Well actually I dont feel really fine. I started to feel sick over the weekend but I really dont get sick often and when I do, I try to fight it by keeping doing things. Not rest like most people would. I took down wallpaper. Monday morning is when the worst of it hit. People say its been going around, thanks for whoever gave it to me. Of all the weeks, this was just not the week to get sick. Why? Well let see…

Im in the middle of planning a New Years Eve dance for about 100 high schoolers. Lots and lots to do the week of the dance and I handed a meeting over to my boss that I just simply couldnt attend. The stomach wouldnt allow me, hated that.

My old roommate is getting married this Saturday and she asked me to take the photos. Im happy to do that for her, and really hope to be 100% better by the wonderful day. Really hard for me to think quick when Im sick let alone creative!

Im working on my new room (hence the taking down of wallpaper) and trying to pack up my old one. I have so much packing to do but little energy to do it – or time for that matter! 17th is coming very quickly!

Im house sitting for my friends who I agreed to do so for ages before I knew I had to move. Thankfully their dog is behaving much better this time around than last time. I dont even want to think about having to pick up poop while feeling sick myself.

Oh and my car got a hit and run last week. Yeah. Right before Christmas. I was out caroling – you know, bringing Christmas cheers to others and someone backs up into my driver side door. So Gwen is out getting a new door. Thats costing a pretty penny in deducible. Thankfully, the friends who Im house sitting for are letting me use their car, saving me the rental car expense.

Im now short on hours at Starbucks for giving up my shift and not being able to pick any hours due to said NYE dance and wedding. I know it will work out. Trying not to stress about the fact I just may lose my benefits.

So, there is just a lot to be worrying out about. Im not for some reason. But I would like for things to stop coming all at once, you know? I mean, my gosh dont I have enough going on and being sick on top of that? Im ranting a bit much I know. I just trying to sort through some thoughts of all that is going on my life and trying not to go crazy with it.

Want a great way to end the year isnt it? I am looking forward to this dance, should be fun, even if we lack adult staff. The kids have worked hard to put it together. The wedding is one I have been looking forward to. So there is beauty in the madness, I just like to have more beauty than madness if you know what I mean.

Tonight we took communion, making me think of Christ’s death as I sang about his birth. The two stories are both so important in so many different ways. Tonight though, I think of his birth, not the happy picture a lot times we paint, but what really what went down that night in Bethlehem.

It was not a silent night
There was blood on the ground
You could hear a woman cry
In the alleyways that night
On the streets of David’s town

It was a labor of pain
It was a cold sky above
But for the girl on the ground in the dark
With every beat of her beautiful heart
It was a labor of love
For little Mary full of grace
With the tears upon her face
It was a labor of love

by Andrew Peterson

Last night I saw “Behold the Lamb of God” by Andrew Peterson. It was my first time seeing the show, not in Nashville. If you know anything about this Christmas concert, you know the show is a bit bigger in Nashville with it being held at the Ryman and more well known artists in the mix of the familiar staples that makes up the 10 piece band of the BTLOG tour. I was expecting it to be a little less impactful somehow not seeing it at the Ryman. While it did feel different, I wasnt with the same community of friends who first got me into this show in the first place. Instead I was with my new beloved community here in town who I talked their hears off to come see the show. Needless the say, it was just an impactful as has been every year before I have seen it. The church where I work really did a stand up job on making the evening a wonderful one.

Im stealing this little peice of a blog post from Andrew’s community blog, rabbitroom.com:

“Upcoming BTLOG attendees, you are most definitely in for a treat. Indeed, you will be part of the treat. With each round of that phrase (I believe He is the Christ, Son of the Living God), the intensity of emotion ratchets higher and wider. And it’s not emotion for emotion’s sake; it’s emotional truth boring ever deeper into our being, and it’s one of the most profoundly moving sounds I’ve ever heard.

