Tatum decided to make her presence known shortly before our 7th month of pregnancy. 
The Upper Crust Trattoria hosted our office Christmas party last night, something I wouldn’t have missed for the world. Although the event was for ‘employees and spouses,’ my husband was a bit indisposed with previous engagements….so Brandi and I made an event out of it! Of course we completely forgot to take a snapshot of us all dolled up– or of the festivities at the restaurant– so you’ll just have to take my word when I say both of us had a blast.
Brandi ordered the ribeye steak while I opted for the chicken marsala. Tatum must have known we were someplace wonderful because she kicked incessantly…and proceeded to nap for four and a half hours [she never stops moving] after I wolfed down a plate of Caesar salad, half of each entree, Brandi’s leftovers, and my entire raspberry cheese cake. I typically don’t pay too much attention to aspects of a restaurant other than food and service, but the ambiance at Upper Crust was great. I loved their cozy waiting area, modern bar space, and the general layout. For those of you who live in Memphis it reminded me of the entry area of the remodeled Benihana. The similarities end there but if I had to make a comparison that would be it.
Italian food– and also Indian cuisine [which I have no had since I've been to this area with the exception of a yummy homemade meal prepared by Brandi at NCWS]– keeps me healthy. Place cheese, pasta, or an Indian buffet in front of me and I’ll devour half my body weight in food. Not to justify spending money I don’t have on dining out, but it’s hard to feel upset about feeding my pregnant self a hearty meal when I’d be too stressed to eat well otherwise.
Who doesn’t love a white elephant gift exchange? Thankfully there was a CVS in the shopping center next door so we were able to politely excuse ourselves and make a mad dash when I inevitably forgot to bring my present. Watching the gifts being opened proved hysterical– some of us thought we were bringing gag gifts while others stuck to more serious items. Gift cards, candles, and holiday items were sandwiched between a beta fish, a mini golf set that you can play while sitting on the toilet, and the infamous ‘butt/face’ towel…ha.
My white elephant loot
I couldn’t have picked a better gift from the pile. It was a large coffee mug [you can never have too many cups in a new apartment] with a colorful bouncy ball that Adam will love. Bonus points for the fact that it came in an cute box that will be perfect for holding my trinkets. J also gave Tatum ‘The Donald’– a baby toupee!– and some sweet potato puffs. Our pastor was kind enough to present us with a very generous Starbucks card and fudge. It takes lots of coffee and sweets to make a church function smoothly!
It meant so much to me that Brandi came. While I don’t let it detract from my professionalism and the work I do for the church, everyone knows I’ve been through some rough times lately. Having a friend from the ‘outside’ made me feel normal and I know Brandi loved getting to meet these incredible people. Endless thanks to R & P, our chauffeurs for the evening.
I felt terrible yesterday and even worse today but it was so worth it to have a delightful evening with my coworkers and Brandi. We’re already excited about 2012′s soiree!
With infinite love, gratitude, and respect,
Sloane
