Belated by several days post.

The snow has been drifting down all morning and it's a beautiful sight in Columbus!

It's also Monday, so that counteracts the beauty a little, especially after wonderful a three-day weekend. On Friday, I took the day off and called in a secret day off for Mike. For his birthday, we did dinner and movie, but I wanted to whisk him away for something a little more special. He wasn't excited for his birthday this year, so I needed to do something to make it fun and memorable. We headed down to Hocking Hills to stay the night in a "cabin" on the lake.

The view from the wall-to-wall windows was beautiful, with the snow and water below and across from us. We napped, played cards and pool, watched a movie and cooked together. It was a lovely way to spend a few days and I know Mike loved being away from the city. No cell service, egad!

Upon returning to home, I dolled up for the third annual Friendship and Good Looks dinner. Four of my great friends and I headed to dinner at Oscar's. Good food, good wine, good company. Afterward, we went to my house to exchange gifts and sleepover. We had more than our share of red wine, leading to really attractive purple lips, some snacks and a cozy winter sleepover. Never mind the fact that I fell asleep way before everyone else and missed some of the fun, but when we had breakfast and watched CBS Sunday Morning the next day, it was easy to appreciate the warm house, awesome friends and Christmas cheer we are all fortunate enough to experience.