christmas time

i hope you all had a lovely christmas! mine was nontraditional (compared to what my family usually does). we went to the city to see a christmas carol preformed on stage in a beautiful theater. i brought my binoculars to see the actors faces close up ;) i had fun getting all pretty to go out. after watching the play, we stopped at union square to see the city's big christmas tree. i took a photo of my papi & sister in front of it (you can see tiffany & co. in the background : ))

 this is our ornamentless tree, which has never happened before (the hello kitty gift is mine!). what was also nontraditional is we drove the three hours on christmas day to surprise my cousin wendy & her family with christmas dinner. it was an epic surprise.

 this is part of my christmas gift! this year i only asked for things that i would need for my trip to europe. so my sister bought me the hunger games to read on the 14 hour plane ride (ahhh...i am so going to go crazy) & french phrases for dummies & my parents bought me some really nice enzo angiolini leather boots & an umbrella. i can't believe i'll be leaving in ten days!

 nicola sent me a christmas gift too! it's so lovely & i'm going to hang it up in my apartment : )

 since we went to surprise wendy & her family, we got to see snow on christmas! that never happens. i got to have a white christmas : )

 i don't know about you, but i am so stoked to see this movie!! i just have to finish the book before i see the movie though...i'm about halfway through. i got all emotional when i saw the trailer in the theater.

replies:

lizzie: an infinity scarf? ohhh haha i had to look up what it was. i am so not versed in styles. i don't own one of those yet...

em [the writer]: isn't that a christmas story display great? it is so clever too!

jane hyunjoo lee: awww haha i've never thought of it that way, being a really good girl = early christmas gifts. i like to think of it that way hehe.

natalie: i love ice cream in winter. especially when it is raining!

carissa clark: i am having so much fun - as you can see on twitter : )

nicola: thanks nicola! you are always so sweet : ) & my mom says thanks with a "thumbs up" hehe.

ying: ying!! hello : ) i'm so glad you remember the ice cream parlor. i'll be going to london january 8 & paris january 16. i'm so excited! oh & i love amelie! isn't she amazing?? glad you liked flipped. yay for pan am! oh & i hear big bang theory is really good. a lot of my friends love it. i miss you!

crafts, lights, & christmas

 i attended the renegade craft fair in the city this weekend with abbie! i love going to these craft fairs : )

 the city was so beautiful

i got my first christmas gift of the year! a lovely scarf from rachel. (love me some scarves!)

 i went with my mom to celebrate her straight a's this semester at school at our favorite ice cream parlor. i love their holiday peppermint ice cream!

 rachel & abbie came to visit & see my apartment. we had coffee & dessert at the old spaghetti factory & i took them to see the best christmas lights in the city. they even had an a christmas story scene (by the way, best christmas movie ever!)!

(sorry so blurry!)

so, i finished my last paper & turned it in last week. after that, life has been a little bit of a world wind! parties, dates, visits from friends, & good food - all with a festive flair : )

i think this post has too many photos of myself...maybe i should take some down... :/

sooo excited for this!!!
love this home : )
also, my friend olivia just made a music video! check it out here.

anyways, i hope you are all having a wonderful holiday season!! i probably won't be back blogging before christmas, so happy holidays!

replies:

two birds: hello! & thank you so much : ) & i've never seen a drive-through nativity! it is pretty neat.

nicola: awww thanks!! the paper went fine. i got an a-, but it was ok...i suppose...haha.

kendra: hello! yes europe! i will be traveling around london & southern england, as well as paris! how cool that you lived in london! that would be so amazing. & i know it will change my life, i can't wait!

brynna: exactly what i thought, see the pretty nativity by the warmth of your car - perfect : ) & thanks!

jane hyunjoo lee: hehe yay! wow! kimchi tofu burrito! i had one like that from a korean taco truck in los angeles once. so good!!

tara: awww thanks! yes, that would be awesome!

mieke willems: origami is very nice : )

keetee: awww! thanks keetee!! :D

em [the writer]: for sure!! & even more fun now, hehe ; )

thewanderingballoon: hello! thank you : ) i kind of love it too, hehe

this weekend i...

