'Tis the Season!

I hate to write about Christmas when I have yet to fill you in on our November, but 'Tis the Season!

Friday I went to dinner with my friend Melanie.  We went to Windsor, owned by another favorite of mine, Postino.  It has a cute little ice cream shop connected to it called Churn.  Both were a lot of fun with a great vibe!

I'm bound & determined to try a new restaurant once a week (or two).  There's so many around here that I can hardly stand it!  Giuseppe's has been on the list since it aired on The Food Network -- I now live less than a mile from it.  I'm in love!

Anyway, Saturday we had a verrrry busy day.  We spent the morning and afternoon at my friend Genny's house.  Every year for probably 25+ years, her family gets together with two other families and makes gingerbread houses.  They're not kidding around either - I'm talking 9am-midnight assembly time of gingerbread houses.  They home make their gingerbread, there's tables packed a foot high with candies, there's enough homemade food to feed an army - it's absolutely amazing what they do!  I would love to submit their story to Good Housekeeping or some other magazine about it, I'm positive it would make it in!

Decorating his first gingerbread train.

He loved it!

Our gingerbread train kit -- so NOT comparable
to everyone else's!

Ryan's baseball stadium -- about 40% completed
when we left at 6pm.

Genny's parents train park - also only about 50%
completed.

A family friend of theirs gingerbread house -
I think it's complete.

Old roomies  :)

Steve & the Gator.

Assembling the train.

That night, we went to our friend Aaron's Christmas party.  We had a jolly ole time and didn't get home until 10:30pm.  :)  Peyton went all day with only a 45 min nap at Genny's.  (he was waaaay too overstimulated for a nap).  So basically, he was up from 7:30am - 10:30pm.  Let me tell you - bad idea!!  He did wonderful all day, but he literally passed out once he hit the crib and woke up in the same position at 1am BAWLING!  Rubbing his eyes, crying, just miserable.  30 minutes later, he was fast asleep and didn't wake until 10:30am!

Playing video games - he really was just
holding the controller.  :)

Sunday we put our Christmas tree & decorations up.  Afterwards, we spent a few hours in the yard raking up the hundreds of leaves we have - something I'm not used to!  But we did have some beautiful orange trees for awhile, only for all the leaves to fall off and create a lot of work!  So far though, it was worth it.  We still have a beautiful tree with Fall Colors in the front yard.  If you know me, you know I love me some orange, yellow, and red fall colors!

Our tree in the front yard.

Our backyard leaves about 4 days prior to us
raking - imagine how much worse it got!

Sunday night we went to Steve's parents for dinner.  Joan made a to-die-for chicken tortilla soup with salad and gingerbread cookies for dessert.  Y.U.M.  'Tis the Season!