Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Go Home!!

So this morning I woke up more excited than I have been on Christmas day in a long time. Something about finding out the truth about Santa tends to suck the excitement out of the morning for me. But today. Wow. I was stoked. Because Today I was finally going to go home.

I realize that it hasnt been all that long really since I've been home, but my stays are always so short that I feel like they hardly get to count. So today was finally here. Haley and I woke up early: 7 am, in order to pack and get ourselves ready for the long a gruesome travel day. Jared picked us up and we made our way slowly up University Parkway to get to the airport. There was a blanket of thick snow on the ground: about a foot since it had been snowing since yesterday morning and was continuing to come down.
About 3 miles up State St we got a call from mom. Your flight's been cancelled....


long pause...



hot chocolate at Barnes and Noble and a skype call with the family....



And so Haley and I are stuck in Provo until the 25 of December. Christmas day. When we leave at noon to arrive in Holland the 26. I leave the 31. Merry Christmas.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Go shiver in the barn


Following are some of the great, funny or cool shots we took at our photoshoot with Michele T.              

by Michele

by Michele


you tell me...Bristow?
by Michele
by Michele

 The day we decided to do our shoot was absolutely FREEZING!

Kristen's great Aunt had this great place with a rickety barn and a blue shed. What could have been better?
keeeeeeeeeee!! COLD
by Michele
Stunning
By Alex



Gorgeous
by Michele





photo by Michele

photo by Michele

Photo by Michele

photo by Michele

photo by Haley

haha goofing

photo by Alex

"What are you doing out here?" Oh Bertha.

Beautiful sisters by Michele
photo by Michele

Go have a reunion and take some pictures

This last week has been a Naperville throwback. I love it.

Wednesday this week I finally finished my finals. After a 7 am oral presentation that was mostly "winged" due to the 14 hours of Econ studying I did the day before, I drove up to Logan to visit Haley.
Wingers with Britt

Dear Mother. Do you recognize this sweater?...D.I. We Love YOU!

Her friends and I had a great time making picture frames and watching a show called Felicity. Basically anything J.J. Abrams does is fantastic, I've gotten hooked to almost all his shows: Alias, Lost, Mission Impossible, Star Trek, plus several more. This show is another great one. 

Chick-Fil-A with Court
Thursday saw a late morning wake-up--9:45!! Okay, so I actually woke up at 8 am despite a 2 am bedtime, but I did go back to sleep. I seriously think there is something wrong with me. (Yesterday I wanted to sleep in, another late night, but I woke up an hour before my alarm went off. At 7:30. Naturally. I got a problem.

But that is beside the point, Thursday I got to see COURTNEY!! I love that little booger. (I know she's going to read this, hence the great nickname :) We three met up for lunch before H and I drove back to Provo.


On Friday morning, Haley, me, Kristen and Jordan (her sister) and my friend Michele drove up to Great Aunt Bertha's in the mountains and took model shots. One of our favorite family activities for years, we of course had a fantastic time. Michele was a great photographer and between her, my and J's camera we got tons of great shots.

Home-made with the Girls
After warming up during a run, I made fab-o home-made mac'n'cheese. Jacey and Tiare came over to share. It was awesome. I love those girls, I'll miss Jacey next semester while she's on her mission in Chile. But I'm excited for her. Tiare and I decided that we will drive up to Logan more often to visit Court. Get ready girl--its gonna be awesome. (Also, lets please get some closure on HP. Both the new one and ours).





Seesters. We miss you Mae. Wishing you were here to hang.
All this was followed up with a wedding reception for a great friend of mine--and more photos with Kristen--and an early, WET, Sunday morning concert in Salt Lake. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir performed with David Archuleta. It was beautiful. Keep on the look-out for next years album, which will have the recording of David's Silent Night. It was easily my favorite song performed the whole day.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Go be sick of finals, but not actually sick

It's still the 13th...but it's been a long day and it's still not over.
This morning at 7 am I took my Europe final. It went pretty swimmingly. I got home earlier than expected and went for a nice 35 minute run. I have to say my legs are getting quite shapely ;) Especially with all the treats I've been munching on lately.

I don't think I realized how difficult of a time I would have becoming Syd. Okay, it hasnt really been that hard, but I have to keep working on that section around my middle that just loves anything with sugar. I've decided I'm somewhat like Buddy the Elf. I just love sweet things. Home-made treats especially. That is one good thing I can say about my limitations: if it aint homemade, it aint going in my mouth. Unless it's Dutch chocolate. No more corn syrup for me. Ever. It just literally makes me sick all the time. Even one bite of something with Cool-Whip in it as I found out over Thanksgiving break. So it's a good thing that corn syrup is bad for you anyways (I don't care what those commercials say about it just being sugar: I won't eat it I tell you!!)

So Haley, several months ago said something to me that I realize is soooo true: I better become a life time marathoner because I just love to bake so much. And eat what I made. My favorite part about baking however, is getting to share it with others and watching their faces as they take the first bite. And then go back for seconds.

This weekend I was able to go to a fantabulous Cambridge Christmas party with almost the entire crew. It was a blast to see everyone and Jen and Derek were so great for hosting it. For said party I decided to take chocolate chip cookies. Not the most Christmas-y treat I know, but everyone loves them. Especially these. I've made two batches in two weeks. That's 5 dozen cookies each time. I cannot stop eating them! It's a good thing other people like them too or I'd be rolling. My friend Jonathan turned up at the party late, and to my delights he ate 3 as soon as he walked in the door, then ate at least 2 more by the end of the evening. Try some. Or better yet, let me make them for you. McKay I'm talking to you... :)

So I've two finals left: Economics and an Oral Presentation at 7 am Wednesday. Fun fun fun. No. But tomorrow night I'm making dinner with Jared! Hallelujah!

Go have a birthday shout hooray!

So December 9 was my 22 Birthday.
I feel old.

I spent the most wonderful day working out, making mac n cheese and birthday cake. In the evening many of my friends came over for a wonderful and crowded celebration. Comments were as follows: "You're 22!? That's old." "You made your own birthday cake!? Who does that?" "Where did you get this cake? You made it? No you didnt." yes I did. And it was superb. Italian Creme Cake. Thanks BHG.
I came home earlier that day to a pile of roses and an awesome travel book from Jared. It distracted me yesterday while I was studying for finals, but luckily the exam I was studying for is all about Europe. So the distraction was educational.

The following day, Dec 10 I got spoiled like none other.
I did however spend almost the whole day on campus, at reviews for finals and bashing my brains in over Economics, which is the second hardest class I have ever taken.
But that evening made up for it. Jared took me to La Jolla, where we devoured bruscetta, a basket of bread, cheese tortellini in tomato sauce and pesto fusilli with chicken. Chased down by a molten chocolate cake. It was divine. He then proceeded to take me on a Christmas Cruise up Provo River. Santa appeared out of the mist, shouting for his reindeer. Then he gave us candy.
To top the evening all off, we played a smashing round of miniature golf with Jason and Katje, two of our dear friends from Cambridge. Jason soundly whooped us all, but I did get two holes in one. All in all a fantastic birthday celebration.

I was sad that the family wasnt able to celebrate with me, but I felt love emanating from across the pond nonetheless from a long phone call, several letters, and several surprise packages of birthday gifts. P.S. the flowers are still alive and beautiful.
Making the Birthday wish.


Okay the Party's here!

Even Carson made it down! I love Jeff and Mel in the background! (And I don't know the kid on the left...)



My fantastic roommates: Kristen and Melanie. They were matching.

Look who all celebrated with me!
My cake and my flowers
"Spoiled me, made me Rotten. Didn't even let me be forgotten..."