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Monday, March 21, 2011

First Swimming Party of 2011

I am celebrating spring with Kathy. Are you? We'd love for you to join us at http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com/

This post was ready to publish at a scheduled time when I woke up in the morning and looked out and saw the azaleas blooming. I grabbed my camera and just had to add it to the post to share with you. I was so excited! It does not take much to make me happy. Just show me a colorful garden and I feel like I am in heaven.

I have been having a blast spending time with my granddaughter, AJ, who flew from Florida to celebrate her spring break with us.. So lucky that the weather has been cooperating with us. We had our first pool party for this year a few days ago and I would like to share the fun with you. I am also linking with
Susan for Outdoor Wednesday at http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com/
Susan for Tablescape Thursday at http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/
Tootsie for Fertilizer Friday at http://www.tootsietime.com/
and for Watery Wednesday at http://waterywednesday.blogspot.com/


Even though the temp. is in the 80's the water pool temp was too cold for me to swim in it. I want the water temp to be at least 82 degrees before I can dip in so John turned the heat on. Here he is by the vent waiting for the water to warm up.

It was a big challenge for me to prepare for the party. We have been trying to get 2 I Pad 2's, one for us and 1 for AJ but Apple stores are always sold out. I called a store in Jackson and they told us to go there when they open at 9 and take our chances cause they get shipments every morning but they sell them out really fast. So we did just that. It's a 2 and a half hour drive from home to Jackson so we left very early to get there on time. By the time we got there, they only had some with 16 MB left and we want 64 so we did not even buy any. But so as not to completely waste a trip, we went to TJ Maxx and Marshall's to shop for a while and then headed for home. We got home at 1:30 PM and I had already invited some friends for 3 PM, which means that I only have 1.5 hrs. left to do everything. I tell ya, all 4 stoves and the oven were all going, talk about multitasking, after all they call me the energizer bunny for nothing, lol

The guests arrived shortly after 3 and I was still cooking so I told them to go out and swim. AJ and John were already in the pool. I had everything set on the table by 4 and we ate at 5 so everything turned out just fine.



My guests brought some ribs and they were so yummy! Inside the bunny casserole dish is rice.

I made rice as usual, fish with sweet and sour sauce, crab omelette and chicken with mushrooms. AJ and I made brownies the day before and I had a coconut cake and also a pecan pie in the freezer that I defrosted so we just served them since I ran out of time to make dessert.


The kids had so much fun swimming.

We adults had fun chatting, eating and swimming too. There's me and my friend Brenda.

Jett is about to jump from the diving board here.

The ornamental cabbage is blooming.


and half of the trumpet vine flower buds opened up. I just had to show them to you.


The sun started to set and we were still swimming.


It got dark and we were still swimming. I don't think we stopped until it was almost 8 PM. We had so much fun and I was happy to get some exercise.
Thanks to our wonderful hostesses for these fun memes and I appreciate you all for coming by.

71 comments:

  1. Fantastic looking day, filled with friends, family and food! What could be better? I really loved your dishes,now I am singing that song!~

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  2. Looks like a fun day Christine! I love the "enjoy the little things" saying! Happy Spring:@)

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  3. WHAT!?!? Christine??? A POOL party NOW???

    Honey, what we got here is a BLISTERING 39 degrees and PILES of snow everywhere.

    Ain't a gonna be no pool parties 'round these here parts for QUITE some time!

    Happy spring to you.

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  4. A beautiful post, and a fun time for all. Your tablescape looks lovely and everything looks delicious!A wonderful start to Spring!
    http://yvettesblogs.com/2011/03/21/springtimes-laughter/
    Yvette x

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  5. Your home is a resort!!! It is absolutely lovely. Your yard, pool, table (the plates are adorable!), food...I know your little granddaughter had a blast! Her parents will need to de-program her because she has been spoiled and had way too much fun :D

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  6. Looks and sounds like a fun time and lots of good food. Thanks for sharing.

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  7. Christine that looks like a perfect day to me! And girl you ARE the energizer bunny!! 1.5 hrs to whip up that feast? I bow to you my friend. Vanna

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  8. wow! Looks like everyone had a wonderful time....good food, good friends and great weather! It was beautiful up here in North MS too and we spent the end of the kids spring break cleaning up the yard and planting in the garden

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  9. Wow Christine that looks awesome! The pool is wonderful and everyone having fun. That food looks catered it is so nice. You got great photos too!
    Sherry

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  10. Christine, you throw the best parties! Looks like lots of fun and good food, thanks for sharing.

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  11. Your yard is looking beautiful...and how fun to even think about swimming season again. I love that bee on the table...cute! As always the food looks delicious:)

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  12. Hi Christine! OH, I feel like I've just been to the most wonderful party! What beauty in your yard. That is your yard, isn't it?
    How nice AJ could come and spend her spring break with y'all. You're a wonderful grandmother and look at your gorgeous pool! What a party. The food is scrumptious looking! :)
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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  13. Looks like everyone had a wonderful time. The food looked delicious. You are going to be lonesome when A.J. goes home!

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  14. Christine....Your home looks like a beautiful 5 star resort. All the food looks amazing and yummy. Looks like everyone is having fun.......;_)
    We are still only at 40 deg. F here and quite cold,but at least I can dream looking at your beautiful place. Thanks for sharing. :-)

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  15. Beautiful pictures! Your pool is gorgeous and it is wonderful that it is heated!

    The azaleas have not bloomed yet here, but the dogwood's are putting on a show!

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  16. Oh my - how fun to be able to use the pool already!!! What a great party you had Christine! You are amazing with how you can put things together and they look so great!

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  17. Hi Christine: You are amazing! It is hard to believe you could cook all that in such a short time. Your back yard is amazing. It looks like everyone had fun. Have a great week. Blessings, Martha

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  18. Christine,

    What a fun day. We finally turned the pool heater on this week and I have been enjoying the pool for the first time this year.

    All that food looks scrumptious!

    Carol

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  19. Looks like y'all had a great time! We have our solar rings in the pool & the water was up to 78 Sunday. It needs to be 82-84 for me so I'm hoping this weekend will be warm enough.

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  20. Hello, Well, I did look at this one too. I am not sure what I did - kept going on and on I suppose! So glad to visit again, thanks for sharing - looks like a very memorable time - love the smiles and laughter! Of course you set a very wonderful table -
    thanks for sharing with Celebrate Spring with Victoria,
    Kathy

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  21. The food and the table looks wonderful. I wish I could be in Natchez to see the azelias. I bet they are beautiful. Stop by and see me. RC and S

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  22. Dearest Christine,

    What a beautiful Spring day, 'celebrate Spring' celebration with your, family, friends and all of your fabulously pretty Azalia blooms, yummy food, pretty tablescape vignettes and poolside fun!

    Thanks so much for sharing this loveliness with all of us!

    Thanks also for joining Pam and I for TTTT and also for my 75th, 'Tuesday Tea For Two'!

    Cheers from Wanda Lee

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  23. What a great post! Your yard and pool are lovely! The food for your party looked both beautiful and delicious, too. You are well-ahead of us with your blooming flowers. It's nice to see the photos of yours! Bess

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  24. Oh my Christine..... all the pictures are wonderful. Your yard is so beautiful and the food looks delicious!!!

    Our water is still too cold in our pool.....y'all are braver than us.
    Hugs,

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  25. I am so utterly jealous Christine! A pool party already? We got more snow today. I am moving to Mississippi!
    You are the energizer bunny! What a great spread and your flowers are just gorgeous!
    Hugs friend,
    Cindy

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  26. Hi Christine ... oh, my, what a great party! I can't believe that you guys went on that trip and you still came back and got everything done. You, my friend, have a lot of energy.

    I love your cheerful plates; and everybody looks so happy. Sure wish I could come over and swim in your pool!

    God bless,
    Kathy M.

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  27. Fantastic pictures. It looks like everyone had a wonderful time.

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  28. Life as it can / should be. Please have you all a good Wednesday.

    daily athens

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  29. Christine, you have a lovely yard and pool for entertaining. Loved all the photos and the food looks so yummy.

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  30. What a wonderful time you all had. Gorgeous pool and that food looked delicious.

