The Christmas Shenanigans
As I mentioned, the week leading up to Christmas was JAM-PACKED full. I was scheduled to work Monday-Thursday, and I am pretty sure I didn't go to bed before 1 or 1:30am any night that week.
I was exhausted, but it was so worth it!
Here's how it all went down:
SUNDAY
Sunday afternoon I went over to the Hagan's to hang out. We also had Bible Study that night. I am involved with a BS that meets at the Hagan Home a couple of Sunday's a month.
It is a group mostly made up of couples my parent's age - but the purpose of the group was to be diverse - so they threw in a young couple or two and then they needed a token single girl. :-) I always tell they have to be nice to me or I am going to leave and crush all of their diversity dreams!
Singles girls are feisty. They need to know that.
Anyways, after everyone left, Marlee and I embarked on a cooking-making mission.
Marsha wanted to make some cookies to take to her ankle doctor the next day. Apparently he is obsessed with lady fingers. The cookies that is - not actual fingers of ladies, although he is a bone doctor so who knows.
We got the recipe out of this book. Now, I love the Food Network but there are no better recipes than those found in an old church cookbook.
Marlee put some muscle into breaking down the pecans. (Here we say PEE-cans).
I was the roller-outer person. Most of the cookies ended up looking more like Man Fingers, but no one seemed to mind.
This picture was a re-enactment. Marsha said it should be documented that I was in the kitchen cooking something. This picture was taken after a lively discussion about doubling the recipe.
The recipe called for 1-2 cups of chopped PEE-cans. Since we doubled the recipe, Marsha said it would then be 2-4 cups. I thought it should be 2-3. She politely explained that I was an idiot and why it is 2-4 cups, and while I understand her view - I'm still not convinced.
After I gave my explanation of why I felt the way I did, M advised for me to leave the math problems up the them and "stick with blogging."
Here is some cornflake candy we also made!
Random story: The week prior I made a batch of cornflake candy out at Marsha's and pretended to be on my own cooking show while doing so. Unbeknownst to me, I kept saying things like, "Ok GUYS! Now we are going to add the peanut butter!" a "Ok GUYS! Time to stir in the flakes!"
Marsha asked me why I was only cooking for a male audience.
But seriously guys! Those things are awesome.
We had to call in Tara to put the powdered sugar on them. I was too tired from all the math equations and cookie forming.
MONDAY
Monday brought with it a GREAT prize!
Lindsay (aka Lin Wynn), my bff from college came to the Boro!
I met up with her after I got off of work and went to eat at Ruby Tuesday, where we enjoyed some good food and then sat and talked for about 3 hours. (Sorry waiter guy whose table we hijacked).
When it got to be about 9, we went to pick up Kimberly and went to a late movie. Bri and Earle were possibly going to meet us too, but they ended up not being able to so we went to a girl movie. (We were going to go see a boy/girl friendly movie like The Fighter if Earle was involved).
Instead we saw Tangled which was very cute and made me want to grow my hair out.
After the movie we went back to Kimberly's cute house to chat and look at baby stuff.
I know. Don't get me started.
This is what happens when you have babies in 2011.
Kimberly (and Baby G & Baby L) at 18 weeks!
Here we are before Lindsay and I left to go home. It was only about 12:45pm at this point which is why we look so amazing and not tired at all.
SUCH a fun night!
TUESDAY
Tuesday, my parent's hosted my mom's office Christmas party at the house. Deb has a small office comprised of only 4 crazy people.
They include: Anita, Connie, Dr. Core, and Charish.
Fortunately, they decided to combine this party with a birthday celebration for Connie so we had a house full of fun!
Connie's daughters Alicia and Anna were there, of course.
Leesh and JT - roommies of olde.
We were all throwing those bows as we posed.
All the ladies.
And the guys. They could not be bothered for a picture, so here they are talking in the kitchen (loudly and about Eagle football, no doubt.)
The food was catered by GSU and was amazing!
I just wish we had had more spinach dip.
Connie being serenaded with Happy Birthday (if this had audio, you'd hear Big Al leading the group on the mic).
There was a lot of love in the house that night!
WEDNESDAY
Wednesday was a rough, rough day that turned out to be AMAZING.
First off, work ABOUT killed me. It's a long torrid tale that wouldn't even make sense if I tried to explain it (and mostly it's my attitude anyway), but the moral of the story was PUT A FORK IN ME.
I was just so ill and stressed (and not at all Christmasy!) that at 4:15pm, the thought came to me about how much I wished I had Thursday (Christmas Eve Eve) off.
Then all of a sudden my brain turned all Nike on me, and all I could hear was JUST DO IT.
So I did.
I cleared it with all the people that give clearage, and honestly once the plan was in motion - I felt like I had just won the lottery. It was literally one of the best decisions I've made all year. Maybe my whole life.
I had plans that night to meet up with Earle & Brittany and Josh & Kimberly at El Som, and I loved going knowing that I had nowhere to be the next day. It kind of felt like college. And I kinda liked it.
Bri and Earle. The boys were involved in a deep discussion, but we didn't let that stop us.
Sweet, sweet friends that make me laugh so hard.
After we ate, we headed back the K&J's for another late night of talking and laughing! PERFECTION.
THURSDAY
Did I mention I had Thursday off?
It was as amazing as I had envisioned it. The first part was spent running around doing Christmas-time errands.
Then I spent the rest of the day hanging with this girl and her mama.
I really can't remember what all we did, but I am pretty sure it involved sitting on the couch. I do know Justin (Marsha's son) and his buds, Adam and Jordan, came out to visit.
It was good to see them. We all grew up together and graduated together.
Justin, Jordan, and Adam - making me laugh since about 1989.
Eventually The two Mar's and I ventured to Hobby Lobby, Mellow Mushroom, and then back home where it was time to - you guessed it - make more cookies!
"Did someone say cookies?" -Phlebes
We had cookie cutters, but for some reason I was feeling more free-spirited that night and broke free from the chains of Christmas trees and bells.
And I promise I was not trying to take Christ out of Christmas with the XMas thing. Truth be told, I ran out of dough and also I was tired from a day of merriment.
Tara stuck some angels beside it just to show that we really are still Christians.
Mmmmmm!
It was a sweet way to end the holiday week and gear up for the next two days. I was so thankful thinking about how much fun was had and how many loved ones I got to spend time with. It made Christmas 2010 even more special!