The season is here. Don’t miss the opportunity to sing “Silver Bells.” Drink some eggnog; eat some Christmas cookies. Kiss somebody under the mistletoe. Drive around and look at the lights. And by all means, attend and support your local Christmas pageant. But if you crave something more, something real, something that will simultaneously rock your world with truth, and cultivate peace and joy in your spirit, consider making Behold the Lamb of God, The True Tall Tale of the Coming of Christ, a new family tradition. It has everything to do with the real, true meaning of Christmas, and nothing to do with the paltry imitation.”

Its true, you are completely apart of the treat that is BTLOG show. Familiar faces from years of listening to their music before me. Watching a community of friends play music together while I sit with my community of friends is one of the best things ever. Hearing the words that I know to be true, but singing truth into my life backed with amazing music is hard to beat. I was completely excited before the show to come and now Im simply delighted that it was yet again part of my Christmas time tradition.

Even though we should be packing rather than unpacking Christmas decorations, my roommates and I are not going to let our current landlord take away our Christmas cheer with his lovely letter making us find a new place to live. My one roomie, Karen and I went out this past week to find ourselves a proper Christmas tree. We entertained the though of just strapping it down on the top of my car, but thankfully Brian said he’d help us out with his truck. He took photos of our Christmas tree picking outting but its on my new camera… that currently isnt talking to my computer… so stay tuned for those (and Thanksgiving photos).

Isnt Linus the second just lovely? It looks so tiny in this photo and while it isnt a huge tree its not that small. Just a perfect size for our small little home. Our first and last Christmas in this house. My other roomie, Laura, saw all my Starbucks cups on the tree and thought it was a work related theme. Thats just sorta sad now isnt it? I didnt mean to make it a work theme! Lets focus on a different ornament…

Hippo ornament! Isnt he so cute? This is the first time since Alabama Ive pulled out my Christmas decorations and its been fun to unwrap all my ornaments that Ive been collecting. Maybe I will have too many boxes someday just like my mom. Speaking of my parents, I beat you right now their house is filled with poinsettias. That is the perk of growing up in a plant family, always flowers of some kind around. I cant fill my whole house with poinsettias as much as Id like but…

Tiny poinsettia for the tiny house. The little green pot there is a mini Christmas tree thats growing! Maybe by next Christmas time I’ll have myself a little tree. The white pot are my herbs that have come back to life after lack of water during my summers trip. Im surprised they have lasted this long actually, but I really do love my little herbs.

Oh yeah, Ive been packing a bit this week while Jason has finals. Next week I think every night but one is taken up with a get-together or a holiday themed thing. Im really looking forward to all of them, I know I wont have time to tackle any packing. All my books are packed (hence the boxes on the shelf where they once where) but notice to the left all my movies and TV shows are not packed. I mean, what would I watch while I pack the rest of my stuff up? Oh and my brown walls?! That was one of the first things I was very sad to leave about this house, my brown walls that Jason painted or me while I was away on a youth trip. But I can have brown walls again because my new landlords, Mike and Kari, are awesome and I am so thankful for their friendship extending to housemates.

I know, its just plain sad isnt it? All my hippos packed away in a box. I know they’ll be happy in their new home with new brown walls with Big Bunny.

Thanks again for those of you who gave your advice on what songs to get. Heres what I ended up collecting from iTunes to help make my Christmas 2008 mix:

Frosty the Snowman – Fiona Apple (I dont really care for Frosty or Fiona Apple for that matter, but I love this little folky spin she gave it on this verison)

O Come Let Us Adore Him- Shane and Shane (High schooler influence. While I used to be a bigger Shane and Shane fan, I havnt listened to them for years until most of the kids are stuck on them.)

The Chipmunk Song – Chipmucks (This was a given. I cant believe I spent so many Christmas time without this song)

Grown Up Christmas List – Kelley Clarkson (Alright, I like song fine. Though the little clip did not preview the choir in the background. Hate it when song sneak in choirs like that! All choir or not at all!)

Carol of the Bells – The Bird and the Bess (I actucally got this one for free! Thank you free iTunes blog)

Christmas for Two – Sixpence None the Richer (This might be my favorite out of all the new songs I got this year.)

