So, where do you clothes-shop for YOUR duck???

Do you remember Harmon?? He's our duck that my sister Kathy bought for me about a year ago..

He's been through a lot (actually lost his head once..)so when it came to inviting him to my Cookie Swap, I knew he needed a "make-over" for the holidays!

Trouble is, where do you shop for party clothes for your duck?

All the "Santa" hats were too big, and, the jingle bells, well, none were just "right" for him.....

Until I found these...! Here's his "reveal"!!..

OK, so he really doesn't like the paparazzi, but with looks like his, ya gotta expect some publicity..

So, even though they weren't here, I wanted to be surrounded by my family. Here's Gerri, me

(pre-gray), Kathy and Larry..

And Mother & Daddy, looking like Mr. & Mrs. Claus - all he needed was the beard..

Prepping for the party was an all-nighter...bags to be filled, cakes to be baked..."door prizes" to be decided...

Labels for the tops of the jar cakes to be cut out...

Quick! I need a diet Coke to help me stay alert!.....uh, at least awake...

Don't they look cute!!

All lines up waiting for their twine ties..24 of these little suckers...

Can you say .."ahhhhhh.."

Lookin' good...

You know, when you go to the dollar-store, you sometimes get "tricked" into thinking you're getting the "good-stuff" for a lesser price? I mean, they copy the labels and sometimes you have to read really carefully?..then you get it home and notice it's Ivery soap, or Spic & Spawn..

..or V-7 juice? How about Peter Pin Peanut Butter ?? Yeah..

So we thought we were safe to buy gift bags..when we found this poor misfit...

Notice anything?? Yep. Trying to carry this would be...akward..

Here's the one woman assembly line...

Lots of goodies from the House Party on-line party line (where you hold a party, and you have sponsors that send you, the hostess, gifts to promote their stuff..not like preach about it, just make the goodie bags..) http://www.houseparty.com/

Mother-in-Law picked up some door prizes as well...

Here's a look at some of the decorations..this strainer I picked-up at an Estate sale..(I bought it..didn't want you to think I "picked it up"..if you know what I mean..)

The nest is real as are the eggs(shells- no eggs per se)..

A rooster and a hen Gerri got for me..

Yes, even my kitchen has a "splash of red"..)

Because we were having s "soup day", I didn't want to have flimsy paper bowls and you know me well enough to know I'm not really "into" cleaning ..so we got these at the dollar store for the soup - then the guests could rinse them out and take them home..(notice I said the guests could rinse them??..yeeeaah..)

Some of the guest are arriving!!

We even had one young man who helped entertain the pups..so they got cookies too!

In keeping with a simpler Christmas this year, we decided to get a teensy-tree. That way I'll only get half as depressed when I have to take it down in March...hahahaha..didja catch that one? Seriously, I take it down the end of the first week of January..

Bring 'em young and teach them about cookie swaps early..

"Let the swapping begin!" Had so many cookies, we used 2 tables downstairs...

Yes, I made them wear name tage..after all, I was up late the night before and ..well..you know how easily I can forget things..like the names of my co-workers...

Braxton waited patiently for someone to drop something..(no one did) and Lulu was having a bad-hair day and decided she didn't want it captured on film...

Everybody's cookies were incredible as is evident on the faces....

There were 13 of us there, co-workers, neighbors and old friends...here's the "office" bunch...

Don't expect us to be serious for too long...

When the eating, the cookie swapping and the photos were taken, it was time for ....CRAFTING!

We made gift tags and origami gift boxes..all were adorable!

So, didja ever have one of those parties that you plan, work hard on to prepare, stay up late then get up early to be ready and no one has any fun????????

Me neither!!!!!!!!!!!

We all had a blast! Next year, I'd like YOU to be here too!

Have a great Monday and don't eat too many cookies.....yeah, right...have we meet??

-me