Christmas Gone for a Whole 'Nother Year

In December...

Mother-in-Law Red and I kicked off the month with Christams shopping at the mall.  Finished shopping on December 1st?  Success.

I attended Handsome Husband's Aunt Fancy Chef's annual Ladies Holiday Tea, and soaked up the holiday spirit.

L-R: Me, MIL Red, Gardening Mom, Grandma Beach Bum, Tutor Girl, Aunt Fancy Chef, and Cousin Study Buddy

(And no, contrary to what this picture may suggest, I am not, in fact, 6 months pregnant.)

I attended my first Holiday work party at my big girl job!

I spent some long overdue time over some glasses of wine and piece of chocolate cake with an old friend, Miss Art Teacher.

Handsome Husband and I got to head up to San Luis Obispo for the weekend to celebrate the graduation of his Cousin Eyeshadow!

We spent a fabulous weekend in Las Vegas with a wonderful couple friend - Twin Beauty School and her boyfriend, The Bouncer.

Best Friend Kindergarten Teacher made my day when she came by to join me for lunch during her winter break from work.

Cousin Ronomon and Tutor Girl hosted us for a fabulous dinner full of story-telling, laughs, and plans for a future trip to Vegas? (Spoiler alert: in March).

They served us these gorgeous things for dessert!

We kept on with the family traditions with HH's family with a baking day at Aunt Fancy Chef's House just days before Christmas!  So much sugar in one kitchen!

L-R: Aunt Fancy Chef, Cousin Study Buddy, Grandma Beach Bum, and Cousin Eyeshadow

Gardening Mom hosted another wonderful Christmas Eve dinner, this year fit with everyone's favorite kinds of potatoes along with prime rib and other fixins fit for a feast!

We celebrated another wonderful Christmas with presents at my parents' house in the morning, brunch, and an afternoon and evening full of family time with HH's family!

Clockwise from upper L corner: Sister Swimmer basking in her Hello Kitty presents, HH and I after brunch, Tutor Girl and family opening gifts, Annual photo of us and Cousin Eyeshadow at Christmas at Gma Beach Bum's House

We had a week full of fun dinners when we got to dine with HH's friends YouTube Star and Mr. Defense (we even got invited to Mr. D's families home and spent the entire night getting to know his whole family...love friends who become like family).

And I better be gettin' one of these at midnight tonight: