Thanksgiving/Christmas Update

Ok, I waited way too long to post this. It's like to the point where I can't remember much. My memory is terrible. But maybe that's a good thing for you. You won't have to read a long boring post :)

Super-Short version: Thanksgiving at Grandma Coco’s, Christmas Eve at the Porter’s, talked to Blake on Christmas morning, went home, and got my presents from Santa.

Long version: click the link below.

For Thanksgiving, my large extended family gathered at my great-grandma Coco’s house. My grandma and great-aunt made all the yummy food. My auntie Ingy’s husband, Aaron made a visually and tastefully (I know there is a better word for that) appealing cucumber salad along with some artfully arranged crudités and homemade dips. We teased him for being so crafty but he is an artiste! (Sorry, that sentence didn’t really need an exclamation mark but I feel the word ‘artiste’ is incomplete without it).

Um, not much more to say except everything was delish, we stayed there way too late watching “Wall-E” (such a cute movie) and I had to work the next day. I was a zombie. Who knew Thanksgiving could be so exhausting? I don’t even want to think about what it would do to me if I had to actually prepare food of some sort.

Christmas was great. The Porters were super sweet and invited me to their family Christmas party on Christmas Eve. I worked that day but got off a bit early so I headed over. They gave me the Mama Mia soundtrack and a gift card to Barnes & Noble. Thank you! I listen to the CD all the time (and my dad likes it too – I put it in his car to listen to while driving)

I made them Pizelle cookies the night before. I should have taken pictures. They are really fun cookies and a holiday tradition for my family. It was my first time making them so I was nervous ‘cause baking isn’t in my skill set. Normally when I try to make something, you can expect disaster, but fortunately everything went smoothly. I ended up with enough cookies to give a jar to the senior and junior Porters and the Dicksons – yay! I was even so crafty and eco-friendly to reuse some almond roca jars to put them in. I just washed them out, wrapped some Christmas wrapping paper around them and voila! It was great; I wore an apron and everything ha ha. I can’t wait to embrace my inner domestic goddess; she came out a little that night lol.

Christmas Eve at my house consisted of the children getting their pajamas! They are super cute. We all coordinated of course. Except for my brother; he had dinosaurs on his and the girls were decked out in pink. My uncle ‘Buff’ stopped by bringing Uncle’s (Uncle Wes but he just goes by Uncle) delicious Christmas breakfast stuff. I don’t know what to call it. It’s like eggs and sausage in a cake pan that we eat with salsa and sour cream – yum! I think my inner domestic goddess should ask him for the recipe.

The next day was Christmas of course. And I got to talk to my missionary! Seriously, that was the best part of the Holidays. Honestly, I was very nervous before hand. I felt apprehensive, wondered what we would talk about, and I don’t know lol, just had this irrational nervousness in my tummy. But that all subsided as I got ready to go over to the Porter’s. I was so proud of myself. I only cried a bit when I first said hello. And then I gained composure but was kind of shy for a while, ha ha. We tried all talking to him on speaker phone, John, Melinda, Ryan, and Davey came over, but that didn’t work so well so we ended up taking turns. I waited patiently till the end for my turn and it was worth it.

I don’t even remember what we talked about besides the Twilight movie and Watchmen. We talked about some of his investigators and random things. I talked to his companion for a while but I couldn’t understand him very well. Ha ha, well he asked “What species of cookie did you send?” And I was like unable to recognize the word ‘species’ in that context so I asked what a couple times and looked retarded lol and then he gave the phone back to Blake. It was just so great to talk to him. It made me very happy. I have this weird thing in my head that it’s like I don’t really know him anymore because all our contact and communication is so abstracted. Lol, I know it’s dumb but anyways, it kind of took that feeling away to have an actual conversation with him. He was almost exactly the same and I’m sure he thought I was too.

I went back home to open presents. I am in no family pictures this year. Sad, I know but the phone talk with Blake soothes my injured ego. I got a singer sewing machine, with all the necessary accessories, which I am very excited to use. Once again, my domestic goddess is appearing. I actually pride myself on my sewing skills unlike cooking/baking. (Although I did make this good quiche one time, but my little sisters and twin sister’s boyfriend didn’t like it so that was discouraging. But they are all tasteless twits so there!) Anyways, amongst other small gifts in my stocking, I got a capo for my borrowed guitar. Woot! I was playing “Shankill Butchers” and “Yankee Bayonet” all day. Luckily my sisters weren’t terribly annoyed.

And Blake is soo amazing. He gave me a gift card to Massage Envy for a three month membership! I get three free massages - one each month and then if I want another massage I get the member price. He spoils me like it ain’t no thing ;). It makes my gift to him seem lame-o.

He is so cute though, and loves my little gifts anyway. I sent him a tie (a really cool red and blue paisley one) and CD with hymns played on guitar. When I bought it the people at Deseret Book were going crazy giving me suggestions ha ha, I think they were all excited ‘cause I told them it was for a missionary. I also put in a small pedicure kit and Burt’s Bees chapstick. My dad and I made butter cookies too, with the cookie press that Blake and I bought once. Well, he bought it but it was my idea. It was hard work squeezing those cookies out of the press. My hand cramped up a bit. O and to top off the present, I included a multitude of cut out paper snowflakes, reminiscent of the time I decorated his room ELF-style while he was gone to a halo tourney and to give him some snow for Christmas.

Well that was the good times of the Holidays. I’ll work on my New Year’s Eve update.