Zumba Holiday Fun!

We weren't positive that we'd be having our Zumba holiday party.  Our chief organizer, Myrtle has had a rough couple of months after her daughter became critically ill.  Myrtle and her family were in our thoughts the entire time as she and her family spent long weeks in California where her daughter was treated.

However, when Myrtle returned, she was determined to give us holiday joy because our enjoyment lifted her spirits as well.

Myrtle had already reserved a table for us this past summer at the Waikele Country Club.

When cousin Renee and I arrived, we saw that she and a couple of other Zumba buddies had already decorated the table for us.

It was absolutely extraordinary!

There were twelve of us.

Each place setting was full of favors that everybody brought.

The favors are a Hawaii custom that I was not familiar with last year and arrived empty handed.  Renee tried to bail me out by saying her favor was from the both of us.

I was prepared this time.

The country club is very beautiful, but I thought the prices were reasonable.  This steamed salmon (Chinese style) with cilantro (it's called Chinese parsley in Hawaii) with won bok, carrots, green onions, seared with hot sesame oil and a dash of shoyu was just $13.95.  I loved it!  I'd order it again.  I cleaned my plate!

Myrtle had several games for us to play.

She gave us a sheet of green construction paper which we had to fold in half.  We were then told to put the paper behind our backs and tear out a Christmas tree.  She then collected them, wrote our names behind the tree and had us put stickers on which we thought was best.  We had no idea which was our own.  Would you believe I won?  I couldn't believe it!

We then had a jan ken po (paper, stone, scissors) contest.  Alyce won and was crowned the Queen of Jan Ken Po.  It was hilarious!

There were so many fun things for us to bring home.

I received this wonderful bath set for my grab bag.





I got the large holiday Ziploc containers for my Christmas tree prize.



And look at all these favors!!!  There was a homemade fruit cupcake, homemade dark chocolate rocky road, collapsible mirror, mochi, ceramic trivet, candy bars of all kinds, senbei and I filled a gift bag with candies and a Trader Joe's kitchen towel.

And here are the lovely, wonderful friends that I keep healthy doing Zumba with every Monday and Friday.

And this is Myrtle, who despite all the trials and hardships she was facing and had faced, felt she had to give us this day of happiness.

She did.  She also reserved a table for December 10, 2014 when she'll organize the 3rd annual Zumba party.

I was telling my husband, Art about the party and mentioned one of the games that was played.

Myrtle asked us to tell everybody one thing we'd never done that we think other people would most likely have already done. Everybody who'd done it would have to give you a toothpick point from their stack.

Some of the attempts were: never learning to ride a bike, never being aboard a ship, never staying at the California Hotel in Las Vegas, never taking a hike, etc.  I said never driving to the nearby Don Quijote supermarket.  I was two toothpicks short of winning.

Art was frustrated trying to think of something he hadn't done that most of his friends had already done.  What would you say?