Party Time

This weekend was Charming's family Christmas parties. Saturday night was our biannual shindig thrown by my dear mother-in-love. The theme was "Glitter." I loaned dear m-i-l the tiara that Forget-me-not wore at her wedding. It is "real" rhinestones:
You may notice that Mom is wearing a banner that says "Miss Cassopolis 1953." I decided that we needed to bring back the Glory Days, and made her a new banner. Miss Darl was a reluctant beauty queen--she is known as the jeans-wearin', goin' fishin', tool-totin' Grandma. Her mother asked her to enter the contest. She showed up for practice in jeans, and they sent her home to put on a skirt. (so-o-o 1953, isn't it?)She borrowed a formal for the event, and her comment is, "if I had known I would win, I'd have bought a new one myself!"
You may notice my daughter Violet on the right. (Charming's only brother is in the middle.) This party has always been for Darl's own children and spouses. When Violet was about 14, she asked Grandma when she would be old enough to come to the adult party--Grandma said, "never!" It is her one thing with her own children. So Violet (who had borrowed *my* rhinestones to wear in a wedding) took the opportunity to bring my "glitter" directly to the party, to see the mysterious happenings. We made her leave after appetizers....

but I did take the opportunity to get a fabulous photo of Violet with her Daddy.

A great time was had by all. Food, music, conversation--what it's all about. I made little recipe books of some family recipes hand-picked by Darl to give as gifts. Now we all have the recipes for some of the legendary dishes. Some of the recipes were really old, though, as you would expect. One recipe called for "a large lump of butter." Another called for "some cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt," and many of them had no instructions at all. Thank goodness I've been cooking for awhile, or I'd have been lost.

Sunday morning, Charming's dad and wife had a brunch for the entire family. I saw Violet again, and this time she was allowed to stay! I got to see my brand-new grand-niece. This new generation (of my grandchildren and grand-nieces and nephews) is going to be different of that of my children and their cousins. In that generation, only six of twenty-one are girls; 15 boys. The newest generation has nine so far, and it is 5 girls/4 boys already. Four of this generation were born this year--our family is growing!

After supper tonight, my grandkids are coming over to make cut-out cookies. I've just finished the dough, and put it in to chill. Then I'm off to take Alvin Fernald to finish shopping--I finished last week, and took Blackeyed Susan yesterday to finish hers. YEAH!! Then all I have to do is a grocery run, 'long about Friday. Oh yeah, there's All That Wrapping to Finish, Too.

Have a blessed day, doing whatever preparations you are doing today. May the Lord prepare our hearts as well, for this blessed celebration!