I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas – Gayla Peevey (Oh man, I love this song a little too much. What year was this recorded? Anyone know?)

Juggle Bell Rock – Bobby Helms (This is just classic Christmas right here. Cant help but dance a little or sing along)

My Dear Acquaintance (A Happy New Year) Regina Spektor (Okay so this is a New Years song, but the sound of it makes it fit right in with the Christmas songs. And you of course need a ending to the mix, this one is perfect. Also a freebie!)

Maybe I’ll post my Christmas Mix 2008 later.

Today was my first Black Friday shopping experience.

I spent the night with my friends who hosted Thanksgiving because they were the ones who invited me on their tradition of Black Friday shopping. We awoke at 4:30am to quickly look decent and wake up Emma. Emma is their 17 month old daughter, Emma, who is one of the most laid back kids ever. We didnt know how long she’d last but she was all smiles at 5:00am when we left. As we stood in line for Target to open at 6am she did start to fade in her happiness a bit.

Target was probably the high, as we were in the line for 30 minutes and were one of the first hundreds of people in. We grabbed with no thought at the DVDs (got Jason 30 Rock for $15!) and they got a DVD player for $30 bucks along with a cheap digital frame for a Christmas present for Grandparents. We had passed Circuit City on the way, at 5:05am. They opened at 5am. There was still a line out the door. They explained to me that they were waiting to get in, meaning, the store was at full capacity so they couldnt allow anyone else in! OH MY GOSH. We looked at the add, we didnt see anything THAT fanatic. I did get some writable DVD and memory cards there – but hours later and no standing in line.

Here is the store time line we went to: Target – Kmart – Best Buy – Lowe’s – Circuit City – GAP – Old Navy – Macys

I think between the three of us we purchased something at all those stores accept for Macys and Best Buy. Emma last just as long as we did, which was at 10am. And that was after a protein boost (sausage egg and cheese biscuits from Chick-Fil-a) that seemed to have very little effect on us. Plus, the folks who hadnt gotten up at 4:30am in the morning, but took the time to sleep, shower and look nice were out and about. Making us feel a bit more dirty since not everyone looked as grubby as us at that point in the morning.

I dont know what I was expecting, but it wasnt as crazy as I imagination it. People were all very nice, saying excuse me and I didnt feel one person push pass me or anything like that. There was a lot of people and very long lines, but thats what I expected. It wasnt a terribly chilly morning, which was nice. The company was the best part of it, John keeping us in high spirits as much as he could on little sleep we all had gotten. I dont know if Black Friday is something I want to make in my yearly tradition just yet, but it was a lot of fun.

I cant name everything I am thankful for because I have to go cook some goods for Thanksgiving dinner at my wonderful friends, the Pells home which is in a few hours. So this is a very limited list but I am thankful for…

As much as I havnt seemed it lately, I am so very grateful that God has blessed me with an amazing job working with high schoolers. There has been a lot of days of discouragement as of late, but today, thinking back and looking at photos of these amazing kids who have touched my life probably more than I have touched theirs, I can not believe this is my job and what I feel called to be apart of for my life.

My community at 5:14. They have helped ease the pain of homesickness this past year. Not going home for the holidays was a sad thing (that of course I agreed to right after spending two weeks in one house with my family. As much as I love my family, who wouldnt say yes to that? Trickys Jace, very trickys) but my church community who I am so thankful for, make room for me in their lives making the home sickness almost disappear (almost).

Roommates. The gal I have lived with the longest (two years!) moved out last month to prepare her own home because she is getting married in January (and as asked me to shot her wedding). It was sad when she moved out, thankfully though a wonderful friend moved in her place. Its bittersweet for my old roommate to be gone, but my new one has be such a delight to live with. And not because she makes me coffee every morning we are up at the same time.

Moments that make me laugh that I still look back on and laugh at. Jon and Kate Plus 8 (today is a marathon!). Friends who share their hearts with me. Pumpkin, pretty much anything. A guy who takes really good care of me – especially on my thoughtless days. My new (as of yesterday) Nikon D90. The weekly cards I get in the mail from my Grandma. Green t-shirts. A boss that is beyond encouraging. Weekends in Nashville. People who get me. Hugs on days I need them the most and the giver of the huge has no idea how much I need one (nor did I). My first Fall Retreat! Photography, photos, and all that I have been taught this past year. Just to name a few.

