'Tis the season...

It's a wonderful time of the year, but it does get a little crazy, doesn't it? I have had a busy few weeks with 2 Christmas parties for work, a meeting to plan our 1st ballet company reunion, a fun get together with friends, and Christmas shopping, not to mention working full time and caring for a rambunctious toddler. Still to come are 2 more family Christmas parties, the ballet reunion, and then Christmas will be here! Here are a few highlights of my crazy December so far...

For the past few years, my friends and I have gotten together to celebrate the season instead of buying gifts for each other. We are all a little short on cash these days, plus it decreases the stress of having to find the perfect gift for everyone. I adore each of these girls, and they are there for me through thick and thin, so giving them a bottle of lotion or something equally as generic doesn't seem to cut it. This year we chose to go out to Olive Garden for a "girl's night out". Merry Christmas to my sweet friends! Thanks for always being there!
Memories! After high school I joined the Cachet Ballet Company. Although I only danced there for 5 years, they were my second family. There was something truly special about Cachet Ballet. I hadn't talked to any of my former dance friends for years, but we all recently connected on facebook. We are planning a reunion for the week of Christmas! This past week, a few of us gathered at JoAnn's beautiful Huntsville home to plan for the reunion. She had a wonderful dinner for us. Here is JoAnn and her family, Becca and her boyfriend, Wendy and her daughter, and Anna and I. I can't wait to see the rest of the dancers!I really enjoyed reconnecting with Wendy. She and I were maids together in the first Little Match Girl performance that I danced in. We got along really well, but I haven't seen or talked to her in 12 years. When I told her my daughter's name was Anna Kate, she informed me that she has 2 daughters...one named Anna and one named Kate. I guess great minds think alike! Here is her daughter Kate playing with my Anna.
I have done a lot of online Christmas shopping this week. It's been so cold here! I have decided that I like shopping in my PJ's!! When we did go out, Anna was decked out in her hat and mittens, ready to brave the single digit temperatures that we have had this week in SLC...We don't even have a Christmas tree up this year because of the construction mess that is my front room right now. To make things a little more festive, Trav brought up a few lights to hang in the kitchen. Anna loved helping daddy put those Christmas lights up...
Last night we went to the PICU Christmas party at a local bowling alley. I really enjoy seeing my coworkers outside of work and meeting their cute families. Anna got to meet Santa for the first time (that she can remember, anyway!). Not the typical toddler reaction...she went right to him, sat on his lap, and then just looked up as if to say "What's up, Santa?" Not typical for a toddler, but par for the course with my little one. She's not shy!
Anna became really stir crazy at the party and wanted to run around. She ran up and down the ramp to the bowling alley for probably 2 hours...with me chasing her all the way. Needless to say, she crashed hard on the way home. I laid her down to put her in jammies, but she just rolled over, tucked her knees up, and refused to wake up. She still never let go of her blankie, though. ;-)That's just a little bit of my Christmas season so far...more to come!