My friend Erin has a blog...

Welcome Erin Hann to the blogging community everyone!!!! (click her name to get to the page...)

make sure to comment...

High lights from Christmas...

Blogger is letting me post pictures... so here is kind of a catch up blog... enjoy my Christmas memories!!

Nicole put the star on our tree this year!!!



Christmas morning around the tree


Mom also turned 50 years old, with a Birthday party to rival all others....


We sat around the back yard, ate soup, and told funny touching memories and stories about my mom. It was her time to be honored and loved on.

My parents.

So excited!!! I am going to see Obadiah Parker open for the Violent Femmes tonight at the Tempe Marquee theater in Tempe... well at least I hope I get tickets!!!

Happy 3 days after christmas!!!! I have been lost in the wonderment of my new toys and movies... which include a new digital camera!! a iPod adapter radio (looks vitage, which makes it awesome), a cool colored end table (black and celery green), and some movies and books... I got Anne of Green Gables, the complete series on DVD!!! Christmas was awesome!

I woke up Christmas Eve with no voice what-so-ever, so with great fear of not being able to sing my Christmas Eve solo, I didn't speak for most of the morning. I got home from church and scrambled to get some last minute presents from Barnes and Noble and Ikea... car broke down at Ikea, but I expertly jostled the cables to the battery in my engine and got it started again (I am a mechanic genius)... then went back home to wrap presents. Then before I could settle into a comfy couch to rest, i had to head out to the Christmas Eve service... luckily the voice was in proper working order, and I sang my solo quite well.

This year was the first year my family headed straight home after the Christmas Eve service... Shawn and Nicole came over and the family played some apples to apples before turning in for the night... and all four of us kids snuggled into my bedroom to sleep the night... which is Christmas tradition since my brothers and I were out of the crib... Nicole had her first year of sleeping all together! The sleep was not to be had by me, and I discovered that without a big bed to spread out in, my back will decide to slowly kill me. I moved to my brother's room at 2am and slept the rest of the night pretty well.

Christmas Morning!!!!! We awoke at 7:30 to open all of our presents. I have to say, I was more excited about everyone else opening the gifts I got them, than me opening my own gifts... It was a pleasure seeing what everyone else got and to be with my whole family on Christmas morning for the first time in 2 years... It was neat getting to have Nicole take part in our Christmas morning time since she and Shawn got married.

Then after the wrapping paper had fully covered the living room floor Shawn and Nicole left to spend the rest of the day with her family. the rest of us - Mom, dad, Tyler and i made and ate breakfast and talked and laughed and enjoyed the morning. I then went to check my email and on a whim decided to check my bank account... after all the spending on presents I was curious of the damage....
There was more damage than I expected... to my horror and surprise I discovered someone had made a purchase of $99.95 on my debit card that very morning... hm... it wasn't me. I called to cancel my card and they informed me that I also had a strange purchase made the day before for almost $40... and upon further review I saw that I had another random fraudulent purchase made the week before... someone had my 16 digit card number and security code and was buying things online with my card!!!! UGH!!!!! So I cancelled the card! It really annoyed me... not scary, but incredibly upsetting and annoying!!!

But I would not let it ruin my Christmas!!! So I forgot about it and my family watched Superman Returns and I finished the scrapbook of my aunt patty I have been working on for my grandma... as soon as I finished the album, the four of us headed to my grandparents house to hang out the rest of the day! They loved the album, my grandma cried!

It was a wonderful day!!! Pictures to come later... once blogger allows me to post some!

I have a head cold... and I have to sing on Christmas eve... a solo no less. My back hurts because I have been scrapping straight since 11am... I must finish this album by tomorrow because I don't want to have to scrap on Christmas Day if I don't have to.

Aside from that I am in good spirits... I am hoping the rain from yesterday returns on Christmas Day... if I can't have snow, then I want over-cast skies and rain.

