UGLY SWEATER WINNER!!

I now present to you 2011's Ugly Sweater Winner:

Thanks T (& M) for being such a great sport! 

Hear ye, hear ye: official announcement followed by big grins in the Donovan home!

It's official:  we are FINALLY liscensed for foster children.  Thanks for all your prayers and support in the matter over the past few months.  Please continue to pray for the children who will someday become "ours," at least for a little while.  We are SO EXCITED for the future God has planned for us, though a little nervous as we have no clue what that entails.  We are hoping that SOON we will FINALLY have the chance to be parents. 

And now....I'm going to go celebrate with my honey some more!  It's a happy day here.  :0)

Thankful: 21-30

 I bet you thought I had forgotten to finish my "thankful list".  Nope...just, as usual, a little behind.  :)

21:  the fact that I can whistle.  That will someday come in useful, Im sure. 

22:  skills.  (see above.  Ha, ha!)  I don't really feel like I excell in any one thing, but I am able to follow directions in cooking and earn A++ in sarcasm.  That has to count for something, right?!

23:  the internet.  How did we ever function without this handy little time waster?

24:  My organizational and time management skills.  I love a clean, clutter free house and I use these skills daily!

25:  the fact that my husband and I laugh together DAILY! 

26:  the color purple (the actual color, not the movie)

27:  Argyle socks

28:  Life lessons we've been blessed with over the years

29:  camping, camp fires, camp grounds, campers....can you tell I love camping

30:  Time spent outside:  Walks, hikes, bike rides, a day spent at the lake, the moutains, snow....I love it all!  How can you deny a creator when you are surrounded by such beauty!

Sweater Weather (sweater party part Dos)

The first annual Donovan Ugly Sweater Party was a big success!  We had 21 in attendance, with the first guests arriving at 3 PM, the last going home around 4 AM, and our overnight guest heading home around noon the next day!  For someone (ME!) who loves entertaining big crowds, laughter, and fun, this was one of the best nights of the year!

We played GAMES, ate too much FOOD, had a friendly COMPETITION with the ugly sweaters (with a SWEET prize!) and a ton of LAUGHTER!

REINDEER GAMES

Objection:  Fill the balloons and put them into the legs of the pantyhose to create antlers.  First team with 5 balloons per leg and the antlers on their head wins.

Strategist

You want me to do WHAT?!

Julie and Jodie worked well together



I love this picture of Dana doubled over in laughter!

Spectators cheering them on

Winner!
 The prize?  A coffee mug, candy, hot cocoa, and a PEZ dispenser!

Josh got creative with the "antlers"

The next morning the "antlers" were there to greet us when we went outside....at the TOP of our flag pole!  Thanks, guys! 

Games ruled the night: along with the reindeer game, we played Bezzewizzer, Dirty Board, and 3 rousing rounds of Pictionary! 

Thanks again to all who participated!  We look forward to hosting again next year...hopefully with a bigger turn out!  For those who hope to join us in the future, let me give you one tip for winning the coveted prize:  BE PRACTICING YOUR RUNWAY WALK!



Ugly Sweater Parade

Dustin and I hosted our first ugly sweater party this past weekend.  It was so much fun! 

Note the matching gingerbread shirt on me and the "dickey" on Dustin.  I'm quite handy with a scissors! 

Julie looked fabulous in her jumper!  Brave gal, her!

Melanie is adorable!  She glued all the lovelies on the front of her vest!

Carl and Lorin: ugly and functional!  The whistle on Lorins sweater actually works!

Trent and Mandy.  The winners were determined by vote, with Trent winning for his unique fish/bowtie combo.

Dave and Annette

Josh and Dana.  Love the antlers!  Josh had only one antler...he said he came as Elliot, from the movie Open Season.

Jayme.  Love the shirt with the kitty on it!

Many of you will be seeing this again soon....

J.D., Moriah, Jayme.  Note the "lovely" Christmas tree in the background!  That was our big prize for ugliest sweater.  It will be given to the next winner next year! 

Thanks to all who participated!  More pictures to follow soon!