We started things out right with the party of all parties...Mills Cookie Night! This is probably one of our favorite (read absolute favorite) events of the season. The sweet Mills family opens their home for friends and loved ones to enjoy a massive assortment of delicious cookies and warm, yummy soups. EVERY surface in their kitchen is covered with tray after tray of cookies, or crockpot after crockpot of warm soup (WITH homemade rolls!). It is a sight to behold, and we feel so fortunate to get an invite from these amazing friends of ours. Julie (the magician herself) even allowed us to come an hour early this year since we were double booked. We got to help with the set up and had first dibs on the yummy goodies before we bolted out the door to the next event...
...which was volunteering to run the Light the World Giving Machines!!!! Such a worthwhile way to spend our time. It was the first year that lil ol' Queen Creek would have their very own set of Giving Machines to help ring in the season of giving. It was inspiring to man the machines and meet all the amazing and generous people that game to feel the only joy worth feeling...the joy that comes from giving.
Then, the following night was the annual Lamoreaux Apple of Love Party at Aunt Shelli's house where the food is always delicious and the entertainment even better. Brig performed his family fav, The Angry Beaver. It's hilarious to see the new generations of young people immediately fall in love with this silly song. And of course, we enjoy retelling the Story of Ida May Tenney and how the Apple of Love came to be and then finish it off with a sing along to a collection of slightly irreverent songs from Uncle Edwin's arsenal.
Some may call it the Party of the Year
(but those people don't know about the Mills Cookie Night 😉)
(Cousins from left going clockwise: Lisa Lamoreaux, Talon Bates, Rex Phelps, Jenna Phelps, Jenny Mott, Bryce Lamoreaux, Cody Hatch, Cozette Fox, Lorie Welch, Tawnie Leal, Brig, and in center is Tima Hird)
The next Christmas themed event for our calendar was our Ward Christmas Breakfast the following Saturday morning. Brig and I went early to help set up...
...but then left before the party started to go to Eden's first ever tennis tournament. She played doubles with Halli Clark and they did great! It was so fun to get to watch Eden play tennis again. She's getting geared up for school try outs at the beginning of Feb. 🤞
Then, Brig was scheduled to perform Away in A Manger on his acoustic guitar with the little Primary aged children for our upcoming Christmas Sunday Program. It was fun to have him join us in Primary for the lead up practices.
We also checked out a live nativity one Sunday evening hosted at a Methodist church around the corner. We ran into Eden's friend Sydnee while we were there which just added to the fun.
Eden and Sydnee with all of the prizes they won at the Cane's booth. Looking classy, ladies!
Then, just before Kian was to arrive and really start off our festivities, and Eden was finishing up with her finals, Cousin Cove came to visit from CA. We had so much fun catching up with her and having a "girly day" with lunch and shopping. Then...it was just about time to really get things swinging! We could hardly wait!