 spent some quality time with my papi eating dinner at rubios (love me the big burrito especial with no meat!)

 drank some hot chocolate while working on my last paper. (only analysis, results, & conclusion to go!)

 got dolled up with my new haircut (just added some layers : )) for church.

 taught my arts & crafts class origami ornaments. & we had a little holiday party with homemade cookies & ice tea.

went to a drive-through nativity story with live actors & animals. it was pretty neat!

replies:

jane hyunjoo lee: yes, europe!! i leave on january 8 for two weeks : ) uber excited.

pauline: isn't it amazing?! i don't know of any similar ones yet...& my research paper is on gender neutral parenting & parents' reactions to their children's gender non-conformity. can't wait for paris eee!

alexia: it is so inspiring! i've actually had the link to it for a while & just now posted it. & her glasses rock! thanks for the luck ;)

kailey: hello! thank you so much : )

almost

this little video is so inspiring! i just keep watching it over & over again.

i've been working on my last paper (which is actually a whole study that i compiled from start to finish - concept, research, literature review, finding participants, interviewing participants, analyzing data, etc.) for the past week. it's a lot of work, but each day i'm a little closer to being finished! it is due december 13, so by then i will be officially ready for the holidays!

planning my trip to europe with nicola is so exciting. i am seriously so stoked. we will be taking tons of photos to show you all & hopefully have more to add to here--and--there!

take care fellow bloggers & have a happy weekend!

p.s. i crossed the first thing off my list today!!

replies:

liz, amy, & danica : thanks : ) i really took time to think each item on my list through.

maggie shirley: yes do need to make one of those lists! let us all know when you do : ) & flipped is uber cute ;)

sarah~mechelle: thank you & they were very thought out! yes, you must make a list too. i didn't realize that you just had a birthday!! happy birthday!

missa!: i just drove on the freeway today! so i accomplished it! hehe. & i am losing 15 pounds because - 1. this is the heaviest i've ever been. 2. i am at the very edge of almost being overweight with my bmi. it's not that i feel self conscious about my weight, but i just want to be healthy : ) & maybe we should do number 15 together...

jane hyunjoo lee: it's challenging saying "yes" to more things since i am such an introvert! ;) & yes i do avocado on toast & a smoothie for breakfast hehe. so yummy!

lizzie: oh you have to let me know when you make a list! post it on your blog!

natalie: SIX!! so excited : ) & i wanted to do 21 this semester, but the pet deposit was too much :/

kait: awww thanks kait : ) but i do have reasons for the weight loss: 1. this is the heaviest i've ever been. 2. i am at the very edge of almost being overweight with my bmi. it's not that i feel self conscious about my weight, but i just want to be healthy : ) so, one whole year to lose 15 pounds is pretty reasonable i think!

nicola: thanks : ) i feel much better now.

alexia: yes, you must see submarine! it's quite entertaining in a quirky way ;)

24 things to do before i turn 25

source

1. travel in europe (1/8/12-1/22/12)
2. make a zine
3. develop etsy shop
4. finish my crochet blanket
5. loose 15 pounds
6. meet bloggers!!! : ) (1/9/12 met nicola) (1/14/12 met charlotte & mandy)
7. write in my moleskine more
8. say "yes" to more things
9. spend less time on the internet
10. make more things instead of buying them
11. read at least 3 books for pleasure (extremely loud & incredibly close, the hunger games, the girl's guide to hunting & fishing)
12. become more involved with community (my new science engineering & technology job)
13. go on more dates (12/16/11) (12/30/11) (& much more! because i have him)
14. buy a pair of black heels with red soles
15. visit cameron's accident site
16. figure out what to do after graduation
17. have a hearing & defend my thesis (5/11/12)
18. drive on the freeway (12/9/11 drove from the dentist to michaels)
19. bake a pie (2/25/12 strawberry raspberry pie)
20. add more audio books to my ipod (the fault in our stars)
21. adopt a kitten
22. develop 120 film from diana
23. get felix a castle (or something else for him to enjoy) (2/29/12)
24. go through & donate my clothes