE"  as a Dove of Peace.   

 Below was last year, 2012, made by Rich for the theme. 

OLD FASHIONED CHRISTMAS.   He made this old fashioned truck and the "BEE"  had all these evergreen pieces glued to it to  make the cut Christmas tree in the back of the truck.     

Jeff Falin created this beautiful JOY out of the "BEE" 

to go with the

 2011 Christmas Party theme of JOY TO THE WORLD.   

He had gotten the traveling "BEE GIFT" at our

 2010 WHITE ELEPHANT party.  I think Rich did an excellent job of turning it into a Elephant. He helped Rogene create it since she is the one who actually got the "BEE" in 2009.  

2009 the theme for our Christmas party was

 LET IT SNOW.  LET IT SNOW,  LET IT SNOW

You can see how the "BEE" was changed into a beautiful SNOW MAN.

 2008 the theme was SOUND OF MUSIC. The BEE had been changed into a Angel and had a music box in the head.   

   

     The theme for 2007 was LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE

            The BEE  had a glow stick in the center and had a

 Bible Verse written on it. You are the light of the world,  Let your light so shine before man, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

 2006 our party theme was  WINGS.   You can see the traveling gift "BEE" had been transformed into a Jet Airplane.

Can we even imagine the many hours that has been devoted to transforming this "BEE" garden candle or yard decoration.  

It will be very interesting to see what it will look like next year.  The 2014 Christmas party theme has already been chosen,  it will be ,   WE THREE KINGS.      

Then even looking forward to 2015,  the theme of our party will be   WHAT IN THE HECK IS THIS!   Who knows what weird odd things will be delightfully wrapped for that party.    

Knee replacement for my husband.

My husband Jeff had total knee replacement surgery on Nov 18th 2013.  He did well in the surgery and the Surgeon was well pleased with everything.   

  He was even eating his first meal at 5 PM. 

This is a really neat contraption and it did not take long for the nurses and physical therapist to get this on his leg.  It kept the knee in motion,  very slow and low % of bend at first and with each 90 minute session, about 4 per day, it was increased.   When the bending machine was off, the ice was on to take down the swelling. 

The surgery was on Monday at 9 AM and he was discharged to come home on Thursday at noon.  He was sent home with a lot of instructions, good pain killers and many appointments for upcoming physical therapy. 

 Nov 21st picture of his knee without bandages
 to see the many staples.

 This is X-ray of the new knee with the stapels still in place. 

 That open space in knee is where the plastic piece for cartilage replacement is,  It just dose not show on the X-ray.

This is a special card that Jeff got from a close friend,  5 years old.  Her and her family came to visit 

just a few days after Jeff got home.   

 YEA,  YEA,  YEA,  two weeks and one day after surgery,  Jeff was overjoyed to get the stiff, poky staples taken out. The roads were snow covered, windy, cold and slick but at this point nothing was about to stop us.   The post op appointment went well and the surgeon was well pleased with the healing, the way it looked and the percentage of bend.  

I thought the very long hall ways at the VA hospital were therapy enough but after walking two long halls and another about half this long to get to therapy, he still got a good 30 to 40 minute workout. He had therapy 3 times per week and has just now finished and had his 6 week post op.check up and X-ray.   

 Great report from the post op appointment and things are going even better than  expected.  

 

This is the X-ray from this week.   Looking great and getting better every day.   It is so amazing what progress has taken place in the medical field.  God has given much knowledge and wisdom to the Doctors, nurses and surgeons.         

OH GIVE THANKS UNTO THE LORD, FOR HE IS GOOD AND HIS MERCY'S ENDURE FOREVER.   AMEN

SWEET SIXTEEN SURPRISE

It was 5 days after her actual 16th Birthday so there was not even a clue that something grand was to happen on Sunday Nov 3.  Her good friend had been visiting from the Eastern part of SD and I and Papa were there of course.  These were all normal Birthday treats for Adriana.  After Sunday Church and the noon meal,  her father took her, her friend, and two younger siblings to the regularly scheduled Ninjitsu class. 
This gave us at home a full TWO HOURS to make this Alice in Wonderland theme surprise party a go.

Some one frosted and finished up the fancy cup cakes,  tied cute  Eat Me and Drink Me tags on many fancy large and small bottles, jars, trays and cups.  We made minature popcorn balls on a stick,  Miniature cherry and apple pies, and cake/strawberry skewers.     

 Everyone, even the 5 yr old got busy setting the table, hanging streamers, hanging posters, placing balloons and numerous other fun preparations and decorating.

 

And there we go, READY!  Only a few minutes and she would back from her class.

 And a little after 4 PM,  there is the Birthday girl, fully surprised and asking everyone if they knew about it and how they kept it a secret from her.  

 This is a short video to show what it looked like.

 SHE'S AMAZED AND CAN'T BELIEVE THE AWESOME FOOD, DRINKS, DECORATIONS AND FUN ALICE IN WONDERLAND THEME.

Playing Cards and old ribbons strung for theme garland.

 

 Friendship is great.
A Blessing From      God.