Holiday Time Out at Jackie

The Thursday before Christmas I had a brief grown-up time out.  Jackie was having a Christmas party that started at 6pm.  That was doable!  Anything between about 7:30 to 9 is out of the question right now with Ellie's before bed feeding and bedtime with all the kids.   Todd has been working late so I got Bobby to come down at 5:45 so I could go for an hour,  I hopped into the car and arrived early and figured I knock and volunteer to help.   It's easy to say our friendship was at least partially built on event planning and preparation :), so why not?   Set to work cutting ham and relaxed by the fact I didn't have to keep on eye on any kids.  Me, arriving early and not drinking is a long cry from when her and I met!  There's the hostess stirring up homemade hot chocolate in her kitchen, which I love.  Perfect for entertaining and cozy for family.  She also has a servant's kitchen in the back ....  that leads to her sun room.  Here's Quinten....he made some great punch.  Kids always willing to let me take his photo.  He's really interesting and thinks things through.  And has a sense of humor.  I mean, check out his hat!

This was mostly co-workers from the college.  I think this woman's name is Allison.  I think she just friended me on Facebook.  This picture is hilarious.  That's old dirty Jay in the back.  He's a kind of retired professor at the college who worked with Residence Life for some time and him and I hit it off (of course) and he always has something to say to make me laugh and the occasional dirty proposition.  He always tells me I have beautiful kids and I always tell him they're his.

Potluck spread.

Of course, I'm always trying to get a great picture of Annaleise.  How could I not?  I was sitting next to her and her fathet and she was holding a book, Brown Bear.  She was shocked that I would read the page in front of her and start to read the next without her turning it and would turn to check and see if I had "guessed" right and would get all surprised.  She's pretty clever for a 14 month old. This is one of Adam's favorite books.  But apparently, it won her over.

..because when I went into the back sunroom with my camera, Annaleise smiled and walked towards me!  I've been working on her and I think my book "trick" my have done it.  Or she recognized my camera.  ha.  I cannot believe how fast she is growing up.

I was supposed to leave at seven, but got held up discussing schools with Shelly from the college for a few minutes.  She's got a daughter Adam's age and she's debating Trinity next year.  Same debate we have.  But we plan on going ahead with it, at least for a year or two.  I had a couple of appetizers, chatted with Renee, an old boss at residence life and went home.  Nothing exciting...but even though there were kids there, it was a grown-up conversation time out I needed.