grandparent party

We are so blessed to live so close to so many of our relatives.  My girls have all of their grandparents within 45 miles...and even a great-grandmother (one great-grandma lives in a different state).  We see them often.  Usually it is in large groups with lots of cousins, aunts and uncles around.  The kids tend to run off and play and don't sit and visit as much as they do in small groups.  So we invited all of our local grandparents to a Christmas dinner party at our house.

We served:

roast beef

mashed potatoes

homemade rolls 

(the first time I can ever remember making them!)

a green salad

(with pomegranate, pistachios, grapefruit, and shredded carrots and a lemon dressing)

carrot cake for dessert

It was a busy afternoon...but worth every minute to have them with us at our table.  It felt good to serve them just a little bit.  They have done and continue to do so much for us.  After dinner we performed the Christmas songs we have been learning and asked them to sing a long with us.

Sophie-  Jolly Old St. Nicholas

Kate-   Jingle Bells

Ellie-  Oh Come All Ye Faithful

me...with Kate accompanying-  Sleep Well Little Children

group-  Away In A Manger

After the music we gave them each a gift.  The grandfather's received the Lower Lights Christmas CD.  The grandmother's received books that reminded us of them.  Great-grandma received a dvd- My Fair Lady (she is a fair lady).  My sweet friend also made Christmas holly pins for each of the grandmothers.

It was such a sweet evening for us.  We asked each of them as we visited what their favorite Christmas memory was--

Nana Miller-  She said that as a young girl, she worried herself sick every Christmas about whether she would not receive what she hoped for Christmas morning.  One year in particular...she felt ill from worry on Christmas Eve.  She woke up that next morning with all that she hoped for...and a special doll with a beautiful coral dress handmade my her mother.

Papa Miller-  "besides turkey & stuffing?"

Great-grandma-  She remembered last Christmas.  She had beautiful quilts made for each of us...grandchildren and great grandchildren.  She loved seeing them in her living room rolling up and cozy each in their own quilt.

Grandma Sally-  She remembered receiving a beautiful doll from her sister, who was quite a bit older than her, with beautiful outfits for the doll.  She also remembered an ice skating outfit.  It had a beautiful full skirt with pom-poms along the bottom.  She remembers ice skating with cousins on the lake that Christmas.

Grandpa Davis- He remembered the year that he and his brother received skis.  He was so surprised.  He remembers finding a hill and skiing that day.  He loved skiing and eventually worked on ski patrol at what is now Sundance.

After the party was over I asked the girls what their favorite part of the day was.
Ellie- playing our songs and watching them open their presents
Kate- Carrot cake
(her first time trying it!)
Sophie-receiving Christmas treat bags filled with tiny toys and stickers from Grandma Sally

We are so grateful for these special people in our lives.  We hope they will come every year to celebrate this beautiful holiday with us.  My plan was to take their pictures with the girls in front of the Christmas tree.  When the house was quiet and our guests had returned to their houses...and I looked at the lights of the tree I realized that I didn't take one picture.  I was enjoying the evening so much, I completely forgot.  I will do better next year...and leave my camera out...and ask Danny...actually the girls (they always remember) to remind me!