First Weekend in December...Let the Festivities Begin (in full force!)

Last weekend was SO MUCH FUN!  It's one of the weekend's I look forward to all year, because every year the first weekend in December brings our Lynwood "Women's Ministry" Christmas program, then it's the big fancy "Lutheran Family Home Tour" and that Saturday night is always the big Saint Francis Employee Christmas party at the Venue (swanky!)

Friday morning I helped decorate for the women's ministry brunch.  Before I went to church, Brynn, my mom and I all headed to the nail place to get our nails done for the fun weekend ahead.  I never usually get my nails done, but I had a gift card so I figured it was the perfect time to use it!  So fun!  Brynn was mesmerized watching Mommy get her nails done.

I LOVE this picture...I know it's probably hard to see, but when the lady told me to put my nails
under the dryer-thing, Brynn immediately started sticking hers under there too!  I couldn't stop laughing...
not only is it a reminder that right now she wants to do everything like her mama, but
it does make me a tad bit excited to do stuff like this when she's older.
Mommy/daughter nail date!

Then Brynn went home with Grandma to play for awhile while I headed up to church to help decorate.  Grace, Ashley, Emily, and I had a BLAST decorating all the tables and setting up for the brunch.  We had a fun lunch, and LOTS of laughs!

Saturday was the big day of festivities!  Ryan is SUCH a good dad, and spent all day playing with Brynn so I could have a FUN day with the girls.  About 9 my mom and I headed up to church.  We were in charge of the registration table....wish I had a picture.  We had over 150 women in attendance!  After everyone registered we all had a little brunch and then went to some break-out sessions.  I wish I could have gone to all 4.  My sister-in-law Sarah did one on wreath-making, there was one on hostessing with a purpose during Christmas, family traditions to keep Christ in Christmas, and one on Christmas gift-wrapping ideas.  I went to the wreath-making and gift-wrapping (I'm really spiritual huh...!) but heard the others WERE amazing as well!

My sis-in-law Sarah was AWESOME...such a pro!  I told her she seemed like Rachel Ray up there!
The night before she asked me how many were in each session.  I told her there were about 40 people in her first and
second sessions...she goes "oh my gosh I thought you were going to say 8!  I'm SO NERVOUS!"
You couldn't tell a BIT!

Our friend Cathy teaching some new creative gift-wrapping techniques...SO FUN1

After the break-out sessions we had an AMAZING speaker, our pastor's sister Karen.  She was INCREDIBLE!  We all left just feeling so blessed by her amazing testimony and just "her."

After the women's thing got over around 12:30 the festivities continued with the big home tour in our town!  Several of us loaded up and had lunch and then toured 6 really cool (and some not so cool, right mom?) homes in our area.  It's always just fun being with the girls, laughing, talking, etc.  This is one of my favorite things all year!

After the home tour I headed home to get ready for the big Christmas party!  DATE NIGHT!

The party is always at the Venue,which is a BEAUTIFUL banquet hall in Cape.  We ate LOTS of yummy food and had fun visiting with lots of Saint Francis people...and since Jason also works there it's a fun night with Jason and Sarah...we MAY have even gotten the boys out on the dance floor!

And Saint Francis always makes a video of employees and this year they also did a spoof of the Gangnam Style dance.  The video crew went to each department in the hospital, but only Ryan was willing to do it for the Physical Therapy crew!!!  Oh my gosh...watching him dance Gangham Style was HILARIOUS!


Whew!  What a busy weekend, but one of my favorites!