Cameron's Cookie Exchange

Cousin Cameron hosted her 3rd annual cookie exchange last weekend (before the New Orleans Bowl) and the boys and I brought Puppy Chow. Puppy Chow has many names, but it's really chex mix with chocolate and peanut butter, sprinkled with powdered sugar. It's so messy but GOOD. We left with a plate full of goodies and full bellies. We also got to see cousin Lucy :)

Ice Skating

Mimi and I took the boys to Memorial City Mall in Houston today. I used to take skating lessons back when I was in elementary school and always have loved skating. Mimi and I laced up ourselves and the kids and then hit the ice. Jack took to skating immediately and LOVED it. Though he fell several times at first, he kept at it and improved vastly within just one hour! Theo, on the other hand, hated it immediately and had to be ushered around the rink by Mimi and myself. Jack is already asking when he can go skating again. Theo, not so much. :)

Passing of a sister

One of my sorority sisters passed away last week and left behind her husband and two small children. Pilar pledged the year behind me and was a super fashionista! She always wore extravagant stilettos since she was very petite. Her death was completely unexpected and from complications of strep and pneumonia.

Several Kappa Delta's from near and far came out to pay their respects to Pilar and her family. We all wore heels in her honor to the funeral, carried white roses and wore our pins. It was my first KD funeral and truly showed me how the bonds of sisterhood carry on past just the college days.

New Orleans Bowl

Jack's Cub Scout Pack got to go down on the field of the New Orleans Bowl (SDSU vs. ULL) last weekend. It was Scout night since SDSU didn't travel much from California. There were TONS of other Scouts there on the field but Dave was one of only two adults from our Pack. He said it was really cool to be down on the field of the Superdome and hear the noise of the crowd.

Jack's Christmas party

Jack also had a Christmas party today and a fellow mom snapped these pictures for me! Santa visited and gave each child an art kit with tons of water colors, paints, pencils and markers, as well as a personalized chalkboard. The highlight was the chocolate fountain though! Jack said he had marshmallows and thought it was the neatest thing ever. He has had a great first half of 1st grade!

PPK Christmas party

I got to volunteer today in Theo's class for the PPK Christmas party. It was my first time to go in his classroom, though I feel like I know the kids so well through all of the pictures that Mrs. Hoover sends me and my co-room mom responsibilities. The kids were treated to a visit by Santa right when the party started. They sang Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer to him and then took turns sitting on his lap. Theo didn't tell him anything in particular that he wanted (Jack has been coaching him for weeks to ask for things that he wants Theo to get). Santa handed out presents (Barbie doll heads for the girls to style and Hotwheel loop ramps for the boys). The kids took turns making Reindeer Food to set out Christmas Eve and icing "Christmas Trees" to eat. They also participated in a puzzle exchange (they all wanted to pick the puzzle they brought in) and listened to Ms. Gina read "Froggy's Best Christmas". They wrapped up the party by having a Christmas feast before being dismissed. It was an action-packed party that was tons of fun for all! I have SUCH respect for Mrs. Hoover after seeing how wired those kids were after donut holes and frosting. She has more than earned a restful 2 week break!

BBC Christmas

My book club (BBC) always does something fun for our December meeting. We did a present exchange 2 years ago, a Christmas couples party last year (that Dave and I missed to attend Miller's surprise 40th party), and a limo/private dinner this year. One of our members scored a great deal on a limo from Groupon so we arrived in style for our dinner. We made the most of the bar in the limo and shared several bottles of wine at dinner since none of us had to drive! It was fabulous. We danced to some of my cd mixes and took tons of pictures inside the limo.

Dinner was amazing and we all made it family style, eating off each other's plates and passing entrees around the table. Everyone brought an ornament to exchange and several ornaments were stolen to the limit of twice. I ended up with a lovely crystal star ornament from Pottery Barn. I was happy!!

None of us wanted to go straight home after dinner so we stopped in a local bar for one last drink. We ended up dancing to a song or two and then piling in the limo to go home. It was a night to remember! I sure do love my BBC girls and look forward to a new year of good, though-provoking reads in 2012. Oh yeah, and wine!