Christmas Bunco 2013~Favorite Things

Our Christmas Bunco is always so much fun and this year was no exception! We always combine November and December and have two hosts instead of one. Things get so hectic around the holidays that this seems to work out best for everyone. Plus, the anticipation builds for two months instead of one!

This year was hosted by Kristi and Lydia and they did an amazing job! Wonderful appetizers, an incredible dinner and a beautiful and delicious dessert. I must say that we always eat quite well at Bunco!!

Lydia served these delicious candy cane drinks ~ so festive !

Kristi made a wonderful dinner ~ a wonderful salad, corn cups, rice and chicken cordon bleu ~ everything tasted so good !

These desserts were so pretty and festive. A meringue base with whipped cream and fresh berries.

The girls did a "Favorite Things" theme with each of us bringing four of our favorite things with a limit of $5 each. Then we drew names and numbers and spread the gifts throughout the evening.

I wish I had gotten pictures of all the gifts, but I was too busy enjoying the moment !

Jolene and Carol ~

Annetta and Nancy ~

Deb and Lydia ~

Linda and Jolene ~

Karen and myself ~

Annetta and Carol ~

Karen, me, Nancy and Lee ~

Ellen, Annetta, Carol and Linda ~

Kristi and Ellen ~

Gifts of chocolate and ice cream ~

Soaps, lotions, coffee's and wine ~

Cards, mugs, and cocoa ~

Coffee cards, decorations and candles ~

Wonderful gifts, wonderful food, wonderful ladies, all who share the love of Jesus.

Friends, prayer warriors, mamas, amazing women !

I love you all ~ Merry Christmas Girls !

Bunco Christmas

Last night was our Christmas Bunco Party~such a wonderful time of fun, food, and friendship! It was a doozy...sooooo much fun and laughter! We have been together close to fifteen (maybe more) years and have such a blast with each other.

Linda, Ellen and Karen~

Annetta, Carol and Lydia~

 Elise, Nancy, Deb and Cher~

Lydia and myself~

Deb and Nancy were the hostesses for the evening and did a fabulous job! The main theme of the night was "A Minute to Win It" and I must say, that all of these ladies are VERY competitive!

First thing on the agenda, however, was a lovely Christmas Fashion Show, featuring Miss Deb.
Isn't she darling?

Nancy gave a lovely description of all she was wearing and doing, how she celebrates her holiday, etc...

Later, we had to guess what she wore, or revealed and write them all down. There were two winners to this game and I'm so thankful I was one of them...because there was a lot of work to the rest of the evening (and a little humiliation?!). I received a lovely prize and then got to watch the others compete for the remaining prizes.

The first competitors did a little warming up before competing...

Karen and Ellen had to toss marshmallows into a wreath-lined bucket...

Notice the intense concentration!

Ellen was the winner of that game!

Then it was time to thread the spool on the candy cane...

And after that, a little tree decorating, sans hands!

More ornaments on the clothes and jewelry than on the tree!

Puzzle assembly with Nancy and Annetta...


And the grand finale...trying to open the incredibly, difficult, wrapped packages...while wearing big, bulky, ski mittens.

Lydia has obviously played this game before...she ROCKED this game and got most of the prizes. There was no mercy with this girl!!

You got to keep the package until someone rolled doubles with the dice.

I kid you not, when I say that I NEVER got both mittens on before someone rolled doubles. Not one time. Nada.

Deb and Nancy put on a lovely spread of yummy appetizers, desserts and beverages.

Such a fun and wonderful evening! I'm totally stealing all of these ideas for Christmas!!!

The Week in Review

Crazy week here at the Stockman home! I'll work my way back as usually I forget where I'm going!

Last night I had Bunco at my house. For those of you who don't know Bunco, it's essentially ladie's poker night but with dice rather than cards. It's pretty mindless, unless you're keeping score, so it enables us to chat and visit and catch up with one-another. The core group has been together for almost 11 years and it is always a highlight of our month. There are 12 of us, so each of us hosts once a year. We all pay $10.00 and in turn get a full meal, including dessert and a great prize.
Last night I serverd chicken kabobs, garlic bread, fruit salad and a garden salad and for dessert had rhubarb-raspberry crisp with ice cream. Everything was so good and special thanks to hubby, the BB-Q master!!! We were feeling very chatty and decided to skip playing all together

We took a tour of the house, yard and garden , chatted with each other and just enjoyed the blessing of our friendships. Thanks ladies, for coming and especially for being such dear friends. I love you all!!

Got the rest of my garden planted this week. Brian worked hard getting it all rototilled for me and I got it strung and planted. It's always quite the thought process deciding where each thing should go. I try not to plant anything in the same place to give the soil a chance to heal and build itself back up.

Oop's! Meant to put the other half of the garden in, I'll try to add it but it will probably go to the top. My pics just aren't meant to be in order I guess!

Memorial Day weekend was beautiful! Brian did the canoe leg in Ski to Sea and he and his partner finished 47th out of 400 teams. Not bad for no practice!!! Brian has a bulging disc in his back which has been giving him a lot of grief , so the only way he'd consent to being on the Haggen team was if he didn't have to practice!!! He felt great and his back didn't bother him at all.

Went to the team party that night and enjoyed every one's stories. My favorite... his canoeing partner, an accountant for Haggen, plays in a blue grass band on the side. A lot!!! He plays Banjo and when his son is home, he joins him on the mandolin. I looove the mandolin. In fact, I own one, but have no clue how to play it!!! But now I'm a little more motivated! Oh, and Lynda has a Banjo. She also has no clue!!


Two exciting announcements:

My cousin's son, Nick, just got accepted into Harvard Law School!!! How awesome is that? Way to go Nick!!

My SIL Meagan, just got juried into a huge art/studio tour on Bainbridge Island in August. I'm so excited for her . She is so talented and has really been praying for God to open some doors for her so she can get her business off the ground. You can see some of her paintings at www.serenescene.blogspot.com. Take a look!

Last, but definitely not least, the Farmchicks ( http://www.thefarmchicks.com) is only a week away!!!! Lynda, Terry and I got together to work on our scrapbook from last years show. Lynda made a great peach pie and we had a grand old time!!! Karen is joining us this year and we can't wait to show her around!!!

Okay, so that wasn't the last thing! I'm also having a garage sale tomorrow!!!!! Still cleaning out the house, and the garage and the shop and have yet to price a thing!!! I think it will be a long night! Oh, and I've decided to post the garden later! Although every time I say I'll post "more pics later" I never do. Sorry!