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  31. Christine, this looks absolutely lovely. You put your heart into the food and it looks beyond yummY! One day you will have to share the recipes. Your flowers look wonderful. Ours are not that far along, we skipped spring (I take that back, had a dust storm today) and went right into summer heat, but the flowers haven't caught up. I just noticed tonight that the wisteria is blooming. Love those plates! You look amazing yourself!

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  32. Such a wonderful and fun family time!
    Love the blooms.
    Happy springtime Christine.

    Regards.

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  33. What a fun day and a lovely Family you have! I love your Photo Mosaics, they are just beautiful!!!

    Dawn... The Bohemian

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  34. What a fun day in the sun by the pool.
    Here visiting from Out Door Wednesday.
    Blessings

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  35. How lovely, I am envious of your weather out there. We are expecting snow again tomorrow arrrghhh..

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  36. Gorgeous shots!

    Watery Wednesday t my page, please come and see.

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  37. Oh Christine(AKA Energizer Bunny), you are amazing!!! What an incredible party. and your pool looks like SUCH FUN(as I look out MY WINDOW it is snowing here in Connecticut, UGH!) Your home looks like it's in Paradise! And OH MY GOODNESS what a feast! Yummy,Yummy! I LOVE that big bee, he's wonderful! Thank you so much for inviting us in for your party...I SO ENJOYED my stay!
    Hugs to you,
    Donna

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  38. Christine,
    When I read your post and saw that it was your first pool party of the season , I giggled. If you stop by and see what my back yard looked like this morning, you will understand! LOL!
    Your back yard, Christine is magnificent! And your tablescape and all of the food you prepared is just out of this world! You are so talented in all that you do!! It is always a pleasure stopping by!!

    Hugs,
    Debbie

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  39. Wow! A pool party already...that's amazing! It is 54 here today in Southern California! Everything looked wonderful!

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  40. Oh Christine! What a refreshing post! Beautiful photos and the pool looks so fun! Do you mind if I ask where you live in MS? You do know that my hubby is going to interview in Jackson for residency or plans to.
    Happy Spring!

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  41. How fun to be in the pool! How beautiful the colors of your garden are. We're not quite pool ready yet (not that we even have one!) LOL

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  42. You've got to be "Hostess with the Mostest" for this week's Tablescape Thursday. What a fun, amazing party that you created with very little time. Hope that you find that iPad 2 soon. I want one, too; but I haven't had my iPad for very long. They are just wonderful! Thank you for sharing your wonderful design. Cherry Kay

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  43. It all looks so wonderful. We're still just a lttle to cold for swimmng,but it won't be long.

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  44. What a beautifully wonderful way to celebrate Spring, Christine!

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  45. Your flowers look so amazing, I'm jealous! We will have to wait a few more weeks before our azaleas bloom. Food looks great and everyone looks so happy! That's the best thing about entertaining that makes it so worthwhile--it makes people happy!! The plate with the saying about the 'little things' is soo true! Thanks for visiting with me and your kind comments.

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  46. Hi Christine!
    I have my bathing suit on and I'm coming in! :)
    That food looks amazing! Love the rainbow plates. I'm with you on gardening vs the gym...I'd much rather being getting my exercise in the sunny outdoors. :)

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  47. Oh, we have had snow the last two days! Wish I were there with you. What a fabulous spread! I can't believe it, I have never been to a pool party with that such great food. How fun for everyone. Enjoy the lovely weather and your gorgeous pool.

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  48. Hi Christine!
    It looks like everyone had a great time! How could they not? You being the wonderful hostess that you are and serving such fabulous food! Oh how I wish it was swimming pool weather here! We are supposed to get snow tonight.

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  49. This is FUN ! Love the plates especially the messages on them ! Be happy , you and the whole your lovely family !
    Happy Spring !

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  50. What a fabulous party! The food looks amazing! I am not that thrilled with my ipad yet. I am having trouble with the wifi, so I can only use it for a short time or my allotted time will run out. It is too slow to use for blog hopping. Good for email though!

