Dinner, Presents and a Camel!

**Warning**
This post is long. Seriously. No, I mean, You know those Christmas letters you get that talk about each person in the family. Yep, the one with a paragraph about each member. A looonnnngggg paragraph. Now you're with me.

On Saturday our small group had it's annual Christmas Progressive Dinner. This year we started with appetizer's at Wayne's.
This is Ling & Karen. Doesn't Karen have a great smile?


Next we were at Judy's for salad.


And then on to Lynne & Dick's for the main course.
Here's Lynne showing us she is a cook and here's a shot of Dick too.

Aren't Scott & Stacey cute? Connie & Diane took some time to warm by the fire and catch up.



Next, it was on to our house for dessert and the white elephant gift exchange. For those of you who've been in our home, you'll be surprised to know there were 19...YES, 19 people in the living room Saturday night. Yep, we're a pretty close-knit group. As you can see, we filled every knook & cranny. ;)


White elephant gift exchanges can mean different things to different people, but 'round these parts, it means, wrap up the nastiest junk you possess or want to get rid of, something partially used, don't like, ugly, don't want or whatever....pretty much anything goes. It's good for getting rid of junk, but of course, you'll get some sort of junk in return.
Here are Lynne & Dick obtaining a 'pretty' brass apple...with a face.

Lots of laughter....always a good time.

Deb will now be tranquil and Jay...he's in BIG. TROUBLE. He left this lovely carrot pitcher at our house when he left for the evening. Paybacks Jay. Paybacks.



Here's Adam with his gift....an oreo gift pack. Now don't go gettin' all excited for us. It's Six Year's Old. See....anything goes. We ditched the oreos & kept the mugs.

Wayne won the Seraphim Award for the night. First, he drew the pretty little ditty on top, but then someone stole it from him so then he chose and unwrapped the gorgeous number on the bottom. Now, what more does one bachelor need?

Kevin got a rubber ducky & a load of bath supplies...how appropriate. =)

Thanks to Judy for hauling everyone around!


Oh yeah...here's something you don't see in Illinois everyday. This was just around the corner from Dick & Lynne's...

Luke 2:8-14 (New International Version)

The Shepherds and the Angels

8And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ^[a] the Lord. 12This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

13Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

** See... I told you it was long! =) A+ If you're still reading this!