Chubby Diary: Tis' the Season (Part 3)

Two of my favorite Christmas traditions are my "Mommies Group" annual cookie exchange, and my "Happy Hour Group" ornament Exchange!

The Mommies group Cookie Exchange event is so much fun becuase it's a little about the kids, a little bit about socializing...and A LOT about dessert! The cookie exchange is so popular becuase the moms love to bake (at least THIS mom does!) and present their treats to their friends, and the kids & husbands (OK, and the mommies too!) LOVE to have dozens and dozens of different cookies to eat over the next couple of days. Many of the women who were a part of our group did not attend the regular park days, and even some of them did not regularly participate in the discussions that happened on our group website, however, EVERYONE (except for our out-of-state members) came to the cookie exchanges! We bake 6 dozen cookies each, and it is so impressive to see the variety of cookies displayed before us! This year was no exception! :0) Here are just a few of the delicious treats...

My Happy Hour Group is a group so dear to my heart becuase it is made up of some of my very favorite people...my mom & my sister Jenni (have I told you about her!?) Not to mention, there are 7 other WONDERFUL women who round us out. This group is made up of 3 "older" moms (my mom being one of them)...and their combined 7 daughters. My mom and her 2 girlfriends have known each other for about 20 years, and when I was a child, all of our families would go to the river together, we went to San Fransisco together, we spent a few Super Bowls together, etc. But over the last 7 +/- years, there has been less of a division in age brackets, and we have merged together as a single group of friends. We used to meet for Happy Hour (hence our name) every couple of months, but as life moves on, and as us "younger" moms continue to procreate, our gatherings have had to slow down a bit. But one thing we will never give up is our Annual Christmas party and ornament exchange! Some of the most beautiful ornaments I have hanging on my tree are from this annual event!

This year we ate at Beaumont's in La Jolla for breakfast. The most interesting drink at our table was the B.L.T. Bloody Mary...complete with bacon, of course! The food was incredible, and becuase everything sounded delicious, my mom, Jenni & I shared 3 different meals...

Soufflé Style French Toast (A-MA-ZING!)...