Christmas Sweater Spectacular

Nothing says Christmas like an ugly sweater. Last weekend we attended Ashley and Kyle’s “Semiannual Ugly Sweater/Turtleneck Party.” The party was fantastic! It was a night filled with yummy food, great friends, crazy sweaters, and the always entertaining, white elephant gift exchange.

Here are our friends Vanessa and Curtis with their treasures from the gift exchange; a beautiful plaster cast Native American statue and a homemade photo album covered in satin, lace, and fake flowers (Note: the photo album was an actual gift we received for our wedding—no joke!)



Let’s get to the main event. After the parade of sweaters, we took a vote to see who would take home the crown of “The Ugliest Sweater.”

In third place, we have Kyle’s “Toncho” - a turtleneck, poncho combo.

In second place we have Sean’s “12 Days of Christmas,” complete with bells and a pear zipper. (Don’t tell the winner, but I still think Sean was robbed. He deserved to take first place!)

And the winner is….

Curtis in “Can't Beat The Wreath.” Congratulations Curtis!

Of course no contest is complete without a prize. The winner got to take home this lovely illuminated Mary statue. A perfect addition to any Christmas display. Hmmm...on second thought…I think I’m glad Sean didn’t win.

Thank you Ashley and Kyle for a fantastic party. We'll see you next year!

Merry Christmas!

An Evening at the Apollo

Tis the season of holiday parties! Last weekend Sean and I attended the corporate Christmas Party for my work. It was my first year attending, and it was fabulous! This year’s theme was “An Evening at the Apollo.” It was held at the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Scottsdale and the ballroom was decorated in Hollywood style, complete with a red carpet entrance and golden Oscar centerpieces. It was a night to dress up, mingle with coworkers, and rub elbows with the big wigs. We got hang out with the owner of Apollo Group, John Sperling, the CEO, the CFO, the President of UOP, the Mayor of Phoenix, and several state Senators.

After appetizers and mingling, we sat down for dinner and entertainment. This is where things got strange…and hilarious. The entertainment was supposed to be Hollywood themed, right, but the best they could do was three impersonators and a magician who was obsessed with yellow canaries. The first act was a Dolly Parton impersonator. Last time I checked, Dolly was not an Oscar winner, and Nine to Five is NOT considered an achievement in film. However, Dolly was much better than the Bette Midler impersonator whose adam’s apple had our undivided attention during “her” rendition of Wind Beneath My Wings. Had we not been stuffing our faces with filet minion and lobster, I probably would have been laughing out loud during the finale, wait for it…Dolly Parton, Bette Middler, and The Temptations all together singing a I’m Proud to be an American. It was the strangest musical number I have ever seen. I’d like to know the party planner who thought that would be a super idea. It was bizarre, but totally gave us a laugh.

All in all, it was a great evening. We enjoyed dessert, dancing, casino games, and lots of funny work stories. Here are a few pictures from the evening and a few of my favorite coworkers. Happy Holidays!

This is my sweet friend Ashley and her husband, Craig. Ashley and I sit next to eachother at work and I don't know how I would get through the day without her!!

Here's our "Pod," Aaron, Ashley, and myself. The three of us sit in an area together and we spend the entire day laughing , making jokes, and teasing each other. We have a blast! Aaron is the only boy of the group, so Ashley and I like to gang up on him and tease him whenever possible. Thanks Aaron!

And here we have Ashley M., Aaron, and Tim. God bless funny coworkers.

Hot Chocolate Anyone?

I absolutely love being Auntie Paige. I have the cutest nieces and nephews, and I just love them to pieces. Last Sunday my sister Leah and her husband Ben came over for some Sunday night treats. They brought their two precious daughters, Eden and Gracie, whom I just adore.

We had a great time making hot chocolate, dancing to Christmas music, and eating yummy treats. Eden helped me make the hot chocolate and she was such a good helper. She helped me measure the chocolate and stir it until it was just right. As we were stirring she shouted, “Yay, chocolate milk!” It was so cute.

This was Eden’s first time drinking hot chocolate, so she was a bit surprised when she found out her “chocolate milk” was warm, but once she got the hang of it, she was obsessed. Here is Eden on her 2nd cup of hot chocolate.

I can't think of a better way to celebrate the holidays. Show us that smile Eden! Say cheese!