gone missing in sunny CA

Dear all,

Christmas Break

I got a little bit distracted...

I apologize.

The festivities started with the annual making of the family gingerbread house:

we are quite proud of it, complete with a festive Christmas wreath for the door and a side garden 

a birthday was celebrated:

And Christmas Eve wasn't complete without brunch at the Cottage and a stroll along the sea shore:

Also there was an unplanned, unexpected and completely wonderful visit from this boy:

And I was so excited to see him I somehow forgot to take pictures of us together...

Shocking.

I know.

Anywho, I apologize for my two week MIA,

Christmas tends to do that to me.

But, really, if we're getting right down to it, enjoying the holidays at home with the family trumps blogging about it.

Always.

Merry (belated) Christmas my dears!

home for christmas

Friday:

I flew into Long Beach Airport and it was drizzling

Sunday:

Went to church in a downpour and it still hasn't stopped raining
(note: it's 11:24 P.M.)

The Forecast:

It's supposed to rain through this coming Wednesday...

What's wrong with this scenario??

Didn't I come to California for the holidays...?

the to-do list:

1. the ward Christmas party

(check)

2. Ugly Christmas sweaters

(check)

and 3. Christmas lights

 (check)

Now I just need to 4. fly home,

5. watch A Christmas Carol

and 6. go bowling and then it will officially feel like Christmas.

gingerbread wars

{ Girls vs. Boys addition }

 the results:

vs.

Kudos to the first person who can name what this 

{ the crumbling graham cracker creation with 

black frosting smothered all over it }

is supposed to be...

lights on the square:

a Christmas tradition

 

and also to the excessive amounts of newly engaged couples whose pictures we accidentally walked into, 

tripped over 

and generally couldn't avoid,

Merry Christmas to you too.

the facts are these:

I'm done with classes for fall semester.

Christmas shopping is looming at me on the horizon.

I daydream about London.

I am avoiding the mall at all costs until January.

I'm growing my hair out.
(rephrase)
I'm trying to grow my hair out.

I'm so happy the snow hasn't stuck yet.

Being done with a 20-page paper and a 60-page project feels pretty good.

The best place to read is in front of the fireplace.
 I've been listening to Christmas music non-stop for the last 8 days and plan to for the next 17.
I admit to being a blog stalker.
Bananas & peanut butter are necessary.
I hate airports.
I pop my knuckles 5+ times a day.
Dancing in the kitchen and cheek kisses are the best.
I never raise my hand in class (today was an exception).
I don't know how to whistle.
I make lots of lists.
I live in socks September-March.
I really don't like wearing socks.  
I fall asleep to Kenny G.
Sometimes I make up big words. 
I hum when I do the dishes.
I take most things too literally.
 

true love

is a man who will eat the bottom of the muffin so you can just eat the top

my first

I got my first speeding ticket the other day guys...

1 ticket out of 4 years on the road?

I guess I feel okay about that.

virgin atlantic

I know they doesn't mean to taunt me.

I know they aren't out to get me.

But they keep sending me e-mails asking me to come back to 

London.

They want me to spend Christmas with them caroling outside St. Paul's Cathedral and ice skating at Somerset House.

They even conveniently informed me that a one-way ticket from LAX to Heathrow is only 

$307...

All I want for Christmas mum...?

post script

I would like to retract my previous statement.

It was an unnatural 9 degrees this morning when I walked to school.

Curse you winter.

I can't feel my ears.

lets talk about...

 It's cold.

It's white.

And I've been slipping and sliding through the slush all morning.

cons:

I miss the sun.

My lips are chapped.

My hands are never warm.

And falling on my face at least once is a winter tradition.

pros:

Snow makes the holidays a bit more festive.

The mountains are beautiful.

Cold weather is cuddle weather with a thick blanket and a cup of cocoa.

Winter means snowman building and snowball fights.

And of course the snow means snowboarding.

I'm not going to weigh the pros and cons,

and this doesn't mean I love the snow,

but

lets agree,
it's not that bad.

