Taste Testers

I can't believe I have never blogged about this. A couple of years ago I was introduced to this fun group of gals that have a recipe club. They call it Taste Testers and 10 months out of the year we rotate going to each others houses for dinner. If it is your turn to host you cook the main meal. Everyone else has an assignment ranging from salad, appetizer, side dish, dessert, paper products...etc. and we rotate those throughout the year. I think it is one of the things in my life I have come to really look forward to. Not only is it a nice little break, but I have developed some FABULOUS friendships that I know I'll keep for the rest of my life. Not having grown up here I really don't have a lot of friends outside of my BFF and church friends, so this has been something I have really enjoyed. Each person in the group is so much fun and they all have such witty personalities. It's just a big laugh fest every time we get together.

My favorite time of year is our last meeting held in November. That means it's time for the annual white elephant gift exchange. I seriously live for this and the last 2 years have decided early in the year what I would be giving. The first year I regifted something I got as a door prize from my grandparents Christmas party: A "Knit your own Bikini" kit. Second year I made a set of Christmas cards with everyone's picture and a picture of Barack Obama on it that said 'Look who's "Barackin' Around the Christmas Tree this year." This was in response to a long standing joke we had about Barack Obama. So this year I planned to actually crochet (I'm not much of a knitter but could make about whatever you wanted with a crochet hook) a bikini. I had great plans to do this early in the year and have it ready but I didn't even do it until the night before. It actually only took 3 hours. It was hilarious and I have no idea who would wear a crocheted bikini, but that's beside the point! I can't remember some of the gifts given the past years, but they are all so funny.

I'm so thankful to have such good friends and so many fun memories. This has really been a bright spot in my life and I thank each of these women for being that for me. Aren't they all so cute? We unfortunately were missing 2 of us in this photo.