Christmas came a little early this year! We turned the Steele house into a Christmas wonderland with our favorite Christmas foods!!!! Why, you ask (as if we really need a reason to celebrate Christmas anytime we want)? To celebrate Bonnie's upcoming wedding . . . . A Christmas in July/first Christmas wedding shower . . .
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| Mr. Elf met everyone as they came through the door and signed the guest book . . . |
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| In every little corner, parts of Christmas were tucked away for the guests to enjoy. |
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| This was a close to a tree as we got this night. It was a perfect centerpiece though for one of the tables while guests ate. |
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| The other table centered around my grandmother's Christmas apron, a tea pot and Christmas cookie cutters. |
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| Bonnie (in the middle in red) and her family that could come to the party. |
Don't you love this wreath by Kristen! You can make it, too!!!!
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| We LOVE Bonnie and were so glad to give her this special night! |
What a night full of food, fun and Christmas!!!
Each guest brought an ornament (or two or three) for Bonnie's tree
as well as their favorite holiday recipe.
We have all decided we HAVE to do this again!!!
in the big woods of Wisconsin. I loved meeting up with them during quiet times and I loved, even more, seeing them 
after school. I remember rushing home to see which part of the stories I would get to see. (Sadly, some parts were altered when brought to life and I never understood how they could mess with a good thing already in place.) I laughed. I cried. I worried. I wondered what it was like for Mary not to be able to see and how Laura could be her eyes. I loved going to the prairie and have revisited many times. I also loved 
and all her quirky ways!!! I always wanted a little sister and thought one that was somewhat like Ramona would be a good one!!! Briefly, she 
for me and I just loved her even more!! Now she has been brought 
!!!!!
. Oh how I would get wrapped up in her adventures all over Prince Edwards Island. I could relate to her in so many ways and yet in so many other ways I could not. However, I remember one summer spending the whole summer seeing her grow into a redhead who could not control her tongue to a mother of many. I was so excited when I got to see Anne
and how I could (and have) watched her adventures again and again and again. I remember thinking, "They finally got it right!" until I saw the last one which they MAJORLY butchered. Yet, even though things aren't the same, it is my friend, Anne, and I feel drawn to her to see what is going on in her life.
(as well as sweet Marmee) came into my life and, OH, what kindred spirits I found with these sisters. I related with each one as we laughed and cried, again, together. I could not get enough of them, so much that I have even been to their house! What a visit that was! Even though they were not there, I could see them as they went along their merry little ways. I loved seeing 
bring Jo to life as well as 
and sweet Beth brought to life (and then in death) by 
. Sadly, on my account, I have never read the following stories about Jo and her life, but plan to remedy that soon.
and 
have stolen a piece of my heart along with 
and 
. I have wished on more than one occasion that I could get 
's world - for real!!! When I began teaching, my students introduced me to some of my very best friends, 
. I will admit I was not crazy about meeting these three, but, for the sake of my students, I began the introductions and slowly (but surely) we became friends. When I had met them, they had already had their 
3 adventures. I remember anxiously awaiting to hear how the fourth adventure panned out and before each new adventure would come out I would always go back and have them tell me about all the other adventures they had had up to that point. I always learned something new and really took each adventure in like it was the first time I had heard it. When they decided to bring the 
, I would also go back and relive each adventure over and over. I loved watching these 3 grow into wonderful young people and was not ready for it to end.
by Max Lucado for me to read and review.
