It could always be worse...

When you find yourself wanting to repeatedly whack your head against a wall because all this holiday family time is driving you batty, just think of the example of Abraham, and know that however ridiculous your relatives seem at times, at least they're not trying to sacrifice you on an altar to idols.

Well... at least I don't think your family's trying that. If they are, run for the hills!

Skipping Christmas

Have you ever had a year when you just wanted Christmas to be done already?

Normally I looooove Christmas. Can't wait for it to come around. Have to really hold back from listening to my Christmas playlist before Thanksgiving. 

This year, however, I'm just not feeling it.

I've gone through the motions of my usual Christmas traditions - thrown the cookie party, sang in the choir and in a quartet, attended a few Christmas parties - but even so, here I sit on Christmas Eve, and the "gee, it's Christmas!" sensation has yet to kick in.

Maybe that has something to do with the fact that I worked up until 1 p.m. today, and my life has been a non-stop whirlwind since September. When you're already running at 120 mph, the speeding up that accompanies Christmas feels like just more work to do than the delightful quickening that it usually is.

Maybe it's the fact that, despite being an adult, my Christmas schedule is at the beck and call of my parents. Everyone's schedules have been weird this year, but it frustrates me to no end that I'm told to rush to their house at 4 p.m., only to basically waste two and a half hours as they ran errands. Time I could have used to run the errands I needed to do before hitting the road before dawn on Friday. I abhor wasting time to begin with, and when it's wasting time on no account of my own for no real reason when I have a mile-long to-do list, well, it hardly puts me in the Christmas spirit.

Basically, I'm thinking my roommates' plot to escape to Hawaii next year is the way to go.

So, that's my Grinchy rant for the evening. I'm hoping that I'll be bubbling over with Christmas cheer by tomorrow, 'cause I don't want to miss two Christmases in a row. Last year I bailed on our family trip to Idaho and spent Christmas alone in my apartment, watching movies. Truth be told, it was actually kind of delightful - but I did feel like I'd missed Christmas. Let's hope the joy of Christmas gets flowing soon.

I'm going to go watch White Christmas and see if that does the trick. If you have any de-Grinching advice, I'm all ears!

Lost - and Found

As I clack away at my keyboard, Alfredo, my beloved '99 Altima, is getting spruced up in the mechanic's shop in preparation for Friday's roadtrip to Utah.

Is it bad that I'm more excited to hit the road than I am for Christmas?

I love, love, love Christmas - don't get me wrong. But oh, am I ever excited for this trip!!! Utah I've seen and done countless times - heck, I lived there for 1/5th of my life.

What makes this trip special is the roster of friends I'm going to see - including some of my closest friends and favorite roommates who I haven't seen in 4-5 years. Thanks to the marvels of Facebook and blogging, I've reconnected with so many of my college favorites, and I just can't wait to reunite face to face, not to mention seeing the other dear friends and family I catch whenever I'm in town. Driving a day or two in the snow will totally be worth it to see these amazing people!

This trip feels like a bookend of sorts for me. It'll be a week or so shy of four years since I packed my earthly possessions into Al (two Altimas ago) and moved back to California post-BYU. That time around, I was stranded overnight in Beaver, Utah, thanks to storms - not particularly fun at the time, but it makes for a good story and for some fond memories. It was a nice rite of passage.

As I've prepped for this week's trip, I've been doing a lot of pondering about how life has changed since that fateful roadtrip four years ago. I've been back to Utah plenty of times in those four years, but somehow, this time, I feel like a chapter of my life is closing.

The last four years, minus the last few months, could be a chapter labeled "Lost." BYU was where I thrived, where I blossomed, away from childhood, and became the woman I wanted to be. I was surrounded by brilliant, interesting people who shared a love of learning and a common faith-based foundation. Not everyone was cookie-cutter alike, either - there were so many fascinating friends I made there, kindred spirits to the core. I'd never felt like I belonged somewhere more in my entire life - not even with my family.

But I never thought beyond graduation, truth be told, and for the last four years I've felt a little like I've been floundering, not quite clicking with my life in one regard or another. Nothing ever fit just right, and it's been so frustrating, trying to understand why I couldn't make this new reality work.

Until lately.

The last three months of my life have been absolutely amazing. Amazing, amazing, amazing - not that anything has happened, per se, but it feels as though all the pieces have fallen into place. I know that I am where I belong, and oh, do I ever love it. And I'm starting to understand how some of those seemingly incongruous pieces of my life really do fit together, how some of those darker threads in my life's tapestry have been necessary for the gleaming golds and silvers to truly shine.

Basically, I'm loving life - with the joy and the peace that permeate my life these days, I feel like I can brave any obstacle that lands in my path, and I'm so thrilled to turn the page in 2009 and see what adventures will fill the next chapter.

I think I'll title it "Found."

The ghosts of Christmas parties past

While getting ready for last night's office Christmas party, I couldn't help but to think back on all of my work parties of years past.

For the last seven years of my working life, I've attended a range of different Christmas parties, from potlucks at coworkers' homes to catered affairs at nice hotels to daytime shopping trips at Toys 'R' Us for underprivileged children (by far the most heartwarming way to party!). Last night's soiree - a dinner cruise around Newport Harbor during the 100th annual Christmas boat parade - was by far the coolest in terms of activity.

But the parties that I look back on the most fondly are actually the three Christmas parties I attended while an American Heritage TA in college. They certainly weren't fancy affairs. Each year a different staff/faculty member hosted a casual potluck in their homes - in fact, I think my last year there we got pizzas! - but it was so much fun to gather everyone together for the evening and just chat, aside from grading and quizzes and students.

Of course, I've also been really nostalgic for my American Heritage glory days since attending Dr. Fox's retirement dinner this summer, so maybe that's clouding my perspective somewhat. I'm still a little in awe of the amazingness of some of my coworkers at that job! I guess we all had more in common than you end up getting with a larger group of people in an office who are of various ages and backgrounds, and several of the friendships forged at that college job continue to be among my closest to this day.

Anyways, that's my reminiscent thought for the day. I'll post some pictures of the boat parade this weekend. It was seriously so fun! And my date was delightful - even if I had to return him to his lady love at the end of the night, haha. I was so glad he came with. Yay for good friends!

What's your favorite work party ever? I want stories, people!

A word to the wise

When selecting a date to the reservations-only work Christmas party two months in advance, take caution.

