December 2017 recap

 I'm positive that there is too much to recap all in one post, but I'm gonna try because I don't think I'll have another chance. . .

I tried a pre-Christmas post a week or more ago and when I couldn't get my first picture (to the side) to turn I gave up. . .and then all of our Christmases happened -- our family, the cousins, the Bells, and the Grandparents.  We actually have one more to go tomorrow with our framily, the Maxwells.

December 2017 is definitely one to remember.  Tom and I headed to my work party to kick off the season on November 30th.  It was really a client holiday party, but spouses were encouraged to attend.  I'm glad he got to meet all the great people I work with :)  It was a nice night and I'm happy to be gaining so much experience in a different field.

Two nights later we had Tom's Christmas party -- it was a little more formal and I always look forward to the fun of dressing up a bit.

Unfortunately it was not the greatest party we would attend (it's generally a little more fun/active) but it was really nice that my friend, Tom's boss's wife, was there this year.  

The very next night we had our church Christmas concert.  It was definitely a full weekend of Christmas cheer!!













Believe it or not, Margaret was also playing in a soccer tournament in Gatlinburg that weekend also. . .Saturday we were able to go watch her play her first game -- and it was warm (enough) to have a picnic lunch outside afterwards :)  Grandpa Foster was with us because he wanted to attend our church's concert -- bonus that he got to see Margaret play!

We missed her second game Saturday but then Tom was able to take her Sunday for her final game (Frederick helps in the 4th grade class teaching Sunday School so one of us had to stay behind for him).  Her team WON the tournament that day!!!  What an exciting way to start her 2018 travel soccer season!



















At work we were collecting gifts for a local Children Advocacy Center as well as Toys for Tots.  This was our office for an entire week:

 Our clients were all so super generous -- we collected well over 100 toys, games, books, etc. for these organizations.  It was a lot of fun!

We still had one more event on the December calendar at work for me. . .and Marie was paid to cater it!  She did a fantastic job. . .everyone complimented the food many times -- it was a lot of work and a lesson in planning, preparation, and transporting/set-up for sure.

• 
• The event was held at a museum on the University of Tennessee campus.  

 After the food and wine reception, we were invited to join the clients for a presentation of A Christmas Carol at the Clarence Brown Theatre.  I believe it was the best one I have ever seen. 

The greatest part was working with and spending time with my oldest daughter -- I am so proud of her and her hard work and effort. 

And love that she loves live theatre as much as I do :)

 Another December/January favorite of mine (because I'm sure it won't come down until February) is the village that Marie puts together for me every year.  It was "my" village for a long time but over the years the collected pieces have become "hers" -- the nativity with star was her new piece this year -- and she takes full responsibility for it. 

She said that she didn't even get all the pieces out this year because she didn't have room for them all!

This was Thomas's first official night home from school -- it was SO GOOD to have him under our roof again.  Tom came into the room and asked if anyone had homework or studying to do -- after all, everyone else was still in school!  It felt a little like a party that night though :)

This kid is AWESOME.  He decided to make pens for most of his relatives and two of his friends this year.  Super-Tommy picked him up from the bus stop one day and took him to the store to get the materials and then spent hours and hours with him turning and assembling the pens.  

They turned out great!!!  He had them engraved at a local place when he finished them.  Last year he made one for each of his teachers as a year-end gift.  

There is Super-Tommy with his wife, Barbara, (our framily down the street) and us before heading out to the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra's Christmas concert.  It was a highlight and I hope we can work it out to take the entire family next year.  An absolute incredible production that I'm so glad we didn't miss.  

We all miss Marla!!!  Our family was surprised by a box from Germany a couple weeks before Christmas.  We had sent her one earlier in the month. . .we weren't expecting one from her wonderful family though :)  We hope very much for a reunion this spring/summer as they are planning to come to the States.

We celebrated our family Christmas (just the 6 of  us) the Tuesday everyone got out of school.  It was the only night that everyone was going to be home without practice or other parties.

Each family member was responsible for a dinner dish -- Frederick did the onions and mushrooms, Marie took care of the twice-baked potatoes, Frederick also made the salad, Margaret the peanut butter pie, Tom did an excellent job on the meat and I prepared the asparagus.  I think Thomas poured the milk or set the table. . .we gave him a "pass" since he was working full-time in the shop at Tom's office on his 2-week break.

It was an amazing meal followed by rare precious time together. . .doesn't our room look cozy and festive?  (Yes, the holiday decor was minimal this year. . .)

I wrapped all the gifts differently and did not put tags on them. . .they had to pass them around and I would say how many were correct.  We went through several rounds until Tom got hold of the situation and showed the kids how to work with logic -- here they are with all the "right" presents :)

For Tom, I made one of those Facebook photo books they advertise using your posts from the year (I actually did it this summer!) -- it was all of my Pictures of the Day from 2016.  Frederick got his coveted North Face jacket from us and here Thomas is modeling the pullover that Frederick gave him.

Frederick and Marie went in together to get Margaret a cable-knit sweater -- her main wishlist this Christmas were clothes.

Margaret bought her sister a chauffeur hat, since that is about all she does when she's not at school or at practice. . .

 The girls bought me a beautiful sweater that I had admired at the store -- and I'm wearing a long-sleeved T that Frederick had given me :)

 Our tree was full of cards from Uncle Brad and Aunt Kristin in Florida so we Facetimed them to open the envelopes.

 Tom and I each received new tennis bags -- yea!!  I wasn't expecting mine :)  The boys bought Tom's for him.  As our Christmases went on, we each received lessons, tuition for a winter clinic (each), and some cardio packages that our tennis club was offering.  Time to get back on the courts!!!

 I love this picture. . .we debate stockings every year -- this year I gave myself a budget and made sure there were four gifts each in them. . .gift cards, bracelets, candy, etc.  They were a fun little bonus :)

 The dog pretty much slept through all the excitement in front of the fire. . .(ugh, another picture that won't turn!)

 Lastly, before we headed to Ohio for the "rest" of Christmas, we had a fun little thing at our office.

The partners blocked out 2.5 hours on the Wednesday before Christmas when we were to meet at the mall at 11:15 a.m.  Once there, we were given "lunch money" and all got what we wanted at the food court and sat together to eat.  One of the partners then gave us each a card with cash in it with the instruction being "you have one hour to spend this money on yourself!" -- go!

We re-assembled at the office for "show and tell" (I bought a kitchen knife I have wanted for a long, long time, some earrings, and a scarf) and to eat dessert together before going back to a "regular day at the office".  We (the assistants) also gave the partners gifts -- golf balls, personalized name tags, and a gift Tom and I made for Ali -- her old company's table runner framed.

Tom did such an excellent job helping me with this. . .in the picture, though, I see that it is not adhered as well as I would like -- we might have to see if we can fix that.  Ideally I would have put the years of her company on it too but ran out of time/inspiration/stamina.  

When Tom and I got off work on Friday the 22nd we headed "home" -- those pictures (except for the one at the top of all of us at another incredible Christmas concert on the 23rd) will have to wait. . .it was certainly a month to remember. . .lots of good food, great fellowship, "perfect" gifts, family and friends.  Believe it or not, the 23rd-27th were just as full as the 30th-20th!!

Happy New Year!

Jenni