What even happened last week? I don't even know. I'm kina like a zombie after that Nutcracker week. But the apocalypse did not happen; Christmas is still coming. I drove middle school carpool then went to flag raising on Monday to see Voss receive the student of the month award. Whoop! Whoop! The character trait was Patriotism (of course). I slipped out early to be late to the HIIT class, then clinic. I ran around and did some Christmas shopping. Elizabeth and Sunny hosted book club to start the discussion on The Books of Jacob. We had a book themed item gift exchange. Meredith was my DD. Lots of laughs! Tuesday, Kerri and I won against Atlantic Beach in a third set. I came home and vegged and watched Christmas as Usual on Netflix, which was a kina bad re-do of Meet the Parents. We had our tennis party that night. Delicious sushi, catching up with tennis friends I don't see as often and another gift exchange. I stole napkins (again) this year. Wednesday was STEM day in the morning at the elementary school. It began as terrifying because I received a text from Ellie on my drive to the elementary school after leaving the middle school with an "I love you, mamma" and then heard there was a code red at the high school. I think I held my breath for half the drive and then was in a state of terror for the beginning of the prep for the 3rd grade activity. I finally got a call that it was actually a code YELLOW (meaning shooter in the neighborhood, not IN the school like a code red....still awful, yes). I'm grateful the mom I was volunteering with took over running the experiment on sound while I stayed glued to my phone receiving all the updates. It was sweet to be there with Voss' class and pop in to see Abby. I went from there to the middle school for the teacher cookie swap. Always fun chilling with middle school teachers with lots of sugar in the new lounge they have over there. My parents came over for dinner. I was late putting in the pot roast so it wasn't as good as I was hoping. Thursday, Kerri and I lost in the third set against Boone Park. It stung because we both really felt like we should have won. Too many mistakes. I finally zonked that night with a decent bedtime. Friday morning I went to a HIIT class, the post office and more shopping. I drove Ellie and Addison to the other side of town for a basketball game (not either of their schools) like a crazy mother of teens. We went to our first Hanukkah party that night. Sunny was so sweet to include us. We tried latkes, played with dreidels and got to participate in the candle lighting ceremony. We went to VDub's Pub for a nightcap after. Saturday morning, I took Marly and Addison to Target (crazy teen mom again) then went on a run with Abby and Voss. The girls and I went to the Freemans Mother Daughter gingerbread party. It's such a sweet tradition and so nice to visit with friends. We came home with 3 giant gingerbread houses which none of us need. Can you hear Voss screaming from the screen?! Phil and Voss went to a meeting for the hosts of exchange students because we are getting a friend for a few weeks in January from South Korea! We all went to Confession that afternoon- getting our souls tidy in preparation for Christmas. The rain starting coming that afternoon. Crazy storm, my goodness! Ellie babysat. Marly and Abby went to a Taylor Swift viewing party at the Harmons. Phil and I got a date and then met the Johnson Hardisons at the Bierhall. Sunday morning, Ellie and I red at mass. The middle girls and Voss (first time!) altar served! My patience wore thin in religion class. We had breakfast at TCC which was very nice. Still raining! We finally had a down day with a bunch of nothing. Well, not for me. I was polishing silver and getting ready for my party the next day. That night was the Cogent Bank holiday party at TCC. Power was knocked out in the club for most of the day, but they were able to recover for the party. I'm proud of banker Phil. Here are our photos of the week.