It’s that time of year

That’s right. Its CHRISTMAS time. One of my favorite times of the year. There are so many things I love about this time of year. I love decorating the house. I love shopping for the perfect gift for each person on your list. I love singing Christmas songs while I am in the kitchen cooking/baking. I love the feeling of the crisp air on my lungs during a good snowball fight and I love curling up by the fireplace under a blanket watching a Christmas movie.

My roommates and I have been doing that a lot these days. ABC Family and the Hallmark channel have been rocking our world in that area.

In honor of the times I listed a bunch of holiday movies that I love. Trying to pick a favorite is difficult. Just as I decide on one something about another makes me think I like that one better. Its a vicious cycle. So instead they are all just listed at random. Enjoy.

Elf

A Boyfriend for Christmas

The Holiday

Home Alone (1 and 2 only)

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

The Polar Express

The Santa Clause

Miracle on 34th Street

White Christmas

Prancer

Mrs. Santa Claus

The Family Stone

A Mom for Christmas

Christmas Every Day

Happy Birthday To Me

My friend Bryce made this little video for me for my birthday

last week and I just thought I would share.

My 25th year

Over the last couple of weeks I have been thinking about my birthday and how I have spent the last year. I would love to say that the saying "one year older makes you wiser" is true. Unfortunately this last year was not that. haha. I am the same obnoxious, loud and hot tempered girl I have always been. The same things frustrate me. The same things irritate me, but each life experience makes me stronger. Needless to say I had a TON of fun this last year. One of the best years ever.

My 25th year was full of a lot of firsts and/or rare acts. I made a list of the top 11 things that

were part of the TON-O-FUN I had this last year. Why 11 you ask. For fun.

1. Experienced my first car crash... oh and it was a goody.

2. Lizard-sat my friend Kirk's Bearded Dragon lizard; Jax.

3. Road Trip to St. George Utah and Las Vegas for the first time.

4.Reached the 2 year mark at Molina Healthcare. I love my job.

5. Went to So You Think You Can Dance.

6. Decided to change it up a little and after 5 years cut my hair short.

Besides the Kate Gosselin and Sarah Palin references I actually quite like it.

7. Became an FBI agent. The revolver and the pistol were

my favorite.

8. Discovered English food. Eating it and cooking it.

9. Rode the Alpine slide for the first time. Fun... Fun... Fun... but so cold.

10. Made a diaper cake. This was fun to learn how to make.

11. Went on the trip of a lifetime. 2 week in England with the best room mates ever.

Halloween Bridal Shower

Lets be honest I will do anything for a party. Give me a theme and I will run with it. Our roommate Allyson will be getting married this week and for her bridal shower we thought we would have... a little fun. And boy did we ever.

Welcome! Bohahaahaaaa....

The menu was full of fun crazy food. I wish I had more time but all it all it tasted good.

Balloons for all.

Allyson is helping me make the Dirt Cups. I was that behind that the guest of honor had to help me with the dessert. You cant tell but the kitchen was ATROCIOUS. There were dishes, pans, bowls, food, wrappers you name it was everywhere.

Melissa did a good job illuminating the room giving it that creepy ambiance.

The table settings were awesome. The goblets we scored at Rite Aid as we picked up condoms for Allyson's gift were killer.

ILLUMINATION

Yes that is a picture of Christ. Don't worry we didn't cover his face.

Next time more balloons.

Martha Stewart can kiss my...

This motion sensored witch went off in the middle of dinner when J.Jo started laughing. Her laugh is that loud, I mean great.

Allyson and our landlord Keri

If this isn't the most white trash picture ever than I don't know what is. They are wearing plastic witches teeth and I think they are trying to look scary but instead they look like lesbians. LOL. I love it.

Carrie and I dishing up the soup.

Group shot. It was a fun night that ended with Allyson opening up "bridal" shower gifts. I thought I wouldn't post those picture in respect to Allyson's shy demeanor. Lets just say we all had a good time.

Congrats Allyson!! We will certainly miss you. If you miss us to much just remember we will always have HAGGIS. Luvs!!!

A little piece of the world that keeps me smiling

This guy is good. He was on So You Think You Can Dance but got ousted when

he couldnt dance ballroom. Obviously... look at what he can do... there is no need for ballroom.

I know this video is super old, but it still makes me laugh every time.

I LOVED this song when it came out and I love the video even more. I was introduced to this this number

about a week ago and I don't think the song will ever be the same again... yet its worth it.