And it really is beginning to look a lot like Christmas... 

black friday

 

Mitch Miller

Mannheim Steamroller

Bing Crosby

The Carpenters

Pull out the Christmas music.

It's that time again.

happy thanksgiving!

here's hoping it's full of stuffing, mashed potatoes, turkey and family

and then of course some pumpkin pie

last week...

Provo looked like this:

it snowed yesterday.

is it Thanksgiving break yet?

IKEA

My first time.

I got so excited.
 

I was sure they'd have my Dutch Stroopwafels

No luck.

I haven't been this disappointed in a long time.

 

kaleidoscope heart

The line may have been out the door
around the corner,
past the restaurant
and then some,
with us at the end of it,
but we still got to sit on the Venue's best kept secret.

Cushy seats.

Clear view.
Lovely ladies.

My kind of concert-watching situation.

Highlights:

Sara came out and introduced her opening bands.

Hold up.  

When was the last time you saw a headlining performer do that at their show?

Sara dancing on top of her (blue) baby grand... 

If this doesn't make you smile I don't know what will.

And the band + openers + everybody who performed took a bow together at the end of the show.

Classy.

And we're all pretty sure we'd be best friends with Sara Bareilles in real life.

Thanks for a great girls night ladies!

XOXO

it's official

fall has fell.

mostly all over this guy's car...

social graphing

Okay so most of the time I think Facebook apps aren't worth my attention.
(And most of the time I know I'm right)

I don't "Like" anyone's pages,

I rarely check the events I've been invited to,

and it's been ages since I've posted pictures.

 However,

this is kind of cool.

It's called "Social Graph" and this is what it makes for you:

These are my 774 friends on Facebook and how they are all linked to one another.

Interestingly enough, and upon closer inspection, they all end up being grouped into smaller subcategories:

The closer people are to the middle the more connections they have,
and they are all interconnected.

Small world, huh?

Which is probably, in large part, due to Facebook...
Food for thought.

P.S. Yes, this is another gem I've picked up from my Organizational Behavior class.

dear halloween,

Thanksgiving is barely a week away and, well, you're starting to disintegrate.

Maybe we should call it quits...?

till next year anyway

 

the purchase

So, let me tell you about my apartment:

It has 2 stories.

First floor is kitchen, 

living room

and dining room.

Basement is bathrooms 

and bedrooms.

(3 points for alliteration?)

The door opens right at the top of the stairs...

Conclusion:

Every time someone opens the door even a tiny crack a diabolical draft (2 more points?) of chilled November air rushes, 

not onto our warm and toasty main level, 

but down the stairs into our bedrooms...

And then it just sits there.

All.

Day.

Long.

It laughs at us as it chills all tile floors and metal appliances so that we dread getting into bed at night because we know even our sheets will be infiltrated with that dreaded 30 degree little demon.

(lots of points)

Well I found a solution.

(For my sheets at least)

I bought an 

electric blanket.

Take that November draft!

My sheets are now toasty and chill-proof and I've stopped wearing socks to bed because my feet are always warm now.

You really might as well just give up and get warm again because I've basically already won the war.

Please tell December that snow will not be necessary this year.

v-day brawl

I'm jealous if you live in

Philidelphia

Boston

New York

or DC.

to see

You know what's the best?

My iGoogle homepage application, "Places to See," that's what.

Everyday it pops up on my dashboard with a new picture of somewhere beautiful I ought to visit.

Here was today's:

Guess what?

I've been there:

Ha'penny Bridge, Dublin, Ireland

check.

simple pleasures

Let me break it down for you:

 Me

+ 

The nurse at the front desk who recognized my

Cath Kidston

coin purse 

=

Immediate bond/
Automatic day-maker.

She gets a gold star for sure.

leaves after it rains look like...

100% humidity

don't you wish we all looked like this:

via

on a rainy day?

don't worry,

I just pulled out my knee-high plastic boots instead