Decorating!

It's not fully Christmas without making and decorating cookies - right??!!

Madhouse on Madison!

I think this just might have been my first trip back to the United Center (aka the Madhouse on Madison) since the years of the Sixpeat! And this is the 20th anniversary of the 1st championship season...making me feel very old!
They've still got the team photo - always a crowd pleaser ;-)
Kim - the captain of my basketball team - joined me for the game - so fun!
The Bulls killed the Timberwolves...after coming off a big win over the Lakers the night before - Go Bulls!
And...to top it all off...we were greeted with a sky filled of big fluffy snowflakes..you can kind of see Jordan dunking through the flakes!
Thanks for the tickets Dan - had a GREAT time!!!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Everybody loves a good Christmas party right?! I decided to do mine on a Thursday this year to avoid all the Fri/Sat madness and I think I will continue this tradition!

House decorated? Check!
Plenty of treats? Check!
Great friends? Check!
Adorable kids in their holiday finest? Check!
Family and friends who are basically family? Check!What a great night! Thanks Kel and Lynne for all your help!

Christmas Extravaganza!

Sunday funday! It started with me hosting a brunch for my new coworkers and their wives - Michael and JoJo from China and Sushma and BB from India. Of course I love hosting, and what better than welcoming new friends during the holidays!
After brunch we headed to the Auditorium Theater to meet another coworker Mukai-san for Willow Chicago's Christmas service - AMAZING!!!Then a little sightseeing...
(Michael with his two bosses!)Next up a repeat performance of last year's Zoo Lights visit - and more friends (John and Emily) to join!All that fun makes you hungry - so off to get some Chinese - great end to a fabulous day!!!

A Very Zing Christmas

Zing - my GRIP team - had our Christmas party this weekend! It started with the game where the person in the middle makes a statement like "I have been in the ocean" and then everyone who has been in the ocean has to get up and race across the circle to find a new seat. The person left standing has to come up with the next statement.
Then it was time for the White Elephant gift exchange. The gifts were supposed to be gender neutral, but there were definitely some funny moments with guys trying the be a salesman with the sparkle lotion they got to entice the girls to steal it!
Alyssa and Thad are the head coaches for the Zing team - well done party hosts!
I am Markida's coach!
After the gifts we had some free time to shoot some hoops - fun times - see you all Monday!

HoHoHo!!!

I woke up Saturday morning to about 2inches of fresh snow with big fluffy flakes falling....and had to get geared up for the 2nd Annual Santa Hustle 5K!

It was fantastic! Sleigh rides, passing out peppermints and cookies along the race course, real reindeer waiting at the finish - good times!
We all got hats, beards, and shirts that looked like Santa's suit - it was over 3000 Santas invading the city!!
After the Hustle, I was off to Uptown Baptist Church were the Willow Creek Sport's Ministry (all my basketball friends!) volunteers every year with hosting a Christmas party for the Womens Shelter.
All the basketball teams had donated backpacks filled with clothes, socks, hats, candy, soaps, etc and the daughters of two of our players were the little elves passing out the gifts.

Let the Festivities Begin!

After all the decorating, you don't think we'd let all that hard work go to waste do you? First up was Kelly's holiday party! I had basketball playoffs - 2 wins, semifinals next week - and then hurried home for the festivities!
She did a great job decorating...more pictures to come. It was great to see all her friends, many of which I have known since they were 5!