I woke up this morning to a soft blanket of snow. I love snow and is sad that it probably will be all melted away by lunch. And that I wasnt up at 2am to watch it fall. Ive never had snow this early in the year! Wonder if it will snow on Thanksgiving? I would be okay with that because I dont have to work on Thanksgiving for the first time in four years! Happy snow day to you.

Forgive me for those of you who have the belief that all things Christmas do not come before the day after Thanksgiving. As Ive said before, Im in the Christmas mood early thing year, which comes from being ahead in Christmas cards and Christmas list. This photo, however, has more to do with bittersweet memories than actual Christmas. My cat Rizzo hasnt come home to my parents in a very long time, my parents think he is gone. He is an old guy and has been going crazy for quite a while now. Its easier to not being there when he isnt around, but its hard to grasp that next time I go home he wont be there. He always drank out of the Christmas tree’s water every Christmas.
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My parents for a long time said once our pets passed on that they’d be done with animals. Esp. with my brother and I both out of the house. I think the empty nest got to them a little too much since they started sending me photos of kitties they wanted to adopt. They looked a lot like our other cat we had to put down last year, an awesome black and white cat named Oreo. So they of course sent me black and white cats. I told them to pick the one who looked the least like Oreo. It was just creepy to me that they’d get another cat that looked really close to Oreo. When they went to look at one of these black and white cats and came home with two tabbys.

I wonder if my parents new kittens, Lola and Lucy, who its strange I havnt met yet and wont for a while since I wont be going to California for Christmas this year. I wonder if they will drink out of the Christmas tree’s water. Im happy my parents have some cats to keep them busy. When I saw the LOLcat, that looks like my parents new kitty doing something one of our old cats is famous for doing, it brought forth some bittersweet memories. Hope you enjoy your first Christmas Lola and Lucy.

Last night we had a fantastic storm here. Poured and poured, it was what some would say, “It rained cats and dogs”. This morning on my way out for my busy Saturday I was welcome to this:

Covered! My front yard is covered with leaves! What a delightful way to start my day!

Even Gwen got in on the action! I love how the leaves stuck to Gwen for a while as I drove – like fall decorations or something.

Even trash cans look nice when leaves are covering their tops. I mean just look at them! Would you find this picture nice at all if the leaves were not apart of it? I know I wouldnt.

Look at this, just look at it! COVERED. My drive is just completely covered in leaves. I wish it could look like this at all times.

I’ll admit, Im enchanted by the falling leaves. I dont care if my hair that I spent twenty mintues on this morning is completely ruined thanks to the wind. I was engulfed in leaves as they danced around me. Driving down the street, the leaves spun around my car and sprinkled down from the sky. God did fall up right here in Carolina.

The fall leaves sprinkled over the road after a night of rain looks like confetti. One of the thousands reasons why I love fall in Carolina. And I kick myself for not having my camera with me. I committed part of my afternoon to capturing this year’s celebration of fall that is shared in bright oranges against the perfect fall blue sky.

Im currently watching Dawson’s Creek, thanks to one of my high schoolers who leaning me her seasons. There are so many things wrong that, its not even funny. But since her mother knows about it, I dont feel bad about it. Im on Season 6 right now, the end is near.

Christmas list is made. I bought my Christmas paper already, along with my Christmas cards. I always say I will be ahead of the game every year, I think this might be the year. Also, this is my first Carolina Christmas and Ive lived here little over two years. I have lots of plans.

Ive been taking a lot of photos of a lot of lovely people lately. It was pointed out to me that I have now third job. Never thought about it that way, but yeah I guess I have done that to myself. We’ll see where that goes. Im enjoying the senior photo shots the most. Can I just be Senior portrait photographer?

