Weekend Recap

Ah, I love the holidays and the busy, fun times they bring. This weekend had no shortage of fullness, starting back on Thursday.

Thursday:
Sarah and Ashley hosted a cookie exchange at Sarah's house, so I had baked some delicious brookie cookies (brownie cookies smushed together) earlier in the week. I had a massive shortbread cookie fail, but the brookies were yummy! I also made a Pinterest-inspired peppermint plate by melting peppermints in the oven! We had a lovely evening of girl time, sitting and chatting, drinking hot cocoa, eating cookies--such a blast in what's become a great annual tradition. Sarah had gone all out in decorations--peppermint sticks on marshmallows for hot cocoa stirrers, baby ornaments as name cards, festivity everywhere. And then we got to take home an assortment of delicious cookies!

Friday:
It was tacky Christmas sweater day at school, so I finally made my own with puff paint and ric rac. It was a good mix of cute and tacky. We all went to dinner to celebrate Cayce's birthday at Outback--5 adults, 3 kids, one big table, some spills, some tears, lots of fun. It was good to be together and celebrate an anniversary of Cayce's 29th birthday! :)

Cara loves to say goodbye and hello to either me or Chance when we leave for work or come home at the end of the day. She's so cute to stand at the doorway and wait anxiously for his arrival or wave bye bye to me as I leave early. Can we talk about those CURLS?!?! Love them the longer they get!

Saturday:
We got up early and played in our bathroom while I got ready. Cara loves to find my t-shirts or yoga pants in the closet and drag them through the house. She got a little tangled in my shirt and ended up wearing it in her attempt to get out! Mom says she has several pictures of me like this too. Funny girl!

Chance went to work for a bit, I dropped off Cara at Cari's for the morning, and met some friends to drive to Salado! Sarah, Johanna and I had this trip planned for weeks, and I was so excited to jet down south to a sweet little town for Christmas shopping. Salado has tons of quaint shops, antiques, Christmas decorations, collectibles and all kinds of great finds. And because it was the Christmas season, each shop had apple cider or hot cocoa to sip while you shopped. I got a few items of Christmas decorations for our house, 1-2 Christmas presents for other people and a sweet mommy/toddler Willow Tree figure I'd had my eye on. We had lunch at a really great tea room and walked up and down the main drag for hours. What a lovely way to spend a day, with some girlfriends having great conversation, shopping and Christmas spirit!

Chance had taken Cara on a road trip to Comanche to pick up his deer meat that he had processed, so I had a little time before they got home that I was able to snag a nap! I wore myself out driving and shopping. We played with Cara and Chance grilled us steaks for dinner. After she went to bed, we watched a movie and vegged. Great couch potato night together.

Sunday:
We dressed up in our Christmas clothes for church--just 1 more Sunday to wear them all! We went to church, came home and had lunch and all laid down for naps. I didn't care about ruining my early school bedtime with a nap because it's finals week coming up, and it should be easy rolling from here.

That evening, we watched the glorious Christmas Vacation movie and the Survivor finale while I got things ready for the upcoming week. No trip to HEB this weekend, which might bite me in the butt during the week, but we'll make it work. I've got to push through on adrenaline and fumes for 2 full days of school and 3 half-days during finals. I can do it!

Next weekend will hold the start of our Christmas celebrations. Get excited!!!