BCJKR

 Top: 2009 - Randi, Crystal, Me, Jerrica, Katie ; Bottom: 2010 - Me, Crystal, Jerrica, Katie, Randi

One of my favorite parts of Christmas is getting together with my best friends to exchange gifts and spend time together.
Lately it's been tougher to do because we're {sadly} grown up now! Scheduling a girls night around jobs, school, husbands, boyfriends is kind of complicated and something that needs to be planned FAR in advance.
But luckily this year we picked a night and it worked out perfectly! It's crazy how much things have changed from the year before, it's amazing what can happen in the span of 12 months huh?
I was pleased with my shopping this year, usually I struggle and I assumed I would even more this year because I had a strict budget. Fortunately I found things that just screamed "Crystal!" or "Katie!" etc.
{Just a side note: I am pathetically horrible at wrapping presents...part of me is sad for myself and part of me doesn't care because they just rip it open anyway!}

Crystal was hosting our get together and her grandma and grandpa's house. They are just fabulous, and I've adopted them as my very own grandparents. I adore them, and they are so funny and kind and lovable!
We brought snacks and had sandwiches for dinner, with homemade Oreos with peppermint filling made by Jerrica. Yum, yum YUM! 

After dinner we opened our presents! I get more excited to see their reactions to what they got rather than my what I'm getting, and I love when they love what I bought.
We all know each other so well, and I love every single thing I got and I know they put their heart into everything. Because truthfully this year we're all struggling with money. However, spending time with my girls trumps buying big expensive gifts! Truth.

And I'll tell you -- I have some crafty crafty friends! Crystal made us all blankets that are the most adorable things ever. She picked out patterns specifically for each one of us and she worked really hard on them, it shows! Mine is green with a cute green/brown pattern, Katie's is purple with plaid patterns, Jerrica's is orange with adorable little monsters, and Randi's is blue with owls on it {she says: "will you make one of these for my unborn child!?" hahaha I love her}!
Also, Katie made us all picture frames with personal pictures in them...so damn cute! She worked so hard on them, she painted, glued, cut, pasted and they turned out so amazing. Mine was a picture of Taran and I that she took inside a frame with damask paper and teal and black flowers. Randi's was a picture from her and Bill's wedding in the navy blue color that matched her dress, with pear accents designed along the side. Jerrica's was a picture of the 5 of us wearing the Mickey Mouse ears that Crystal brought us from Disneyland, painted orange with white polka dots. And Crystals was a picture of the 5 of us at the zoo with a cute blue patterned paper on it!
I think I've found some new craft ideas I want to try! Hurray!


We took a bunch of pictures and played Apples to Apples - which is hilarious when the  5 of us are playing!
I had a blast and I'm so glad we got to spend time together because it's so rare to get our little group together. Hopefully as the years go and we continue to grow up we can still find time for each other, but I'm sure we will. BFF!

Thanks for a great night ladies! I love you all so very much.