The problem may not be that you begin dating someone - but that your date begins dating someone, and you find yourself taking a very-not-single friend (who happens to now be another friend's boyfriend) to the aforementioned soiree.

Of course, should you find yourself in that sticky situation, hopefully both halves of the couple will be delightfully cool about the whole thing.

In that regard, I think I hit the jackpot... well, as much of one as can be had when your date is a friend's boyfriend.

Really, it's just weird. No getting around that.

"Cold" is a relative term

Being a native Southern Californian - and a second/third-generation one at that! - my point of reference for what constitutes cold weather must be pretty laughable to my friends who live in places that are actually cold.

You know, places where you need to own shoes other than heels and flipflops, where snow falls (and sticks), where you can't get away with running out the door sans a coat (let alone gloves, scarf, hat, etc.).

I know. I'm spoiled.

This morning I checked the weather and just about flipped when it said it was 46 degrees in Laguna Beach. 46 degrees?! Are you kidding me?! That's freeeeeeezing!!!! Unbearable! It's been pretty chilly for the last week or two, and yesterday, we even got rain. Lots and lots of rain.

This is crazy winter weather, kids.

But reality sets in when I see my friends' weather comments on their Facebook statuses and blogs. Snow and ice in Seattle. -30 degrees with the wind chill in Minnesota. Three inches of snow in Provo.

I guess I shouldn't complain, right?

I honestly don't even know how I survived spending 5+ years of my life in Utah! I mean, I know I did it and all, and I acclimated to it well, too.

Maybe this below-50 degrees stuff isn't soooo awful. I mean, it was too cold to have the sunroof open this morning, and the park's probably too soggy and chilly to have my daily lunchtime picnic, but other than that, the blue skies and snowless ground look pretty inviting.

C is for Christmas - and cookies!

Back in college I began a little Christmas tradition of annually hosting a Christmas cookie party - a chance for me to bake up a storm and gather some of my favorite people together to celebrate the joy of the Christmas season. It's my way to say thanks for being so awesome. I'm always amazed by the caliber of friends I'm blessed to have in my life!

Cookie party 2008 was last night, and it was a delight! Thanks to all who came! Here's a collection of shots from the evening:

Oh, and in case you wondered what delectible cookies were on the menu, I made red velvet sandwich cookies, lemon bars (I try a different recipe every year, but I think this one's a keeper), ginger cookies, brownies, sugar cookies and chocolate brittle surprise (so easy and sooooo good!!!). Added to that mix was an amazing holiday cheeseball (cream cheese with crushed-up candy canes, chocolate chips, nuts and other good stuff - thanks, Laura!), jam-shortbread cookies (thanks, Christina!) and chocolate-covered Nutter Butters (thanks, Paula!). Oh, and I made mulled cider (thanks, Rebecca, for the recipe - I make it every year!).

Speaking of... I think I'm going to go eat some more leftover cookies. Seriously, you don't even want to know how many lemon bars I've scarfed today!

P.S.: Not to get all introspective, but - does anyone else slip into "hostess mode"? I love, love, love to entertain, but it seems like once all the prep work is done and the party actually arrives, it's like I don't know what to do with myself! I'm so happy to create this platform in which people can relax, talk, have fun, etc., but it's hard for me to take the next step and actually engage myself. I'm more at ease snapping photos and making sure everyone's getting enough to eat or drink. Is that just me? Do other people do that?

Don't wear flipflops in a deluge

It is POURING rain today!!!

I'm home sick today - ewww, cold-and-flu season, no bueno - and for the last hour I've been laying in bed, listening to the rain. And by rain, I mean a forceful deluge, with the water pounding against my roof, the sidewalk, etc. It's such an amazing sound! We don't get that too often out here. The most it seems to do is drizzle, and you can't really hear that.

Anyways, out of the blue, I had this panicked thought: did I close my sunroof all the way? I tend to leave it cracked open to vent during the day but always close it at night... but I was a little distracted yesterday... and how awful would that be?!

So in running to the car, I threw on my flipflops, since that's what I always stick on my feet when running to the car. Didn't give it a second thought... until this:

Yep, the only inlet/outlet to my staircase is FLOODED. This picture doesn't even do it justice - it's calmed down a little, but I went out during a cloudburst, and the all of the concrete you see there was under water, and it was at least three inches at the deepest!

What's a girl to do?!

Well, after hesitating for a minute, I just ran quickly through... to see that my car was, in fact, closed and good to go. Phew... but, ewwwww, rain water!!!

Needless to say, my Rainbows are soaked - they're normally tan! Eh, they'll dry out. And Now I'm dry, too, and once more snug in my bed, ready for some breakfast (and by breakfast, I mean leftover cookies) and some more sleep. And hopefully some blog catching-up today, too, since I've got some fun stories!

The Twilight before Christmas

For all you Twilight fans out there - such a winner!

Foo for thought

I am a lifelong music addict.

From the time I received my beloved clock-radio at the age of 6, I've been one to have music playing nonstop, 24/7. My iPod is basically on from the time I get ready in the morning until I go to bed at night (in which case I put on one of my sleep-inducing playlists).

Through high school and college I learned that I really can't study in silence. It drives me nuts. I work best with some form of music in the background (which is where my "Mozart for the Mind" CD came in really useful). If I'm on a tight deadline or working on something stressful, classical always does the trick - otherwise I'll listen to whatever strikes my fancy.

Last night I forgot to charge the good ol' iPod, so instead of just running through the remaining battery charge, I opted instead to listen to music via YouTube. I love how you can find basically any song you're in the mood for on there.

Well, lately I've been craving the alternative / rock that I listened to in middle school and high school (think KROQ circa 1997). So I started out with the Foo Fighters this morning - after all, it's been a while since I listened to "Everlong" - and, well, can I just say that I totally forgot how awesome they are?! (Pardon the poor video quality - you can't embed the real music videos.)

It's funny how I get in musical ruts. Sometimes I get so used to listening to what's on my iPod that I forget how many great bands there are out there whose CDs I don't have (but really, really should). Queen's been a similar scenario for me lately. I'd forgotten how much I loooooove them.

What are some bands that you've rediscovered? Who are your go-to artists that are in regular rotation on your iPod?

Emerging New Artist: Courtney Jones

I just discovered an amazing emerging artist today: Courtney Jones.

Okay, I didn't discover her on my own - she's actually the sister-in-law of Annalise, one of my college roommates, and I've actually had one of Courtney's CDs in my collection since Lisey gave it to me, like, five years ago.

