Every Christmas, my mom and I get together with Brenda, one of her teaching friends, and her daughter Paula. It’s a sweet tradition that we’ve diligently maintained over the years.

Paula started blogging again, and she’s doing a lot of writing about her recent travels to Europe.  She also has cute craft/DIY ideas, and I hope that she will help me decorate our next apartment because goodness knows she has a better sense of aesthetics than I do. (And also, super-shiny hair!)

Paula didn’t like this one because she looks like an amputee.

We got delicious cupcakes from Frostings.

Meanwhile, Gracie Cat kept us on our toes.

And, unrelated, my mom has more patience than I do. She attempted to make this “semi-homemade” pie. (Notice the large frozen pork tenderloin.)