A Very Merry Supper Club Christmas

Last night we celebrated Christmas with our supper club friends. It was my turn to hostess dinner so I was responsible for the meat. At some point last year I made prime rib for one of my turns at hostessing and I've kinda wanted to make it again ever since. It's so yummy & so easy to make. I really don't like to have meat served on a bone...it grosses me out to see the animal bone, but I know it makes the meat taste better to have been cooked on the bone...so here's a helpful hint...
Where ever you buy the meat, ask the butcher to cut the meat off the bone and then tie the meat to the bones with cooking twine. Then bake as directed. Once the meat is cooked to your liking you can cut the twine and remove the bones. It makes cutting so much easier and there are not gross bones to look at while eating. Arch saved the bones and claims he will be make a soup with them...however, I know better and am pretty sure I'll be throwing these bones out at the end of the week when I clean out the fridge!



I also made twice baked potatoes because they're supper delicious and I am always looking for a good reason to make them...



But before we sat down to eat we wanted to take a group picture of the all the kiddos because all moms (old and new) know that if you want a picture without food on clothes, in hair, all over face, etc...you take the picture first thing! We all took lots of pictures to try to get the best of a group of 6 kids ages 3 & under...I picked this one because almost all 6 pairs of eyes are facing me, but mostly because Jay Brown has the sweetest smile on his face!



It's hard to believe that just 2 1/2 short years ago Jay was the only baby in all of our lifes...now there are 6 of them...we are rapidly letting the kids out number the adults!

Here I think Betsy is asking Ruth Ann "What's with our mom's and all the pictures???" (Actually, I can't wait to hear the conversations these two will be having in years to come...)



Jay was given the distinct honor of holding Baby Roper...I love how Betsy is checking out the baby!



And if you haven't already guessed...I made all the shirts for the kiddos...but secretly, I think I love Roper's the most...I just love a baby in a onsie!

Ruth Ann also got a little sugar from Jay...so sweet!



Then after supper it was present time!!



For the last 3 years we have done a Secret Santa with kids and big kids...i.e. the mommas. We let the oldest go first...mostly because Jay was begging to open his gift. Spencer had Jay's name this year...



And then Ruth Ann played with Jay's train set while she waited on her turn to open a gift...or at least watch me open her gift.



Then if was Mason's turn...



Ruth Ann has a rocking horse in her room and every time Mason comes to our house you can count on finding him in Ruth Ann's room on the rocking horse. Therefore, this toy horse was a big hit for Mason.

Now it's Betsy's turn. My friend Brantley, mother of 2 boys, loves shopping for little girls. This year she drew both little girls names and got the most fitting of all little girl gifts for Ruth Ann and Betsy...




(I love the "old man" face Ruth Ann is making in this picture)





If you haven't been able to tell by these pictures, the girls got American Girl Bitty Babies! I love them! It's just like the babies from my childhood where the eyes open and close when you lie her down. Ruth Ann's maternal skills are still not what I would hope for...she was more interested in taking Bitty's toy bear from her arm than giving Bitty her unconditional love...as demonstrated by Ruth Ann blocking Bitty from having her picture taken...this girl doesn't share camera time well! But I know other little girls who have this baby doll and I'm positive her love for Bitty will grow more and more every day!

Ruth Ann had Christopher's name this year...





Don't you love all the helping hands in this picture?? It looks like both Betsy & Jay are helping Christopher out!

Spencer wasn't home with us this weekend, so Jay offered to open his gift for him...



But don't worry, Jay called him to tell him what he got...



The big kids also enjoyed opening gifts. Sally had my name and got me what I think is on my all time top ten for Christmas gifts...that list includes my Louis Vuitton purses and hard to find Holiday Barbies...it's the cutest camera strap for my SLR camera...I love it!!

Before you look at this next picture, please know we don't usually have so many pictures on our mantel, but every picture that had been an the end table is now residing on the mantel because a sweet little 1 year old baby girl kept pulling them onto the floor.



These are my sweet friends Sally, Brantley and Auralee. I've always thought of myself as a person who values friendship and at each stage of my life I'm thankful God continues to provide me with friends like these 3 fabulous ladies. When I moved to Alabama to attend Auburn I remember crying to my mom because I was positive I would never meet friends at Auburn who would mean as much to me as my friends from home. It didn't seem possible to make friends in 4 years that would mean as much to me as friends I had had for 10+ year...boy was I wrong! My friends from college have been and continue to be some of the best friends I've had in life. Then when I left Auburn and we all went our separate ways I remember having the same thought...would I ever have close girlfriends like that again?? It amazes me how God continues to provide sweet friends for me at every different stage of my life. We're so fortunate that all our little kids & big kids (aka...our hubbies) get along and play well together. I love these ladies because they have provided me a friend to laugh with, a friend to cry with and a friend to lunch with! I love their kids and I love that they love mine in return. I'm lucky to have these 3 in my life and I don't think I tell them this enough...but I hope they already know it!

Then we all sat around and had a few adult beverages...some more than others...