But Courtney's amazingness slipped through the cracks of my musical memory 'til Annalise posted something about it on Facebook, and I clicked over to the Courtney Jones YouTube channel to do a little listening while working.

I was blown away!!!

Courtney's voice is fantastic, and her style is so in line with what I love listening to these days. If you're into the whole female singer/songwriter thing like I am, then you HAVE to go check Courtney out. Her latest album is available on iTunes - I will definitely be downloading it tonight!

Picking your brain: how we engage online

Hi, friends!

Thanks for letting me pick your brains. I'm in the process of pulling together a blog post for our digital media blog at work, and I wanted to reach out through the very digital media channels about which I'm writing to get feedback/ideas on how we interact with companies and each other through the computer.

I know. I'm a geek. But you love me. Admit it, you know you do. ;)

Anyways, the working premise I'm scratching at is that while the means of interaction - whether that be communicating with friends, shopping, banking, etc. - has moved online, at the root of it is a human being. Not a bottom line, not jumping on some trendy digital media bandwagon.

So, in order to succeed in the digital space, companies need to answer consumers' needs and connect with them at a personal level, since, after all, nowadays we can opt out of traditional venues like the mainstream media to get information in favor of outlets that cater to our niche interests.

We're an interesting generation, because for the most part, we all can remember the first time we went online - we can remember the way things "used to be" before the Internet, and we're also the demographic most likely to jump in and use online offerings and Web 2.0 technologies (our parents generally aren't tech-savvy enough to be all about it, and the "rising generation" isn't old enough to be interested in companies' Web sites, I think. Gross generalizations, I know, but run with it).

Now, where I need your input:

How have you transitioned to doing something online instead of the traditional way (i.e. the TIME article about ditching cookbooks in favor of laptops and the Web for recipes)?And, more importantly, can you think of a company that has somehow implemented an online solution that has really made you a loyal customer? I know that's awfully vague... but I don't want to limit your responses.

Like, for instance, NBC used to pull any "SNL" sketches that made their way to YouTube. They still do - but now they also offer and promote selected sketches on Hulu, plus they have a hearty offering online, complete with embed codes. I generally forget to watch SNL, but I've spent at least a few hours in the last month watching old and new sketches!

Or Gap has really fun holiday ads - and now they're making those available to watch and embed online, and seeing those ads makes me more likely to drop by the Gap and shop. Except their color palette was awful this season... but that's another story.

Those of you into sports: how have your teams gotten into the online forum in a way that makes you engage with them?

Thanks again for your input!!! I hate that feeling of knowing that I'm sort of dancing around what I want to get at without quite nailing it, but I look forward to your input and really appreciate it!!!

"Sein"-tology

I really seem to like these YouTube clips, huh?

Sorry for the paucity of real posts these days - I've been too busy living my life to blog about it, I guess. Hopefully I'll be able to catch up someday - but it won't be any time this week, that's for sure!

Anyways, for now, I wanted to share this Seinfeld montage. The funny story with it is that back in the days before YouTube, during my freshman year of college, I compiled a "La Crescenta Mix," a CD of songs selected by Rebecca and myself that tied to relevant memories for our little group from high school. (It's still one of my favorite mixes to this day!)

Well, the audio of this was among the songs we chose, since Seinfeld was a favorite show among us - in fact, we snuck aside and watched the Seinfeld finale at the church building in lieu of our regularly-scheduled church activity, if I remember correctly (Rebecca? Tabitha? Am I making this up?).

Today, while reading through my digital media RSS feeds, someone had linked to a YouTube clip that linked to this one (which claims to include 100 Seinfeld quotes). It's amazing how many of these phrases have found their way into our daily slang.

Finding this familiar track in a Web 2.0 incarnation was pretty fun. Hope you enjoy it, too!



What's your favorite Seinfeld quote of all time?

A Different Kind of Marriage Protest

Heather posted this hilarious, award-winning marriage-protest spoof, and I just had to share it. Does the protestor look familiar?



(Yep, the "protestor" is the brilliant Ryan Simmons - we were at BYU at the same time, and while I didn't know him, I knew of him through friends and thoroughly enjoyed his antics at the Playmill Theatre. Kid's got SERIOUS talent!!!)

I guess this won the New York, NY Stake Film Festival (only in NYC or LA could you actually have a stake film festival!) - and I definitely see why. This is the first Prop. 8 satire that's gotten me laughing!

Happy Heels: or, Blessed with Boots

Remember my dilemma with The Boots?

Well, today it had a happy ending!

I finally got around to taking my purple heels and The Boots to a shoe repair place this morning (it's been on my to-do list for weeks now). However, The Boots needed more than just new heel tips - which would mean spending about as much as a new pair would be.

Needless to say, I opted for some new shoes.

While driving to Target to pick up a new version of The Boots, I had the thought - can you get inspiration when it comes to shopping? 'Cause it honestly felt like that type of an idea - of checking out the shoe department at Loehmann's (it's an upscale TJ Maxx or Ross type of store).

Now, I'm not a Loehmann's shopper - their stuff is AMAZING and at great discounts, but somehow it's just not on my usual shopping radar. I seem to stick to the same three or four stores and forget there are other places out there!

Well, I'm in love. It may or may not be a good discovery, but their shoe department is AMAZING!!!

Lo and behold, I found a pair of boots (pictured above) that are basically the same look as The Boots - only much better quality and fit. It's an absolute miracle - I managed to be there during an additional 20 percent off early-bird special, too, so I got a $70 pair of boots for $40, which is only a few dollars more than it would have cost to fix The Boots. Plus I got an adorable pair of $85 red kitten heels for only $19!!!

Admittedly, I feel like a bit of a nerd for blogging about this, but wow!!! This might sound stupid, but it reminds me of that story of the little girl who clung so tightly to her little strand of plastic pearls, but when she gave them up, her father gave her the real deal. I'm trying so hard to not spend money, and I've been fairly disciplined about it for the last few months. All of a sudden in the last week I've found amazing deals for things I needed to replace (like the cuuuuutest red peacoat from Gap that a friend bought and decided she didn't want, so I got it for $40!).

