Hello everyone! Hope your Monday is as fantastic as mine! (I know so many of you actually had to work today, so I apologize for shoving it in your face). Have I mentioned that I love the holidays? Please don’t shove ME in the face for being obnoxious.  

Today’s leisurely day consisted of working out, reading, and spending time with the fam.

I’m slightly in love with my Polar heart rate monitor and worked out TWICE today because I’m obsessed with using it. Hey, whatever works, right?

First time was on a morning run:

And the second time was at the gym doing a circuit training.

Plus I needed to sweat out the Moscow Mules + cookies from yesterday’s cookie tasting party.

Yesterday, Sister and I drove down to Carlsbad for the McDonell’s annual Bake-Off. It’s our third year being official tasters and, every year, I am reminded why the McDonell family is quite the special one. They are so full of Christmas spirit and have the wackiest, most ridiculous, but BEST holiday traditions I’ve ever seen!

The cookie bake-off isn’t really a wacky tradition. But the McDonell’s are so cute and competitive and the set-up is always so dramatic that it just makes everything so much more fun!

This year, I voted for Lauren’s (Megan’s younger sister) cookie. Hers was simple and had the one ingredient that always wins me over – chocolate. She made chocolate chip pretzel cookies. I was a fan.

Megan’s parents tallied up the final score…

…while everyone eagerly awaited the winner.

Megan’s cookie won (she made some form of gingerbread snaps, but chewier), and naturally, a victory speech was necessary. 

I am so glad that Sister and I flew back to SoCal in time for the Bake Off. The McDonell’s are some of the most welcoming people I know and so much fun to be around!

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After we left Carlsbad, we drove back up to Orange County to meet up with some friends from UCLA. We met at Triangle Square in Costa Mesa.

All of them ate dinner at the Yardhouse and I met up with them toward the end of dinner. Luckily, I was able to catch Rachel and Adam and Jeremy and Jackie before they had to head back to LA. It was SO good to see everyone since the last time we saw them was at Rachel and Adam’s wedding in May.  It wasn’t too difficult of a goodbye since I’ll be seeing them again this weekend luckily!

After they left, a  few of us walked over to Saddle Ranch for a drink  (and some really loud entertainment by the bartender).

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – there’s no feeling like the one you get when you’re reunited with some of your best friends from college. The inside jokes never seem to get old. And the laughter never seems to die. I feel so lucky to have stumbled across these incredible people who, whether they like it or not, are my friends for LIFE.

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Who are you reuniting with this holiday season?