Ward Party

 When I'm pregnant I take being antisocial to a new level.  

My home, my room, and my pj's come first in most situations.

That being said, it was indeed a true miracle that I made it to the ward Christmas party tonight.

I geared up for it all day.  I talked it up in my head and made a conscious effort to be positive.

I could take the crowd.  I could take the waiting in line for food.  I could take the hundreds of children running crazy-town around the church house.  

Around 5 pm, I had changed my mind.  I was too tired.  My feet were too swollen.  It was going to be too much work to dry and curl my hair, let alone actually slap on some makeup.

I tried not to go...really I did.

But my husbands gentle nudging to make an effort did its job. Dang husband.

I showered, fixed my hair and went to the ward party.  (shouldn't there be a band playing in the background for my honor?)

Unless someone has suffered from pregnancy induced (ok...I have all of this anyway, pregnancy just makes it 100 times worse) claustrophobia mixed with a little agoraphobia (Steve swears I have this)  mixed with a dash of germaphobia...they would not understand what a huge feat this was for me.  

In fact, Steve told me tonight after we got home that more than one person told him how impressed they were to actually see me at a ward event.  

(Um...I guess people know how I really feel about such things.  Nuts.)

Good thing most of the food was already on the table when we got there.

Good thing Steve stood in line and brought back ham for our entire family so I didn't have to stand in line with my children. (torture)

Good thing one of my best friends sat next to me.

Good thing my children followed the family rules and stayed seated with Steve and I the entire party.  (Pet Peeve #8,987:  Kids who are allowed to run willy-nilly all over the church at a ward functions.  AHH.  It drives me batty!)

 Good thing the dessert table was clear on the other side of the gym so I couldn't see kids touching all the food with their sticky previously licked fingers.

(YES...I know I have serious issues.  But the first step in recovering from them is admitting you have a problem.  I have a problem.  I know.)

But, I went.  I ate.  I socialized.  I smiled.  And I didn't have a royal fit and yell at my kids in public.

The evening must have been a success!

After dinner and a few musical numbers,  a special visitor came to the party. 

Santa came.

The low quality phone pictures I got of my kids with Santa made the evening worth it.

I call this shot, "The Showdown"

Typical Say.

Carter was SO excited.

When I asked what he told Santa he wanted, he rolled his eyes and said, "A RC helicopter.  Duh!"

What was I thinking Carter?  How lame can I be???

Colby was all smiles and all talk.

It was if he and the Jolly Old Elf had been friends for years.

All Colby asked for was a candy cane.

Done.

But I'm sure if that's all the Big Man gets him there will be some serious complaints Christmas morning.

 I wonder if Colby was playing the "unselfish angle."

Maybe reverse psychology will work on the Man in Red?

From that grin...Colby is planning on it!

Andrew was too cool and too old to sit on Santa's lap.

Plus, I don't think Santa could take all 90 lbs of this growing kid.

Yes...I'm glad I went to the ward party.  

There I said it.

Please don't quote me later on this.

And to prove I was even remotely in the festive spirit today...

here are the brownies I made for the party.

Yes, they are gluten free.

Andrew said they were the first treats gone. 

 He should know...he went back multiple times. 

(cringe cringe)

I'm back in the baking business baby.  Ahhh Yeah!  More about how far I've come just in the past few weeks in regards to GF baking in the near future.  My tight pants will prove it!

On a completely different subject...

just wanted to officially say that we take our light sockets seriously around here.

Very seriously.

I put Say's hair in rags last week to sleep in and was impressed she kept them in all night.

Her hair was crazy curly for two days.  I loved it!

She has asked for curly piggies (actually, she called them "deer horns") a few times since then, but then quickly recants her request protesting that the rags are "too ouchy" to sleep in.

I hope I can convince her again soon.