It's amazing to recognize the little blessings we get every day - the "tender mercies," so to speak. These aren't monumental, life-shattering events, but I feel so blessed that my Heavenly Father loves me enough to be interested in the details, like getting a great deal on boots. I'm overwhelmed sometimes by the beauty of those little blessings, like when I'm running late and just happen to get a great parking spot, or finally finding the Christmas present my dad asked for - with a $25 coupon, to boot!

Not to sound like TAMN of "Seriously So Blessed," but seriously, I feel so blessed. And I know I'm no exception to the rule. Isn't life wonderful?!

What are some of your "tender mercies" stories?

Why didn't they tell me?

Guess what?

I have a career.

And you know what?

It's fun. Lots and lots of fun.

I am absolutely loving life right now - and a major part of that great life is devoted to my career as a "digital media strategist" (which, I've been told, sounds "sexy" - ooooh la la!).

Funny how I think back on all of those years where marriage and motherhood were my primary ambitions in life. I'll own it - yes, yes, I was, in fact, one of "those girls" at BYU. Which isn't to say that I wasn't ambitious in college - anyone who knew me then knows that I had a million balls up in the air as a TA, club president, editor at a journal and at the school paper, etc., while doing a double major.

Thing is, my plan was to live up my college experience to the greatest of my ability so that I'd be happy to trade the hat of the single life for the apron of homemaker, knowing that I'd had my time and would find fulfillment caring for my future family.

And then - *gasp!* - I graduated single!

The shock! The horror! The dismay!

What was a girl to do? I mean, I couldn't very well twiddle my thumbs and sit on my hope chest, awaiting my Prince Charming, right?

So I got a job.

A real job, too, working as a reporter for The Orange County Register. Not a bad starter job, in terms of prestige and fun (but pay? Boy, that's a whole other story!).

Well, it's been nearly four years now that I've been in the "real world" of the workforce - and, admittedly, a solid three of those were spent lamenting my lot in life, envying my girlfriends who were procreating while I was pounding away at a keyboard in a little cubicle/newsroom/office.

Then something clicked about a year ago - probably largely due to the close friendships I forged with a couple of my newsroom cronies who were my age but weren't looking to settle down anytime soon. Somehow, spending time with them and talking about how much we loved our careers (despite all of our griping about the insanity of the newspaper business), my eyes opened to this whole panorama of possibilities before me as a single working gal.

And it didn't hurt that I also babysat a couple of munchkins on a weekly basis. The cutest little munchkins you'll ever meet, mind you - but it was a realistic glimpse into that maternal realm, and I realized that I wasn't ready to hang up the reporter's fedora yet.

The apron would have to wait.

Well, the Three Musketeers of the South County bureau have split for various paths (although we did have a delightful breakfast reunion on Saturday!), and here I am, continuing my career by shifting my journalistic skills into public relations and digital media.

It's such an amazing, fulfilling experience to come up with plans, put them into action and see results. I mean, my scope on that is pretty limited, seeing as I'm only just hitting my six-month mark, but a client won an award that I submitted them for, or one media tour put my client in front of the top publications in the nation - and I was the one who arranged those meetings. It's a little more tangible of a result for me than just writing an article, sending it through cyberspace and seeing if people read it. Being able to tell a client what we've accomplished for them is a heady thing.

In the last two days I've been able to go along for meetings with heads of some household-name companies, and it's just a little awe-inspiring for me still. Lil' old me, meeting with CEOs of major businesses? Moi?

I'm loving it!

And then I think, why didn't anybody tell me that a career is fun? What would I have done differently in the last five, 10 years if I'd had that perspective that a career isn't a consolation prize but rather a great opportunity to challenge yourself and accomplish great things in the business world?

Oh well. I guess that in life, you really have to come to knowledge through experience. Even if someone had told me that I'd be loving things down the road, I don't know that it would have made the difference.

I'm going through the same thing with my kid sister. Bless her heart - she's hit that horribly akward phase of adolescence, and she's having a rough go of it. I sooooo was there at her age, and I tell her that, and how I survived - but she didn't see me at her age, so she doesn't know the depths of how much I get where she's coming from.

And I'm sure that is the same for anyone going through anything. You have to live it to really "get" it - and the knowledge that comes that way is more valuable anyways, because it's earned with blood, sweat and tears.

Meanwhile, I'll keep chipping away at changing my little corner of the world. It's a pretty fun way to spend my days. My apron days will come soon enough, I'm sure. It still warms my heart to chat with my friends' toddlers on the phone or to babysit some supercute tots, but it's great to know that things will work themselves out, and in the meantime, I can accomplish great things that will help me to be even better in my future career of wife and mother.

Not that that's the sole focus of my existence.

Okay, well, maybe it still is... I can't get away from the eternal fact that that is my main goal in this life. But it's someday, far off. Not for now, at least.

LDS leaders discuss the coming of Christ's return

Heather posted this video on her blog, and it brought me to tears. Not just misty-eyed tears - no, no, I was so touched, I sobbed silently and briefly in my little cubicle, watching this.

Which isn't really that rare, nowadays. I didn't used to be a cryer with spiritual things, but oh boy, am I ever now! I feel like a leaky faucet. Oh well.

What an honor, a privilege and a daunting responsibility it is to be among those prepared to be here, now, when and where the Lord needs us. How grateful I am for the gospel of Jesus Christ, for the light it brings into my life and for the wise leaders we have who can help us navigate through an ever-darkening world.

We will miss you, Elder Wirthlin!

Joseph B. Wirthlin, an apostle of Jesus Christ and one of the top leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, passed away in his sleep last night at the age of 91.

Elder Wirthlin was such an amazing man, and he will be greatly missed.

His last public appearance was in October at the semi-annual General Conference (a weekend-long meeting that's broadcast around the globe, providing Latter-day Saints with the invaluable opportunity of receiving guidance from our leaders. Conference talks give amazing insight into gospel doctrines and contemporary applications!).

Elder Wirthlin's talk was such a fitting swan song - one that really stood out to me at the time (and to many others - it's been much discussed since it was given), and now it has even more special meaning. Called "Come What May, and Love It," the talk focuses on the way that we react to adversity and how that can be a major factor in our happiness and success in life. The four points Elder Wirthlin made were to:

• Learn to laugh


• Seek for the eternal


• Understand the Principle of Compensation


• Trust in the Father and the Son.