Im currently reading: “First Two Years in Youth Ministry” by Doug Fields and I love it. I really like Doug Fields, this book only confirms that even more. Im also reading “On a Whim” by Robin Jones Gunn, which brings back lots of high school memories. Fitting two books dont you think?

Thats whats been going on with me lately.

Taking a short break (well, a long break I guess you could say) from my list of favorites to tell you about something that I find important.

Heard of World Vision? Maybe you have, maybe you havnt. I had heard of this organization before, but simply sound-bites from friends. I learned a lot about World Vision a lot this past week thanks for an exhibit called When I first heard of this event I was super excited. Just the idea of learning of the stories of four children and being a sponsor myself (through Compassion, but still a sponsor). Of course I jumped at the chance and told my church who also thinks very highly of World Vision. Im going to try and explain what this exhibit is and all about. I dont feel I do a very good job at describing it, so bare with me. Its an exhibit set up to tell stories for four different kids who live in Africa whos lives have been effected by AIDS. Now, I dont know much about AIDS. I probably should be more educate that I am. Thanks to World Vision, Im a step in the right direction to learn much more about it. My first experience was when I volunteered to help run the exhibit. The staff at World Vision wants all its volunteers to experience what they are helping be apart of. You are given an orange iPod shuffle and instructions by the narrator whos in your ears to become a child. The narrator tells you took the door with your name (the child you have been asked to become) on it. The first story I walked through was Babirye. She was my favorite of them all, since I got the chance to walk through them all over the weekend. Maybe it was Babirye beautiful face that I saw the moment I pulled the curtain to the first room. I listened to her story, how she is part of a twin set and of her sick mother. Alone, I walked through rooms that showed Babirye home, country, her clothes through photos and props. Some props matching what I saw in the photos. Next, I sat in the health clinic, waiting for my turn to find out wether I (B—) had AIDs. This was the only part of the exhibit where I was with other people. I place my hand out to get stamped and down came a red cross. I had the “big disease” and was asked to sit in the area of the clinic that was reserved for people who had AIDs. My heart feel for this little girl, who had suffered so much at such a young age. As much as it could at the moment, I let the heaviness of of Babirye story set in as I walked into the chapel. There were dozens of pictures, many who had passed away from AIDS. As I starred at the wall of children that people could support through World Vision, all effected by AIDs I wanted to grab all of their photos. I wanted to know every single one of their stories. As I walked out, putting my thoughts to process aside to volunteer, what I was there to do. I saw a lot of people come through the exhibit that I knew. One of my high schoolers parents came through and we talked a bit about the experience something was said that was sobering “The American church can not ignore this.” I could not agree more, but even now I cant tell you all that it means. Its a heavy statement but at the same time so very simple. How can the American church know about this and not set a side $35 dollars a month to send to a kid who doesnt have anything and we have more than enough? Why is it so hard to give up those thing we just cant give up for the sake of another? I dont have the answers, but Im thankful for the Step into Africa exhibit to be awareness to the church and the country. Im glad its raising questions and stirring hearts. I dont know where readers of this blog might be, but just in case Im posting the cities that this exhibit its going to be at with its dates. If its anywhere near you, make a point to go. Its free and open to the public, if its bit of a drive for you, stay and walk through more than one story, they about a half hour at the longest each. Its a really powerful and great experience that I highly recommend to everyone I know. Check it out.

9.6.08-9.14.08 Glen Ellyn IL
First Presbyterian Church of Glen Ellyn

9.12.08-9.15.08 Charlotte NC
St. Johns Episcopal Church

9.18.08-9.23.08
Turlock CA
New Life Christian Center

9.20.08-9.23.08
Jamestown NY
Jamestown Partnership

9.25.08-9.29.08
Dallas GA
West Ridge Church

9.30.08-10.3.08
Loveland CO
Crossroads Church

10.3.08-10.6.08
Sewickley PA
St. Stephens Church and Chippewa Evangelical Free Church

10.9.08-10.13.08
Ft. Collins CO
Colorado State University

10.10.08-10.13.08
Bethlehem PA
First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem

10.18.08-10.20.08
Fargo ND
Atonement Lutheran Church

10.23.08-10.27.08
Chelmsford MA
Grace Community Church

10.24.08-10.27.08
Otsego MN
Elk River Community

10.31.08-11.3.08
Edina MN
Colonial Church of Edina and Christ Presbyterian Church

11.7.08-11.10.08
Cedar Falls IA
Orchard Hill Church

11.14.08-11.18.08
Bethpage NY
Shelter Rock Church & Arumdaum Presbyterian Church

11.20.08-11.24.08
Bellingham WA
Bellingham Initiative

12.4.08-12.8.08
Richland WA
Bethel Church

12.12.08-12.15.08
Redmond WA
Overlake Christian Church

Everyday durning the weekend I made sure to let my camera tag along inside my seatbelt bag. Easter weekend calls for celebration, but I simply had just missed taking photos.

It got started off on Good Friday, with decorating eggs with some high school girls at Emily’s. Well, that was the plan, it turned a bit more into Stella and Graice coloring eggs while we all helped which I think we all liked better anyways.

Saturday was Farmers Market day, or so it seemed. Dana and I had made plans earlier on in the week to check out the farmers market near to our house that neither of us had been to before. What a packed little place at 9am in the morning! Apparently we were “late” getting there, but having Saturday as one my one day to sleep in, 9am was plenty early. Dana got some goat cheese and I got some fun produce, some pretty tea and flowers that remind me of Carlsbad.

Dana had never been to the big farmers market thats opened everyday of the week on the other side of town, so Jason and I took her there. Jace and I both love going there just to walk around checking things out (oh, and get ice cream. They have very yummy ice cream). Once I bought a tomato there that was so good I just ate it like an apple. It was a gorgeous spring day out, so lots of people had the same idea to be at the Farmers Market. I wish that Farmers Market wasnt so far out, otherwise Id go there every week for produce.

Easter Sunday I woke up to find that Mose had passed away. Strange feelings to be celebrating the day that Jesus was risen, but having to burry a fish. It was a sad morning of morning the loss of Mose, I dont think Neils still understand where his friend has gone. I picked some cherry blossoms and put them in Mose’s empty vase. The high schoolers had left at 3pm for Spring Break trip to the beach that Im sadly not on. But that also means I had a week off and got to go to 514 for Easter service. It was very small being that half our church is in the Dominican Republic on a missions trip and rest of out town visiting family. We ended in time to watch the Carolina game, have an Easter egg hunt and a little Guitar Hero. Typical Easter Sunday at church, no?
(The little girl you see in most of these photos is Emma.)

It was a very lovely Easter weekend that went by all too soon. Now if the weather would just remember that is spring and no more little snow flakes in the morning but warm sunshine, we’ll be in business for another lovely week of spring.

This me at one of my birthday parties many years ago. Check out those cute cubby checks (which I believe as an adult its called a round face). That yummy blue slurpee drink. And that cute purple tank top. Ah yes, the joys of southern California Januarys, you can be found drinking an ice beverage while sporting a tank top.

Today is my 26th birthday. Well, I turn 26th at 11:51pm tonight. Every year before this, I had no problem shouting out my new year. This year, no matter how many times people tell me Im still in my midtwentys, 26 just seems older. My parents told me today they didnt feel old when they turned 50, but having a 26 year old daughter makes them feel old. Thanks Mom and Dad! Heres to being old with you!

This morning I tired out some blueberry and almond oatmeal I picked up at Target. They have this food brand that every time I try something its good. This oatmeal was no expectation. I didn’t nearly bring enough for my brake this morning. Im packing extra in my purse for tomorrows early rise of an open shift.

Today I received a birthday package in the mail. As its been said, mail is a very dying art. Funny its turned into an art, isnt it? I love to send out notes and thank you cards to help keep that alive. I have a handful of new friends who birthdays are also in the month of January and Ive been running around finding gifts for them. I love celebrating birthday week, but knowing its been shared with friends makes it all the sweeter. Plus Id rather focus on them turning another year older than I turning 26.

