The annual Trucker's Parade party

This is the most decorated the outside of our house has ever been. Pathetic, huh?

The first 5 or 6 years I lived in this house I'd hear the truck horns blaring a block away and just turn up the TV thinking "Bah Humbug!". 5 years ago I for some reason walked up there and watched the parade and just stood there crying the whole time (I'm such a wuss!) It's just that, the farther we proceed into the 21st century, the more important these small-town community events become. To me, anyway. So we started doing an annual Duncan Dinner on the night of the parade. We had our annual 'DO' last night. "Historically" we do a sit-down dinner for 8. This year, as I realized I was going all-out decorating, I thought "why not expand on the idea and have a LOT of people in?" In order to do that we'd have to change it from a dinner to a cocktail party. So, lots of last-minute calls went out. Most people already had company parties to go to, etc. PLUS Al and Karen, 2 couples of our original 3, both 'sicked out' on us at the last minute :-( (we really missed you!). Long story short, we had 10 people in. I did some pretty yummy appetizers. Thought I'd made enough for 20 but there wasn't a bite left of anything, so all in all it worked out just fine.

This is the original living room. The front, usually unused room.

Computer room (front parlor) including Mia up in the stairs wondering WHAT the heck is this woman who feeds me every day doing?!

Here's a pic of the tree and mantle in the new family room

The only reason I have those games under the tree is to try and hold down the treeskirt...the cats work all day at balling it up.

We are so fortunate to be friends with Ruben and Diane Diaz. Diane is just an all-out peach of a person, as is Ruben; who is also a nationally known acoustic guitar player. They came and fortunately brought Tim Stretton, a freakin' awesome keyboard player (he's always traveling with some well-known band) and by God Tim & Ruben just sat in my front living room and played my painfully out-of-tune piano and still made good music just for us! We are truly blessed to have such gifted friends in our lives

The evening was great fun but went by like a flash. Caleb was here the whole time...didn't even try to blow out one candle!! I have to say; Adderall is another blessing in our lives ;-)

Here's a few (lame) pics of what the night is all about:

Comments

[Christa H.]

Very cool Pictures!!!!!!! Love that parade!!