If you haven't read this talk, I recommend that you do so, or - even better - listen to it via audio or video, so you can catch the fulness of his address. He tells some stories in there that are hilarious!!! I'll share the funniest with you:

I remember when one of our daughters went on a blind date. She was all dressed up and waiting for her date to arrive when the doorbell rang. In walked a man who seemed a little old, but she tried to be polite. She introduced him to me and my wife and the other children; then she put on her coat and went out the door. We watched as she got into the car, but the car didn’t move. Eventually our daughter got out of the car and, red faced, ran back into the house. The man that she thought was her blind date had actually come to pick up another of our daughters who had agreed to be a babysitter for him and his wife.

We all had a good laugh over that. In fact, we couldn’t stop laughing. Later, when our
daughter’s real blind date showed up, I couldn’t come out to meet him because I was still in the kitchen laughing. Now I realize that our daughter could have felt humiliated and embarrassed. But she laughed with us, and as a result, we still laugh about it today.

The next time you’re tempted to groan, you might try to laugh instead. It will extend your life and make the lives of all those around you more enjoyable.

What a great lesson to learn - and what a great example Elder Wirthlin was.

Losing dear leaders like Elder Wirthlin is always so bittersweet. The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles remained the same 15 men that it had been when I joined the Church in 1995 up until the summer of 2004, when Elder Neal A. Maxwell passed away, followed less than two weeks later by Elder David B. Haight. Then, in the last year, we saw the passing of Pres. James E. Faust and Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley.

Although we mourn their passing, it must be so sweet for them to be reunited with dear loved ones who passed on before, and for them to be restored to health and vibrancy, doing the Lord's work on the other side of the veil. How sweet that Elder Wirthlin can be reunited with his dear wife, Elisa, who passed away a couple of years ago.

God be with you 'til we meet again!

Elder Wirthlin's bio: http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/elder-joseph-b-wirthlin-a-life-full-of-adventure-and-joy-that-surpasses-understanding

DesNews coverage:
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705267532,00.html

A Thankful Heart

Oh, Thanksgiving.

I love, love, love Thanksgiving! What a wonderful thought - a day devoted to focusing on our blessings, expressing gratitude and sharing delicious food with the ones dearest to our hearts. Seriously, what's not to love?!

Well, I have much, much, much for which I'm grateful: a nice roof over my head, food to eat, clothes to wear (and cute ones at that, or so I'd like to think), the privilege of living in the greatest nation on God's green earth, amazing friends who deeply enrich my life, a wonderful family - especially my dad and stepmom, who are such fantastic examples to me! - and, above all, a knowledge that God lives and that His son Jesus Christ gave His life that we might live with Him forever, and the agency to make the decisions that will dictate how my life goes, for better or worse. Mostly for better, I'd like to think!

Anyways... I'd feel so remiss to not do a good Thanksgiving post, but words are coming up short for truly expressing the feelings of my heart.

Uh, I'm a professional writer - this is a rare feeling for me!

Goodness knows I ALWAYS have something to say, right? ;)

So, let me share with you the words of one faaaaaaar wiser than myself: the incomparable George Washington. My brilliant stepmom shared this at dinner tonight, and I wanted to pass along this great piece of our history. Enjoy!

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George Washington's 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to "recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness":

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of October, A.D. 1789.

The Mormon Conspiracy?

I found this clip through Meridian Magazine and thought it was such a classic Michael Medved response. What a great guy!!!

A little backstory, but I interned with Michael in 2003 - he's the reason I spent a summer in Seattle. What an amazing experience it was! Anyways, I hope that I contributed to his positive impression of Latter-day Saints. We talked about the gospel just about every time we had a conversation - even over dinner when I was a guest in his home for Shavout, a Jewish holiday. Michael even wished everyone a happy Pioneer Day on July 24th that year!

So, this clip gives me warm fuzzies, especially in the midst of all this anti-Prop. 8 hate. It's true that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints encourages its members to be active citizens, not only in politics but in humanitarian service to our fellow man.

That's definitely a conspiracy the world needs more of!

Turkey-Lurkey-Doo

You know you love this song. You know you look forward to hearing it every year.

Wow, can you believe this is 15 years old now?! Look at how young good ol' Adam Sandler looks here!

"Jimmie Walker used to say 'dynomite' - that's right!"

Hot or not? - Raoul vs. Phantom

Phantom of the Opera is returning to Los Angeles for a limited engagement early next year, and I couldn't be more thrilled! I went when it toured at the Pantages a decade ago with my high school choir (awww, Miss Nute!), and the show was simply amazing.

So, in eager anticipation of seeing Phantom once more, I'm listening to the soundtrack as I work on a client's timeline.

And then I had a thought while listening to "Think of Me."

If you had to choose between Raoul or the Phantom, who would you pick?

Let's review their proof points, shall we?

RAOUL

• Gentlemanly and proper
• Charismatic
• Sensitive, albeit a tad naive
• Wealthy, titled and cultured

PHANTOM

• Ever-so mysterious
• Brooding - a tortured soul
• Sensitive and fragile
• Ridiculously talented musical genius
• Undeniably attractive in a raw, magnetic, inexplicable kind of way

Oh, and let's not forget - both are pretty easy on the eyes. Well, except when the Phantom's mask is off. Then he's... not so pretty. But you can grow to love someone's imperfections, right?

On the downside, both are also pretty possessive and jealous.

If you were Christine, who would you choose? Comment away!

A fresh Gap take on a Christmas classic

Selma Blair and Rainn Wilson put a fun gender-switching twist on one of my holiday favorites in this Gap ad. Enjoy!



PS: So... I'm thinking ward talent show here... what guys in the ward would be up for the duet?

Apparently I missed the whole "women's lib" movement

It's that time of year again!

In some families, a "wish list" for birthdays and Christmas is considered offensive. My mom, for one, hates the practice because it shows a lack of thought on the part of the giver.

These days I feel a little weird about asking for stuff anyways, so I skipped the birthday list this year.

And, as a result, my dad and stepmom didn't give me a present. Well, they gave me a Route 66 travel guide, but they said that was just an aside - they would have gotten me a "real" present, but I never told them what I wanted!

I think I learned my lesson.

So, I just emailed my Christmas list to my dad, stepmom and grandma. This year's list was fairly streamlined:

Cast-iron skillet (I'm kinda sorta drooling over this cherry red one to match my Le Creuset dutch oven, but I'll take any skillet of the cast-iron variety)...
Sewing machine, so I can finish my quilt (although I'm always so busy, it might just gather dust if I get one now)...

