A Capitol Christmas Tree

Butters and I went to Austin this past weekend, without the boys.  I did a little research for "Contract Book 2"...it is really amazing how much the city has changed since I lived there 10 years ago.  Mind-boggling, really.  We spent a lot of time driving around, scoping things out, getting the up-to-date lay of the land.  We also dined in some delicious spots.  Saturday night we attended Butters' company Christmas party, where the highlights were a bruschetta bar, a dessert contest, and the White Elephant Gift Exchange.  I'd never heard of a bruschetta bar before, and it was vastly more interesting than I thought it'd be...it wasn't just bread and toppings--there were other topping-carriers as well!  I personally did not participate in the WEGE, so it was all very low stress and quite funny.  It was a nice, relaxing weekend, and now we're back, ready for the final push of class parties, festivities, gifts, and outings right up until Christmas.  Looking forward to it!

Here's a shot of the Texas Capitol Building with this season's holiday decor.