Christmas + Chicago

Scenes of Christmas.

Mason addressing Christmas cards and packages while I make cookies and Ozzy makes sure nothing hits the floor.

Peanut Butter Blossoms. A crowd favorite.

Rue sunning herself by the tree. It was unseasonably warm this year - mid 60s the whole week! We didn't like it.

A new favorite - Christmas Bark. This is the recipe I used, but put sliced almonds, M&Ms, and sprinkles on top instead of crushed peppermint.

Zane had himself a shiner for the holiday. It worked its way through several colors. He got it diving for a loose ball in a basketball game and got kicked in the face by a member of the opposing team. It was an accident, but still should have been a foul. When Zane mentioned that to the ref, he was warned that if he talked like that again he'd get thrown out of the game.

Santa came!

Money rolls from Oma and Opa were a big hit!

All the fancy things for Christmas morning hot cocoa. Yum.

 

Lego assembly. Zane was working on a race car and Hannah completed a Harry Potter dueling set.

  

The next morning we drove up to Chicago for Christmas with the Lueder side of the family. Mason and Zane went to the Bulls v. Sixers game at the United Center. Bulls win!

  

Before going to Ann and Tom's the next day, we had some time to kill in the morning. A few went to Blick's Art Supply and the rest went to IKEA. Nothing was purchased, but a good time was had.

 

 

 

This is Zane as "young professional" in one of the nooks.

 

At Ann and Tom's it was great to catch up with everyone, eat way too much, and play games.

 

Cousins: Hannah 13, Kenz 19, Nick 21, and Zane 16.

  

 Mama and I.

  

Hannah and Kenz.

 

 We played a really fun gift exchange game! Everyone brought 1 gift that was $5-$10 dollars. Depending on what everyone rolled on the dice, you passed to the right, opened one, did nothing, exchanged with the person across from you, etc. You keep playing until all the gifts are unwrapped and once they are, the gift you're holding is yours.

  

Zane enjoying his gift - a blue raspberry gummy skull.

  

 On Sunday morning, there was weather rolling in so the Iowans took off early. Mason and I sat in the lobby drinking coffee/chai and chatting. It was lovely and I liked the decor.

  

Before we headed home, we had lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. The original plan was to go to the location where I used to work eons ago, but it was too far out of the way so we went to the one that was a mile from our hotel at the Woodfield Mall. We ate way too much, but there was no way I was leaving without ordering the Tex Mex Eggrolls and since Hannah can't have those, we also had to get the Spinach Dip. We each got a lunch/brunch plate and of course we ordered cheesecake for the road. Bad decisions were made but we have no regrets.

 

 

 

Hannah eating her peach cheesecake with raspberry drizzle in the car.

 

So much weather on the way home! There was rain when leaving Chicago, VERY strong winds across the entire midwest for the rest of the way home, and then it was snowing once we got about an hour from Columbia.

 

This was my dinner once we got home. The Dulce de Leche cheesecake was just as phenomenal as I remember it being.

573 Volleyball Photos

 Hannah's 573 (14-Taylor) individual and team photos taken by Front Row Films:

Team and fun shots:

 

 

 

Volleyball + Orchestra

 We are barreling through December and trying to keep up, while leaving room for rest too.

We hosted a Christmas party! I didn't manage to take many pictures, but we played Family Feud with prizes (pictured below),

and made some snacks.

This pic of my friend, Angie, and I was the only one I took with a person in it.

The same night of our party, Zane was playing in the championship game of a local tournament. We felt terrible that we both missed the game, but when we picked the date for our party, we were unaware that a game would be happening. They won!

December treats.

Hannah, her friend, and I went out to dinner at Delia's Mexican Restaurant and then to the Rock Bridge play, Our Town.

Hannah's first tournament with her 573 team in Springfield, MO. These girls were at the venue from 8am-8:30pm and then had a 3 hour drive home. It was worth it to watch them battle on the court and bond off the court. They ended up in 2nd place in the silver bracket.

Hannah is #3.

One of the parents on the team canned Caramel Macchiatos to fuel the adults. I had 2 and I don't normally drink coffee.

Hannah also had a joint orchestra concert with one of the high schools and 2 other middle schools. Hearing them all on stage together was magical.

Hannah held her own with the basses in the back. She said "the guy next to me was a full grown man!"