It's Christmastime, in the City

This year we had our second annual Sunday School Christmas party and gift exchange. Our friends, Andy and Betsy have just finished building and moving into a beautiful custom built home, so they hosted the event. We had a delicious buffet style dinner and fellowship upstairs and moved the party downstairs for desserts, a coffee bar, and the White Elephant Gift Exchange.

Our Sunday School class has only been in existence for a little over two years, and we have some of the greatest people I know in it. We have every type of person in our class, but the thing I love the most, is everyone is so laid back. We have some very funny people, that help to make our events extra entertaining. The gifts last year were pretty funny, but this years topped them.

Brandon was unable to come to the party last year, so we were both looking forward to an evening with grown up conversation and no kiddo's! We had a great time, and are very grateful to Betsy and Andy for opening up their beautiful home.



The weekend after our Sunday School party, we had Brandon's firms Christmas Party. We didn't really know what to expect. He had heard stories from last year's party that weren't too good, so we didn't really know how long we would stay. The firm rented out a banquet room in a restaurant downtown, and as soon as you walked in the door you were handed $500 in Monopoly money. They had rented a craps table, a blackjack table, and a roulette table. You were able to "gamble" all evening, and then they had prizes to give to the high rollers. Brandon and I were a little terrified at first, so we just mingled( He mingled, I followed him like a lost puppy) and snacked on some appetizers. Once we had been asked by just about every single partner when we were going to start playing, we went to the craps table and just watched for a while. Slowly we started putting our pretend money out, and winning a little bit. I kept asking Brandon what to do, and the guy behind the table was getting a little frustrated with me. I have never ever gambled. I hold my money to dear, to lose it so quickly! Brandon's office manager's husband was standing next to me, and he was winning big. I think he felt sorry for me, so he bid out, and gave me all his winnings.... $5,000 in winning. I that point, I left the table and went to eat. For just a moment I pretended that I was holding $5,500 in real chips. I was in heaven for a few pretend moments. We ate dinner with two guys who had just made partner and their wives. It was hard trying to make conversation with them, I'm not gonna lie. They live in a totally different world than Brandon and I do. All of the wives work, in a professional field. I was the only stay at home mom, of an associate. They take weekend shopping trips to Kansas City or Chicago, and go out for drinks and happy hour. Maybe in a few years, B and I will be able to do the shopping trips, and not be so worried about everything.
It was fun to see Brandon's dreams come true. This time last year, we didn't know if he would ever get a job, much less to be in a room with some of the best attorney's in Southwest Missouri. It was pretty cool.
Afterward, I was still starving (I didn't eat a lot, all of the other wives looked like twigs), so we head to our favorite dive...Steak N Shake. We pigged out on cheese fries and chicken fingers, and had some husband and wife time.
We had a great night. I am glad that it only happens once a year, it's kinda intimidating. But it was nice getting to meet and visit with the people that Brandon is around everyday. Note to self for next year..either lose 30 lbs and start going to the gym everyday, or get pregnant and time it out just right, so that I won't be the biggest wife at the party!!!