There are so many words that describe how happy this video makes me but nothing comes out because

I cant stop laughing. I should be careful though because some day this could be me. No really it could.

Make it work.

On Sunday I committed to the world that I would be a better blogger. I woke up motivated and ready to attack the world. By dinner I had lost that drive. haha. Funny how that works. I had intentions of blogging the events of the last 6 months because I just added the pictures from these events to my new laptop. By night fall Melissa somehow blogged all those specific events in one night. Now feeling less motivated than before I am determined to blog something. haha. There has to be something... right!?!

I got it!! CRUMPETS! One of the foods we got to try in England was crumpets. They are a divine little carbohydrate and taste similar to an English muffin and a pancake. The ones we had in England were from a package but I was sure I could figure it out. (well not sure but secure in my endeavor to try).

Melissa liked crumpets so much she even brought back 2 packages from England and put in the freezer. For her birthday I wanted to surprise her with Sunday morning breakfast with homemade crumpets. Generally crumpets have a circular shape. When I looked up how and were to buy the molds for crumpets they were kind of expensive and only came in packs of 4. Which meant I could only cook for at a time. It would take me all day just to make enough for us to eat. The website mentioned that cookie cutters would work. I was hesitant but like Tim Gunn says, "Make it work."

So I did. And it did. It was actually really easy and tasted better to me. It was by far a fun experience. I love trying new things and I love it even better when they work.

Next food kitchen experience: I have been wanting to try something out of Julia Child's cookbook ever since seeing "Julie & Julia." Whether I do it or not we'll see.

The process

The giant container of cookie cutters I bought. Is was this many or a set of 4. Someone really needs to go into business selling only 8, 10 or 12 cookie cutter sets. haha, I am sure there is a market for it.

The batter. Notice the bubbles. That is a very important part. A necessity if you will.

I cooked them in frying pans because that is all I had. The recipe suggested using a griddle. I am totally going to add that to my Christmas list.

Up close shot of them cooking. The bubbles are supposed to be there.

The finished product. Mmmm! They were good.

A blogging re-birth

The time has come for me to re-enter the blogging world. It has been months. I have plenty of excuses. Let me explain them.

Reason #1: I need a new camera. Don't get my wrong I love my camera, I have had her for 5 years. She has documented many events in my life. I think the day has come to replace her when I whip her out and she is the size of Zack Morris's cell phone from Saved By the Bell. You may be wondering what me needing a new camera has to do with my lame efforts in the blogging world. Well you see somewhere in my subconscious I think that every blog post must have pictures. I know it is silly.

Reason #2: I need a new computer. This reason is closely related to reason #1 for the fact that I have a great laptop but I have had him for 4 years and I am scared to turn him on for fear that he might die. Therefor if I do happen to take pictures I have not put them on my computer, therefor no blog post. Lame I know.

Reason #3: I dont know WHAT to blog about. My life is pretty simple.... sleep, work, gym, church.... sleep, work, gym, church... sleep, work, gym, church.... ya get the picture. I do have to admit I kind of missed it. (shhh dont tell)

Reason #4: This is the most prominent reason. Since my return to the states from our trip to England I have been a little out of it. When we first got back I wanted to jump back into life as usual which for me consists of little sleep, running around do this errand and that errand, cooking for crowds, attending lots of social events and going to the gym.... BUT thats not exactly what happened.

First of all we were told you dont get jet lag coming back to the states. I though "brilliant." Wrong. The whole house was so tired. I felt like I was always sleeping and if you know me I don't need much sleep and have been known to say that "sleep is a sign of weakness." Boy was it ever. I think I slept all day on July 4th.

Secondly I have felt unmotivated. Something I have never experienced before. I think growing up I always had something that would motivate me to the stage in life. This school year to the next. Turning 12, turning 16, turning 18. High school to college. Then college to career and all the steps in between. You may ask why this slump is hitting me now as I have been out of college for over 2 years. I have no idea.

Its been months since we have been back from England and I have struggled for pretty much all of it. This is unknown territory for me. As it probably should be. Your life can only be a cookie cutter for so long before you start to frost outside the lines. With that being said I have got a new computer, a Mac Book Pro. She is beautiful. I think I will blog more just because she is fun to use. I dont have a new camera yet, but it is on my list. Until then my brick of a camera will have to do.

Now that I have aired my dirty laundry for the world to see I feel a sense of accountability. I must try harder. I will try harder. Stay tuned friends....

Note: I do realize I refer to my camera and laptops as him and hers. I don't know why I do that, but I name everything.