An apron or two. And not any apron - check out these adorable ones from Boojiboo's Etsy shop (I prefer the "Bella" pattern, personally):

How cute is that one, with the Kitchenaid mixers and Jello molds?! Love, love, LOVE it!!!

And isn't this one just the loveliest?

*sigh*

I think I'm in love...

Oh, and rounding out the list are gift cards to H&M, Gap, Banana Republic, Ann Taylor and Kohl's. Ever since I cut up my credit cards, I've abstained from clothes shopping. My closet's already ridiculously full, but a gal can always use some new threads...

And then I think to myself - am I from the 1950s or what?! Cooking, sewing, fashion - all the things a little housewife needs.

Oh well... color me domestic. At least I don't have to wait 'til marriage to get the kitchen of my dreams!

And when that blessed day comes, well, I'll have a dowry. I can just see it now...

Want Christa for a wife? We'll throw in an entire kitchen set, complete with an excellent chef! Slices, dices and juliennes fries!

What's on your wish list this Christmas? Comment away! I want to hear, people! :)

Five minutes well spent

If you've got five minutes, please watch this video, which is beautifully done. The speech from which it draws is one of my favorites, especially in light of Prop. 8. How prophetic - it gives me chills to think this was first given 30 years ago, and what Neal A. Maxwell discusses is precisely the world in which we live today.

Enjoy!

A Cozy Saturday morning

Right now I am curled up in my all-too-comfy bed, noshing on In-N-Out and watching Anne of Green Gables.

Why?

Because I can.

It's been a hectic couple of weeks, and today was supposed to be crazy busy, too, but my lunchdate was cancelled, and, well, a few hours to myself sounds like the greatest thing in the world.

Sure, I have laundry that needs doing, a car needing washing, errands that need running and an apartment that could use decorating for Christmas.

But I realize that someday my weekends won't revolve around trips to Disneyland and L.A., movies with the girls or even my own boring errands. Things will get even busier than they are now, busy with caring for others who will be at a loss if I slack off.

So I'll take a lazy Saturday while I can.

Ah, Anne of Green Gables. That Gilbert Blythe is too cute!

My cheeseburger is calling my name... yum-o!

Sealed for time and all eternity

At BYU, one of the traditions around the time of the big rivalry football game between BYU and the University of Utah is that the grounds crew wraps all of the statues on campus in plastic for safekeeping.

Well, my friends Brandon and Alison blogged about it, and I just had to share this photo they snapped - enlarge the image to see the little commentary someone left on the family.

Teehee.

Kinda creepy, kinda awesome

I know, I'm so random, but check out this video!



This guy has an amaaaazing voice - his range absolutely blows me away, plus how he can switch back and forth between the high and low so easily.

But I'm still a little creeped out that he sings soprano way better than a lot of gals I know! There's a ton of YouTube vids he's done, singing Alicia Keys songs and the like, that are just downright creepy.

That kind of dainty feminine sound just should not be emanating from a man's vocal chords!

Even in my dreams

Last night I dreamed that there was a really loud, annoying gal on the lawn outside my bedroom window, shouting anti-Prop. 8 ("Prop H8," as she called it) slogans and chants in the wee, pre-dawn hours.

In my dreams, mind you. Not in reality.

When I woke up, I had that total "was that a dream or was it real?" moment... Nope, it was a dream.

And I need this Prop. 8 craziness to settle down so I reclaim my subconscious. :)

Thankful Thursday: Edjumication Edition

Happy Thursday, friends!

Wow, what a hectic week! Between visitors in town all of last weekend and then more visitors this week/weekend, I've been busier than a one-armed paper hanger - but busy with people I rarely get to see, so it's definitely a good thing. :)

Anyways, I feel sad to shortchange this week's Thankful Thursday, but sleeeeeeep is caaaaaaaaalling...

So, to be quick, today I just want to express gratitude for my education. What an immense blessing college was in my life! Not only did I meet so many wonderful friends, but I learned how to learn, and I was taught so many amazing thoughts and ideas that shaped the way I see the world by brilliant and caring professors. BYU was amazing - I still somehow find myself mentally strolling through campus on a regular basis, or I relay to a friend something I learned in some class. I loooooved my college experience, and I am forever grateful - and indebted to my amazing Grandma Doris, who made my education possible. I can't imagine my life without having spent those 4 1/2 years at BYU!

You know that saying about how when you cheat, you only cheat yourself? Well, I didn't cheat in college, but I did have a knack for skipping out on much of my required reading but still managing to do well in class. In the end, though, I kick myself for not really lapping up every particle of knowledge I could have when I had the time. I've held on to all of those books that I swore I'd read someday; if you've ever seen my room, you can attest that it looks like a library, with shelves lining the walls wherever there's space.

Well, I finally brought Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America out of retirement and have been reading it every day on my lunch break. At the rate I'm going, it'll take a year! I wish I'd just buckled down and done it for my American Studies 303 class like I was supposed to.

Anyways, the book is fascinating! I'll do a whole post on it later, but I am loving it, and I realize that I would never have been introduced to Tocqueville, were it not for college - as is the case with so many concepts that I recall daily to process what I see in the world around me.

BYU's whole motto is to "Enter to Learn - Go Forth to Serve," and there's also an emphasis on lifelong learning. I hope that I am living up to those values of my beloved alma mater. There is so much service to render and so much knowledge to acquire - if only we had more hours in the day!

What are you thankful for this Thursday?

I've arrived as a blogger!

Part of my digital media specialist duties includes blogging for our Maples DMG blog, and I've just posted my first entry, about Motrin's big faux pas in reaching out to young moms with an ad campaign that actually comes off as condescending and clueless. Check it out: http://www.maples.com/blog/index.php/2008/11/motrin-and-the-mommy-blogging-outrage-a-case-study/

The DMG blog is on Wordpress, and it's so weird to switch to a different system when I'm so used to Blogger. It does make me feel more legit and professional, though, to be part of a blog that lacks "blogspot" in the URL.

What's in a name?

Hello, friends!

My first blog post for the Maples DMG blog is currently getting some edits, so while I await those changes, I figured I'd multitask and blog this idea I was playing around with earlier today.

Have you ever noticed that some people always seem to draw people of the same name into their spheres time and time again?

One of my besties, for example, seemed to date nothing but Mikes and Johns/Jonathan. In fact, once I ran into a John ex-boyfriend of hers who asked me if she was telling people if they were dating again. Nope! She had simply moved on to yet another John at the time. And guess who she eventually married? Yep - a Jonathan.