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  51. Christine, we had snow today. Your yard is so beautiful. I will take some ribs and a swim in the beautiful pool! Joni

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  52. It's going to be a couple months before anyone around here will be hitting the pool! You sure know how to put on a feast, Christine...all that food looks delish, except the ribs, which I don't do...cute bunny casserole.

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  53. Hi Christine...

    Ohhh...your pool party looks sooo much fun, my friend! We are warming up a bit here but it's still chilly...hard to imagine anyone being able to enjoy swimming! Hehe! Everything looks gorgeous, my friend! Your gardens all a bloom...sooo colorful! I do believe that spring has arrived at your place! Ohh boy, your barbeque looked scrumptious...a real feast! It's nearly dinner time here...you have added to my hunger, my friend! Hehe! Sooo happy that AJ is getting to spend her spring break with you! I know that you enjoy one another's company immensely! I think that my youngest daughter Jenni and the five grandkids are coming this weekend. At least that is the plan. I'm sooo excited!!! Well dear friend, just wanted to come by to say hello and see how you are doing! Take care...

    Love ya,
    Chari

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  54. That was some party! The food and surroundings look beautiful!

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  55. Wow, what a long drive to come back home empty handed..this is suppose to be a technology world..why cant they make enough for every one?
    Hope you find them soon.
    Thanks for stopping by. Looks like you have been one busy lady! Food looks so yummy!
    ~Shirley

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  56. Sorry about the iPads :( This post makes me really miss our pool that we had at our last house. Fun times!!! The food looks awesome too!

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  57. What a wonderful pool party. It is so much warmer where you live, thanks for sharing your fun. I love your plates!

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  58. What a fun day! Your flowers and your pool look so pretty. I have to admit, it made me a little cold looking at y'all in the pool. Those plates are so cute, and your dinner looked delicious! I bet AJ is sooo bored when she goes home from your house! laurie

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  59. Hello Christine, What a beautiful post! I'm glad I came over to join the fun. Thank you for sharing with us your blessings.
    Have a lovely day! ~*~Wendy~*~

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  60. Oh Christine, what a great post! You had a ball with your grandchildren specially with your pretty AJ. The flowers in your garden look amazingly beautiful and everything else, the plates, the food looks like a treat to one's palate...wish I was going over there for so much fun!
    LOVE
    FABBY

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  61. Dear Christine
    I'm still making my way around the Delightsome Life ladies and just had to stop and tell you how great your pool party looked.
    What a fun, not to say full & busy day you had.
    The hostess with the mostest!

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  62. You must have had the most 'delightsome' time. Cheers to happy gatherings like this!
    Rosie

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  63. What a fabulous pool party! The food looks amazing..now I'm hungry! Love all your recent bloomers...that trumpet vine is beautiful and I can't wait for my azaleas to bloom too...they are always a welcome sign of spring! Loved your post.

    Miss Bloomers

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  64. Oh I was going to say that they MUST have a pool heater. :)

    What a glorious day full of lovely memories I am sure. The food looks amazing.

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  65. Your azaleas are beautiful, as are all of your photos. You have a beautiful family. I especially loved seeing your table laden with delicious looking foods. How nice to have a pool party in March. Not here you wouldn't!!! It was -14 Celsius when I woke up this morning!
    Hugs, Cindy

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  66. Oh, what a sight for my sore eyes, all the warmth, the flowers, the wonderful party! Thank you for sharing this with me.

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  67. Aw, sorry that you weren't able yet to find the I pads you were looking for...but what a lovely, amazing get-together! Yummy! The food looks "ONO" (Hawaiian word for "delicious"). Family, friends, food and fun!

    It is always fun to see what you are serving and your tablescapes too! So good to hear your week with AJ is full of sunshine!

    Blessings & Aloha!
    I'm sorry that I am only now returning your visit! This week will be another repost for me...

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  68. Spring party??Where? Hehehe. Our temp here is 22F and looking at the photos I am jealous hehe. Anyway, you are a magician cook, for just 1.5 hrs you made all that, remarkable Christine!! By the way, if you like can I ask your recipe for your crab omelette? Thanks for sharing the food photo I am hungry now ^_^ Happy weekend!

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  69. You must be exhausted -- the good kind of tired. You party looks like so much fun, and all that food -- WOW!

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