I had full day yesterday of friend catch-up day! In the morning I went with my little friend Savannah to see Charlotte's Web... precious movie. I totally cried at the end (I won't tell you the end although I think you all know already... I made the mistake this morning of telling my mom thinking she knew the story of Charlotte's web, but she didn't and she was sad I told her). The yesterday afternoon was sitting and talking with Aaron and Ashley Mertz - a brother/sister duo to be rivaled... I love spending time with them, because we laugh over almost anything and so my jokes never fail regardless of their stupidity. I love them both to pieces. Then last night I spent time with my friend Joel... it was fun, we looked at Christmas lights (first time I have been able to do that this year). Then we went to the 9pm showing of The Good Shepherd... BAD IDEA!!! The movie is hella-long and BORING!!!!!!!I was so disappointed, I actually considered walking out over sheer boredom.
I have realized I cannot walk out of movies, because I hope they will redeem themselves in the end... this one never did. I couldn't follow the plot, the directing was amature (no continuity, silly superimposed shots, and absolutely no climax of any kind in the montone plotline)... can you tell how much I didn't like this film. so I suggest you not waste your money in seeing it. I was disappointed in Robert DeNiro for bringing us this story... it made me sad, and angry at our country on some level.

Tonight it Rice Night though... a tradition of friend bringing food from their prospective homelands to share with each other. My mom makes her yummy Swedish Meatballs which are currently smelling up the house as I type. Hopefully I will feel better tomorrow... I was looking forward to a possible Christmas without allergies... alas no such luck.

Okay so I am reading the official sequel to Peter Pan as determined by The Great Ormond Street Hospital in London (they own the rights to JM Barrie's Peter Pan). It was just released in October I believe... I am three chapters in and I absolutely LOVE it. Peter Pan is one of my favorite books because it has such wit and innocence to the writing. This book has the same voice in the pages. The author is Geraldine McCaughrean and the book is called Peter Pan in Scarlet. I recommend Peter Pan first and formost as a definite read, and as far as I can see in this book I will be recommending... just give me time to finish it.

A movie is also going to be made of the book... I am excited!!! I just love Peter Pan!!!!

I have gotten absolutely no email today... nor has anyone called me... I haven't even received junk mail... odd.

I scrapped yesterday and made a huge dent in my album about Aunt Patty... I should definitely have it done by Christmas... Awesome!!!

I had quite the day at work... I was completely bored all morning and then after lunch I decided to be a good co-worker and ask if anyone needed help with their jobs... I filed, organized, staples, hole-punched, boxed books, moved heavy boxes filled with books... and then moved them all back. My arms and back hurt so bad... you'd think working at a massage school would get me some massage love, but no one has the time with graduation coming up.

Well in thanks of my diligent work all day today, my boss told me I could 1.) wear jeans tomorrow (YES!!!) and 2.) I only had to come in for a couple hours if I cleaned the instructors' office... that's it. AWESOME!!! I feel like I have been productive!

(I just killed a bug on my keyboard... eeewwww)

Oh... and check out my mom's blog about her birthday party!!! Awesome fun!

I have given up on the titles...

Tyler had the last of his christmas concerts tonight... you'd think that a high school wouldn't need three christmas concerts, but apparently they do. I put the bug in Shryock's (choir director) ear that I was more than available to chaperone the choir tour to New York this year... I am so serious! I really want to go!!

Tyler did a great job singing!!! (pictures to come...)

Then after the show Nicole, my mom, and I made a trip to Ross for some shopping. I found super cute leopard print shoes and some red shoes... both pointy with tiny heels. SO CUTE!!!

Now I am home... tomorrow is the first time in two weeks where I can sleep in a little bit! I will probably get up around 9:00 to put in a last bid on a thing on ebay I am looking at... the auction ends at 9:30... this is my last ditch effort on a gift I want for someone!!! (I can't say who it is, they may be reading... sshhhhh).

I have two movies I have yet to watch from Netflix... hopefully I can get one of those out of the way tonight... if I am still awake enough.

We had our staff christmas party today... super fun! Then a bunch of the students brought their kids to the school to make gingerbread houses (out of graham crackers)... THEY WERE SO CUTE!!! (pictures will come later) I cant wait to have kids... especially around Christmas time.

I also am pretty much finished with my mom's Christmas present... don't worry mom... I'm not going to say what it is... only that it is done. whew.

Now all that is left is Nicole, and the rest of Shawn's gift... I am cutting it close aren't I?

A beautiful family

Precious Jolie-Pitts...


And the Golden Globe Nominees were announced today.. click here to see.

Happy Birthday Mom!!!

To my mom... the most wonderful, fun, delightful, passionate woman I know!!!
My mom turns 50 years old today! (december 13)... I could write my mom a letter or a card, but honestly knowing my mom's love of blog reading, I think this will excite her more.