While at Disneyland this weekend, a friend was telling me a couple of bad dating stories she'd had with two different Ivans. I don't know about you, but every Ivan I've run across is a little... well... unique.

I think there is, then, some merit to the idea that a name is more than a string of letters we use to identify ourselves. Names really do somehow shape us into who we are.

I'm an advocate of Scotts, personally. Just about every Scott I've ever run across has been genuinely awesome. Michaels tend to be great, too. Maybe a smidge cocky, but not overly so to where it inhibits their merits. Chrises tend to be really down to earth and intelligent. However you spell it, Brittneys seem to be bubbly and fun, and all of the Aubreys I know are warm, with really big hearts.

How about you? What trends do you notice with the names in your lives?

And, uh, what about the Christas/Kristas you know? I'd hope they're wonderful gals. I'd like to say I've never met a Christa/Krista I didn't like, but there was a particularly bratty, awful Krista in my middle school in Utah.

But Christas of the CH variety? Pretty much awesome.

How to really live

I'm not one to pass along forwards, but I really liked this list of 24 little things that make a big difference in finding the joy in life. I'm not great at them... yet. But we're all works in progress, right?

And so, without further adieu, here's how to really live:

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.

3. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, “My purpose is to __________ today.”

4. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

5. Drink green tea (ummm... unless you're LDS and trying to live the Word of Wisdom) and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.

6. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

7. Don't waste your precious energy on energy vampires: issues of the past, negative thoughts, or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

8. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

9. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

10. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone (including yourself).

11. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

12. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

13. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

14. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

15. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

16. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: “In five years, will this matter?”

17. Forgive everyone for everything.

18. What other people think of you is none of your business.

19. GOD heals everything.

20. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

21. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch!!!

22. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

23. Each night before you go to bed com plete the following statements: I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished _________.

24. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

Just a little afterthought, but I have come to believe 110% that we do really control how happy we are. We can control our choices but not the consequences; we cannot control others' choices, but we have power over how we react to those choices and how we let them influence us.

When you choose to be happy - really make a conscious choice to maintain a positive attitude in spite of whatever life throws your way - man, life is just plain fun!!! The last month or two have just been blissfully happy. Beyond blissfully happy. I don't know that I've ever felt such joy and serene contentment before, honestly.

That's not to say that things have been perfect - in fact, there have been several things that normally would have gotten me down. But there is just too much work to do and too much life to enjoy to waste one second on negativity, and having that mindset has made all the difference.

Life is amaaaaaazing!!! :)

Thankful Thursday and Photo Tag

Life is wonderful.

I want to join in on a tradition several bloggers are doing - "Thankful Thursday," where you do a gratitude post each Thursday in November. You know, with that whole Thanksgiving holiday thing around the corner?

Oooooh, Thanksgiving. My favorite holiday. But more on that later...

So, Thankful Thursday. For my first installment, I just have to express the overwhelming gratitude I've felt lately for YOU - yep, that's right, you, my friends (and family).

Seriously, I have AMAZING people in my life - it's a blessing that's been on my mind a lot lately.

Heather always teases me because people aren't just my "friends" - they're my BEST friends... and then there are my BEST, BEST friends. Those people who most would term "acquaintences" fall into my "friend" category, because, to me, "acquaintence" is just so cold and detached. I reserve that for those people I know of but don't really know, like all the people in the ward whose names I know, and who I could maybe chat with in passing, but I've never really engaged with them on a social scale.

Once we've had a conversation, they enter the "friend zone."

Well, Heather might give me a hard time about it, but it's TRUE! My life has been soooo blessed with the most incredible people. I am in awe of how many quality people are in my life, of how many wonderful friendships have been rekindled and renewed via Facebook and blogging in the last year, and how much those friendships have really enriched my life.

I'm so grateful for that, because when someone's entered my heart as a friend, I don't let them go. Like, EVER, as certain friends can attest to. We might have falling outs, but that door of friendship remains open, and, sure enough, we're friends again - or on friendly terms, at the very least.

So having this online venue through which I can actually keep those dear ones in my loop, despite how distance and circumstances create separation, is WONDERFUL. I love it!!!

So, yeah, I love my friends. A lot. A ridiculous amount, really.

I had the delight of chatting with Brittney, one of my best, best friends a couple of days ago - it's been AGES since we last talked - and it turns out that she'll be in Utah the same week I'm going. I was jumping up and down, honestly! Talking with her made my week. It's funny, because it's been almost five years since I saw her and her hubby (also a best friend of mine), and our communication has been sporadic since, but it was as if we'd been together the week before! I love that.

It's amazing to me how true friendships can be like that. No amount of time or distance can dull that bond of love. I guess it's supposed to be like that with family, too... but, well, not with some of mine. But that's okay. I guess my friendships fill that void for me, and that's why I treasure them so highly.

Anyways... sorry for that stream of consciousness!

So, on an unrelated note, I think I got photo tagged. So, here's the third picture in my third folder:

This photo is from my Arizona trip, when I flew in during the middle of a monsoon. No joke. It was INSANE!!! (Did I ever blog about that trip? Goodness, it was such a blast! I'll have to write it up, even if it'll be a few months late. But not today.)

So, anyways, I was standing at the curb when the manhole covers started to shake and sputter. Sure enough, they blew their lids, and we had a bunch of geysers there at the Phoenix airport! I guess the winds were screwing with the pressure in the pipes or something. Sooooo crazy!

Okay, back to work for me... I need to channel this bloggeryness into some brilliant digital media posts for the work blog!

What the pho?!

Well, as mentioned earlier, my stomach has decided to go funky-monkey on me, which leaves me with the paradoxical feeling of being simultaneously starving and queasy.

So, tonight, I was seriously craving some matzo ball soup - "Jewish penicillin," as my friend Amanda called it.

But, alas, seeing as I live in southern Orange County and not Manhattan, there were no good delis to be found.

There are plenty of other ethnic options around here, though - including the ever-comforting Vietnamese soup, pho (pronounced "fuh").

Ah, pho.

Pho has been one of my favorite eats since Kimball introduced me to its noodle soupey goodness a few years ago. I must have journeyed to Pho 99 almost weekly for the first two years of my career - heck, while out cold with pneumonia, I hopped in my car and drove the 20 minutes to pick up a bowl of that steamy goodness (not one of my wisest moves, but man, when you need pho, you just need pho!).

