buh bye to you, 2011!

it's over! can you believe it? i remember last year's new years eve, watching the ball drop and wondering what exactly would go down in 2012. well past self, this is future self telling you that nope, not much changed! just another normal year filled with pretty normal stuff! granted, there were highlights and lowlights. there were moments for laughing and moments for wanting to punch somebody in the kidney. hard. a couple times i made really rad decisions.... and vise versa. you live! you learn! you smack yourself in the forehead and get over things.
i'm not making any resolutions this year. i'd going to do an experiment where my only resolution is to just keep living right- step out of myself and do something for somebody. eat vegetables. don't take myself to seriously. be patient.

oh, and remember my list? still going strong!

as for the year, here it is... in pictures.

i had great roommates and good pizza

i drove home in the middle of the night and surprised my family

i played with my friends in a foam pit

i burned stuff

i got glasses (and hardly even wore em)

i turned twenty and burned more stuff

i threw some chalk

we visited hailey in slc

we celebrated cinco de mayo and grew mustaches

i had sushi for the first time

we day tripped to park city

i ran the redrock relay in moab, ut

i worked a lot... and made wonderful work pals

i lived with more friends and had the most relaxing summer ever

i bummed at the pool 

i met a famous guy. (payton... who is this?)

i grilled. and cooked 

we went on vacation to california

a hefty chunk of my gal pals got married 

i laid on the grass and stared at the sky

we went to concerts

and more concerts! 

britni and i flew to colorado

i hung out with my cute colorado cousins (alliteration) 

i made a mental note of coming back here....

i had a mini quarterlife crisis and dropped out of school and ran more relays!

more weddings! 

general conference was attended on a whim (sweet parted bangs?)

a big chunk of cash was deposited on this new "investment" 

i started learning how to take pictures

my pretty sisters were in homecoming court

lots of fall hikes happened

i discovered rock canyon park!

halloween came... i carved a masterpiece.

i celebrated with friends

christmas parties happened.

i went home for christmas and hung out with my nearest and dearest!

i knit

it has been a good year. thanks for the memories. here's to 2012 and the good it will bring.

thoughts for a wednesday.

my sister got one of those mega-magnifying mirrors for christmas. can i just say that those things don't do a thing for a girl's self esteem? i mean, can you think of  a single instance when you've walked away from finding hair in places you didn't even know existed anything less than a little bit scarred?

i've been tango-ing with liquid eyeliner... and i am learning very quickly that there is LITERALLY a very fine line between cat eye and drag queen.... and my hands just aren't steady enough to do anything but the drag... even with the help of that magnifying mirror.

christmas break is a great time to get dressed up in new christmas clothes and have no place to go.... so just know i am sitting at my house wearing clothes with price tags sticking out the back. no worries, though... i've only managed to make it out into public sporting the anthro price tag once. heck- i just want EVERYBODY to know about the good deals i've been scoring.

i am toying with whether or not to buy the kindle fire. i've got christmas money burning in my pocket, people! they're so shiny and cheap! it is either that or perhaps loading up on some goods at the vs semi-annual sale. unmentionables, or books? oh the decisions i am faced with. speaking of books, i'm currently mildly obsessed with the glass castle. oh, and reading it on my sister's HUGE bed that i've claimed as mine for the time-being.  she's got so many pillows and pillow pets... i never want to leave.

the new year is coming that means resolution time is just around the corner... i'm still working on that list of 21 things before i'm 21, so i'm thinking any other goals are gonna go on the back burner. BUT i am 21 in less than 3 months... crazy right? where is my life? the semester is starting a WEEK from today, which seems a little unreal. last night i bought a huge spanish book that i can't even pronounce the name of, and justified buying a new coat because i just remembered all the walking that will commence in seven short days all those cold wintery days that are going to last until mid april... or later! however, i'm ready to get this show on the road and for the madness to begin... but let me master the make-up and pull all the tags of my new clothes first.

post-christmas recap and roll

christmas was a great day from sun-up to sun-down. this year we didn't make it to presents until 9 am, which in and of itself is a CHRISTMAS MIRACLE. we must be growing up because i can't remember ever sleeping past 7 in previous years.

good news. santa came! he brought us nicely wrapped things. i got the immersion blender that santa bought last minute at costco on christmas eve (thanks big guy). it makes some KILLER mashed potatoes, i will tell you what. santa brought me this great glass, too. it makes for a great photo-op, no?

after stocking madness and breakfast of candy and toast we went to church, which reminded me why exactly i love sunday christmas. my home ward is great! and the singers are talented... boy can they belt it. and  can i say how floored i was to see how grown up the babies of my memory are? last time i recall seeing half of them they couldn't even walk, and now they're singing in the choir. can i have the last three years of my life back, please?
church ended and the christmas celebration continued. we opened presents. i made rolls and cursed my drafty house when they didn't hardly rise. we spent the afternoon playing fashion show and cooking christmas dinner. family came over and we dined on christmas delicacies. oh, and we played just dance. why is it so hilarious to watch people shake their booties in just dance fashion? i find it hilarious, and a video is in the works... stay tuned.. here's a load of pics til then!

christmas ham(s)

we own couches... somewhere...

the cutest face. 

all this knitting and purling paid off

merry christmas from my family and please notice the phantom hand at my waist? yeah. 

mom + dad

thanks for stopping by,  christmas 2011! you were wonderful. see you next year. (but could you bring some snow? thanks.)
oh, and the video for which you've all been waiting...

keepin the tradition alive

merry christmas eve!

in our family, the day always involves some last minute shopping, pizza, and christmas lights. this year we dined at flatbread since dad got off early from work. usually ups holds him hostage until at least 8 pm, but a christmas miracle happened, and he showed up around 3! after eating at the nearly empty restaurant we saw sherlock holmes, and  then went on a hunt for the best lights in boise. twas a great night with the family. merry christmas from me, friends and fam! and please don't forget to celebrate the birth of our savior. his condescension truly is the greatest gift any of us could ever receive.

FESTIVE EARRINGS!

i was feeling vegan?

don't mind us, just practicing the smize.

somebody watches too much ANTM

nailed it

now i'm going to bed so santa can come.... i advise you to do the same!