You can now find heart covered items, Easter kitchen accessories and bathing suites at Target. I may or may not of tired a couple of those on. In January! I also may or not have checked out the Valentines stuff. I dont know, I dont really decorate or pass out Valentines anymore. Those cute little hearts just were calling my name or something. But wait, Christmas was there last week, wasnt it? Its almost my birthday so its appropriate for Christmas to be trickling away, but it seems to be swept away this year. Im glad to see a few tinkle lights still left up to enjoy in the evening.

I went to a I <3 NYE party last night, hoested by the youth group I work with. Lots of fun and lots of photos. I tired a blow out look with the flash since I knew I didnt want the flash to do the job of making the room look lite up. It wasnt, so I didnt want to capture photos that protrayed something else. The weekend went quickly, with a lot of catching up with being gone instead of reflecting on the past year. Im not good on looking back at things, I feel like I forget things to do that well (maybe thats why I like photography so much). Hope to look forward though with some goals for 2008. Maybe even share them all with you if I can find the time between the catching up. This year is starting out well for me with finding out a good friend is expecting a baby this summer! Can you ask for better New Year news? Wishing you all a very Happy New Year.

This photo was taken for Kari, but after seeing it, I thought I should share it with everyone.

If you were around last year when I went to the WB, I touched EVERYTHING. Pretty much just like this. I dont notice when Im actually doing it, just when I see the photo. What is that? Should I be worried about it? Nah.

The church I work for made a Christmas video to show at church on Sunday. Our crew is of course the youth, to which we acted like youth. The theme of the video was auditioning for the Christmas video. Our audition is that we really dont care to audition. If you watch Amy D (the gal in the red) towards the end, shes totally giggling. Im surprised they didnt catch me doing that.

Happy Christmas Week!

Weekend began early Saturday morning as I mixed together the beginning stages of Pioneer Women’s Cinnamon Rolls. I headed over the Emily’s house few hours later when the yeast was warm and happy. We chatted and tried not to think about the amount of butter that was going into these cinnamon rolls we were so excited to be making.

Told you there was a lot of butter.

This is Emily putting on the cinnamon. Lots and lots of cinnamon. She was brave and rolled the first rolls that spilled out the sides every which way. We learned and better luck on round two. Thicker the dough the better.

This is me rolling up them round two. Less messy and you feel a bit like a pro at this point. Round two, this is such a piece of cake. Why was this ever something we had trouble with? Silly us.

After spending a lovely morning with Emily I headed to Starbucks for some tea. Brian was drawing coworkers as part of Starbucks ‘Cheer Party’. He is so stinken good. I could of watched him draw all day. I then came home to help prepare our home for a late brunch with friends from work. Its funny I say friends from work since none of us really see each other at work anymore. We had our brunch at three in the afternoon over good conversation and of course venting. Jason and I then had dinner a short while later with Brian and Sarah. I got to met the new kitty who likes to give people hugs. Such a sweet cat. It was good to visit my first home here in North Carolina.

Sunday, today, I slept in for the first time in quite a while. Ive been working lots of hours in helping the load while Im gone, so its been early mornings for me. I joined Mike and Kari for burgers at Natty’s. I havnt been downtown in quite a while, since is sad since you know live there. Theres a little Christmas tree lot covering up the ugly wall. A copy cat of Natty Greenes have moved in next door to Natty Greenes. I will have to talk a walk down there again soon. Straight from lunch I went to a birthday party for an 8 year old. The guest list was mostly women 20 years older than her. Its a tradition their family has done with their children. Asking for the older and wiser to share their life and experience with them before they hit their teen years. To encourage them in the characters we already see in her as a girl and how to keep blooming as an amazing women. It was a very sweet time to be apart of. After that I was at the Core again for a much better of a night then last week. I just love being there, even if I miss 514 as Jason and I swap stories after our evenings are over.

We are days away from leaving for California. Ive started to pack. Last minute errands to do and people to see before our early flight on Thursday morning. My weekends might not be as full of plans when I return. I may not know what to do with all that time on my hands.