But it's been at least six months of so since my last bowl, so tonight I ventured over to Pho 99 once more to get some pho to go.

And I realized that some of you may be missing out on this culinary delight, so I decided to blog it up!

Pho consists of vermicelli noodles in a hearty broth, along with cilantro, basil, lime, bean sprouts, onion and whatever kind of meat you choose (chicken for me tonight). Usually I'll toss in some jalapenos and chili sauce, but, uh, that would defeat the easy-on-the-stomach purpose.

Tonight's bowl was only so-so. It needed the spicy kick for my tastes, but, well, what can you do?

If you get the chance to curl up with some pho, do it! You won't regret it!

And, I'm happy to report, so far, so good for my stomach. I wonder if it could handle a couple peppermint JoJos or some leftover cheesecake... or if that would just be pushing my luck.

Meanwhile, I'm going to conduct a search of South County for some decent matzo ball soup. If you have any leads, I'm all ears...

How much can you stomach?

I swear, I don't know how pregnant women put up with morning sickness for months on end!

As mentioned before, my stomach has been really finicky lately. The upside is that I'm eating less junk because nothing ever sounds appetizing EVER... but I'm getting awfully sick of ginger ale and saltines!

So, in the midst of Internet research for a client, I opted to do a quick Google search to figure out what to grab for lunch.

Apparently pets have more sensitive stomachs than humans!

Almost every result for "food sensitive stomach" brought up queries from concerned pet owners, wondering what to feed Fido and Fluffy.

Which does me no good. Obviously.

So, I turn to my lovely little Web community - especially all of you young mothers. Any ideas on some good eats?

Today's random vid: "Take on Me" literal-style

As a digital media strategist, some of my (random and ridiculously fun) tasks include creating Facebook pages for clients and managing the Maples DMG blog - which leads me to search YouTube for some fun multimedia adds to the blog posts.

Today I did an unrelated search for my fav music video of all time, A-ha's "Take on Me." Loooooove it!!!

Well, not only did I find the real deal, but I also found this "literal" version - a novel concept that the song's lyrics should actually match what's happening on the screen. Enjoy!

Yet another Provo pilgrimage in the pipeline

It's official: I'm returning to the Promised Land (translation: Utah) for the week following Christmas!!!

I'm beyond thrilled.

Funny thing is, I don't quite know why I'm so danged excited, either, considering I was just there in June - and I've been back so many times in the last four years, I have honestly lost count (upwards of six?). Each time I head up there, I swear it's going to be the last time for a while. There are so many other places and other people who I want to see, and if I keep spending my travel time and money in Provo, I'll never expand my horizons!

But then I think of them...

and them...

and her...

and this...

plus renewed friendships like this...

best friends like this...

and, of course, this, in all its Christmastime splendor...

and, well, can you blame me?

When so many people so dear to your heart reside in a one-stop shop vacation, who wouldn't go back time and time again to visit?

And so, Dec. 26 I will hop in Alfredo and head to Utah for a week. If anyone will be around and wants to play, let me know!

This or that - Christmas edition!

Missy posted this earlier, and I just couldn't resist. I love Christmas!

So, while dinner's simmering away on the stove (sauteed veggies and sausage with pasta - yum!), I've got a little time to kill - here we go!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Gift bags! I am so lazy when it comes to wrapping - unless I'm doing a special box. Then I love wrapping - I'll take a shoe box with a hinged lid and wrap it inside and out (often with contrasting paper inside) and then fill it with crinkle paper and a ton of little presents. It's so fun! I did that for my dad's birthday and was happy to see he's put the box to use in his room. :)

2. Real tree or Artificial?
Real is my preference - but I think the last time I personally had a real tree was at University Villa, thanks to Brittny's delightful Christmas decor obsession (we also had a fake tree up year-round - so, pencils on it in September, pumpkins in October, etc.). But seeing as I'm still in my little apartment, the tabletop fake fiberoptic tree I got a year or two ago suits me just fine.

4. When do you take the tree down?
Whenever my roommates force me to. I like leaving Christmas up for a little while!

5. Do you like egg nog?
Yes! Especially my stepmom's homemade eggnog. It's soooo rich but soooo good...

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
A clock-radio that my great-grandmother gave me when I was 5 or 6. It was my first radio, and I was such a radio addict as a child! It was on whenever I was in my room, and I think I still used it up until high school!

7. Do you have a nativity scene?
I do, somewhere. It was my grandmother's.

8. Hardest person to buy for?

My stepmom - and my dad's a close second. They're tricky!

9. Easiest person to buy for?
My little sister. She's 11, so I can still get her random kid stuff. It might get tougher in a few years.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Mail is always better! I think I'm going to do cards this year, speaking of, so if you want one, send me your address!

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
Not to throw my little sister under the bus here, but a few years ago she gave me a couple of really random knick-knacks: a horse statuette and some clamshell that had a globe in the middle. She picked them out herself, and she was 7 or 8, so the thought was darling, but to this day, I don't know what to do with them!

12 . Favorite Christmas movie?
Holiday Inn - but Christmas in Connecticut is gaining ground. Oh, and there's always It's a Wonderful Life. Do I have to just pick one?!

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
The last few years I've been waaaaay last minute about shopping, but this year I've already gotten started, so it all depends.

14 . Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Yup - it might have been a birthday present that went for Christmas, though.

15. Any Christmas traditions?
Christmas stockings are always a big deal with us, a tradition my stepmom carried over from her own family. Christmas breakfast is always a big deal, too, and usually includes a pastry wreath like my Nana always made.

16 . Clear lights or colored on the tree?
Colored, for sure!

17. Favorite Christmas song?
"White Christmas." I have a soft spot for Bing Crosby (but I'm referring more to Holiday Inn than White Christmas).

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
Stay home! Growing up, both sides of the family were in Southern California - and still are, except for one aunt and her brood. In fact, my mom's an only child and her mom (Gram) was widowed when I was a baby, so Gram would actually join my dad's family gatherings!

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid and Donder and Blitzen - and, of course, Rudolph!

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
Star, for sure!

21 . Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
Christmas morning, all the way!

22. Favorite thing for Christmas dinner?
My grandmother's rolls. I basically could eat nothing but those and be satisfied!

I tag: Megan, Kristen, the Aubreys, Suzie, Sarah, Melisa and anyone else who's excited for Christmas!