Mom, I love you so much. You are so special and unique and perfectly designed to be my mother. I couldn't have asked for someone who would have raised me better than you have. I am blessed to hear your wisdom and delight in your humor. I love how you get so excited about everything, you throw yourself into every activity and you love people so much. I admire how everyone feels so comfortable and accepted by you. Everyone is so fortunate to have you apart of their lives... me most of all.
I love your heart and your smile and your friendship. As I grow older I learn to appreciate you more and more. What an extraordinary woman to be able to look to and follow. I have learned to love life because of you, I have learned to laugh at myself because of you, I have learned what it means to be a Godly woman. I am so thankful God made me your daughter. I love you so much and I wish you a very happy birthday!!!

loving Photoshop

This is my new favorite thing to do right now (edit photos)... see my handy work: Before
After

... sigh or relief....

I am done with classes for the rest of the year. I taught my last class this evening, and it was great. I gave my last final this afternoon and it went great! Now the rest of the week is grading and helping other instructors end their classes! Yippy!!!

I do have some retake finals to get out of the way... but for the most part I am home free until January 2nd.

I am working on a photo album of my Aunt Patty. Patty was my dad's little sister and she died when she was 18... She was such an amazing woman... I am having so much fun look through all of her stuff. She loved writing her favorite quotes down so I have tons of napkins and scraps of paper that have beautiful poems and famous quotes all over them. I also have a substantial stack of pictures of just Patty and my dad - they were so close. This picture is my favorite... I still should photo shop it a little bit... but isn't my bad precious. And the look on Patty's face is priceless!!! So cute!

its almost 2am...

I went to go see the play Doubt at Gammage Auditorium this afternoon... I didn't like it. So in order to remedy a depressing play experience, my friend Teresa and I went to go see The Holiday... I LOVED IT! It gave me the same feeling that Love Actually did. I just thought they didn't make a bad decision with the entire movie. The characters were great. I cried and burst out laughing... It was awesome.

Then I went over to Amy and Andrew's house and hung out with them and Kevin. My friend Kevin is in town!! Super fun. I was tired from my long day, but I had lots of fun...so much fun, I even fell asleep briefly while Andrew and Kevin played a game Linerider... ugh.

But I am excited to have Kevin here to visit... his wife Erin arrives tomorrow... can't wait to see you Erin!!!

I am exhausted! I'm going to sleep!

Christmas Eve is coming soon...

Just watched one of the most precious movies I have ever seen... It was so cute. Amelie is the U.S. title, but it is actually a French film. It's about a young woman in Paris who decides to do good deeds for other people, and along the way she finds love. It is marvelously innocent and cute love story.

I also got some scrapbook organizing done this evening... I am waiting on some more pictures for this particular album, but hopefully I will get those tomorrow and then I can start putting the whole thing together!

I also have been playing around with adobe photoshop, thanks to my dear friend Kelsie. I am liking the control over picture quality... I am going to have fun tweaking my pictures before printing them out and scraping. Yay.

I got some Christmas shopping done this afternoon... I also got my mom some presents for her birthday next week... I am so on top of things this year.

I was saying to someone the other day that this is the first year in a long time where I can relax in the holiday season. I think it started in High school when finals started... every since then I have missed the cheer of the season, because I wouldn't allow myself to celebrate until all my finals were completed and taken. Then when all that was finished I was left with a mere two days to bask in the wonderment of the christmas tree, Bing Crosby sung carols, and festivities of yule tide cheer. But this year is different. I have a job that doesn't stress me out too bad, I got a jump start on gift shopping, and I am looking forward to decorating the Christmas tree, going to holiday parties, and taking in with every breath the magic of the winter time.

Most of all I am excited to be able to really reflect on what Christmas means... I know so many people say it... "the true meaning of Christmas". But come on! I mean the creator of the world, our very own Savior and the God of the universe, came down to earth- was born and He took His first breath. He looked out on the world that He created and held in the palm of His hand... now a little baby... how odd it must have been for Him to be so small now. I sometimes catch myself thinking it is a fairytale... that it was too good to be true. But how wonderful that it isn't. This little baby is my sweet Savior.

Dad's Christmas Concert!!!

Happy December to one and all!!

I just wanted to tell everyone that my dad is having his annual Christmas Concert at Open Door Fellowship Church tomorrow night December 2nd! It starts at 7pm!! My dad is one of the most talented people around, and if you are looking for something to jumpstart your holiday season... this is it. It is mostly original music, with some holiday favorites thrown in for good measure, but it is just a really fun, warm, evening.

you can read more on his blog about the history of the concert... just click here.

You can also visit his website to here some of his music... just click here.