A Convivial Cozy Christmas & More!

Happy Sunday, friends!  A week from today is Christmas Eve, which feels a bit crazy to me!!

Anyway, I'll jump straight into the photos.  Yesterday was the 7th annual Convivial Cozy Christmas party at Moss Manor... here's me with Kelly and Alex, with Rachel and Heidi, with Evan and the Shoemaker fam (minus Harvey), and with Jeff and Kelly! 

Shoemakers + Jeffrey and Henry + Danielle + me!

Me with Ellie Faye, Heidi Claire, and Henry Edward! ❤

And a couple where JEM joined me and Henry! lol (Please note Home Alone playing on the TV behind us). =)

Rachel and Danielle with their baby girls (Heidi and Juliette); Ellie showing me the photo props - yes, please!; The Moss fam stockings (stockings make me very happy for whatever reason); Jessie and Kelly with their babies; Evan, Brent, and Jeffrey with their clear glasses; and one more pic with Ellie!

I hadn't been there since Jeff and Kelly redid their backyard earlier this year, but wow, I was very impressed!  It was super nice out there -- a big couch and table, picnic table, TV, bar area (with the "naughty punch" and other adult beverages), fantastic porch swing, covered patio, wood-burning fireplace, and several chairs!  I know there were tons of people there for this party, but it didn't feel crowded because we had all that room outside + the kitchen and living room and the whole upstairs playroom area/theater room for the kids -- such a great house for fun parties!

I tried Karen Bullard's cookie recipe and brought those for the Christmas party!  There were also chips and queso and sliders and meatballs and two tables full of other dessert choices - lots of great food that I failed to get a photo of, but I got the people and that's what matters most.  I got to catch up with the Shoemakers & Mosses + Evan + several old LG friends (Elizabeth, Jessie, Alex) + met a couple new people!  We missed the Wilson family, who were home due to a very unwelcome stomach bug.  But it was a fun party and I feel deeply grateful for my Tulsa friend group!

Earlier yesterday, Mom joined me in Tulsa for another trip to Amber Marie (we hit both locations).  As her Christmas gift from Dad, she got these very large Mackenzie Childs' reindeer that she'd been admiring!  Getting them loaded into the car was quite the entertaining process, but they're now safely back in MWC with her! =)

Pre- the sudden onset stomach bug, Chettles joined us for Cookie Mama and a CFA pep talk! =)  The pic on the right is one I took of the Moss fam when I first arrived (with the Santa Clause playing in the background - yay)... the pic is a little blurry, but still makes me happy!

Speaking of a little blurry, I want a new fancy camera that takes suuuper-crisp photos like these... Chet's Santa pictures event was a hit last week (with his photographer neighbor, Steve Doak, taking the photos).  Here's Kate, Heidi Claire, Tate, and Parker E. ❤

Our intern group pic from the Restore Christmas Party... this group = Fily, Cecilia, Kayla, Melissa, Holli, Eram, Reese, Angel, Logan, Kelli, Brien, Jeremy, Hannah, Jen, me, and Jacey (12 women and 4 men - which is actually a much higher percentage of men than you see in court reporting, so that's something)!

I met Michelle and Amy at Pub W in Edmond this afternoon for a fun celebration lunch for finishing our grad school semester!

That final case study project was intense!!  When I was up at 2am working on the DSM diagnostic part, this chant was happening inside my brain, and it took me a minute to realize it was Das Sound Machine! lolol  So now I like the DSM book at least a tiny bit better. =)

Today officially marks 15 years of friendship with Chettles and Sarah...

Soooo here's a short and cheesy video to commemorate that... 15 pics for 15 years + the Three Best Friends 'song' from The Hangover, an Instagram reel suggestion that made me laugh! =)

And I'm done now...

Almost.

I'm having some sort of allergic reaction (or bug bites or rash or something?) that's causing what looks like the world's worst adult breakout all over the left side of my face and neck.  All over may be dramatic, but there are 11 itchy red bumps, and one would be too many.  And when anything affects only the BP side of my face, it's a stressor for me.  So that's a fairly minor issue thus far, but prayers appreciated.  Here's hoping and praying that I figure out what's causing that and get it to caaalm down over the next week!  For now, I've taken some Benadryl and I'm heading to bed early, which sounds like perfection.  Love and appreciate my regular readers, and I hope you've had a lovely and restful weekend!

❤