loved in San Diego...

Thursday was BRIDESMAIDS DAY...Anna and I met Jenny @ Prevue in Grossmont Center to officially place our dress orders. The dresses themselves are pretty cute - and with some altering - should fit alright as well - ESPECIALLY if I can get an extra strap! I'm ALL about the straps - no sleeveless for THIS girl! With dresses ordered and deposits paid, we went to Panera for lunch (along with Josh - Jenny's fiance and Daniel - Anna's husband...hello...shouldn't there be a ____ for Shell?? I'm just saying!!!) Lunch was delish (par usual) and we laughed a bit as we conversed about all the random this and thats that are (that was a VERY informative sentence!). After lunch Jenny and Josh took off to get lamps from Crate & Barrell while Anna and I headed towards the BAGILLION errands we had to run. We had a BLAST and accomplished a LOT!Then we ended the afternoon @ her house making snickerdoodles...something we did ALL the time while growing up! She makes the best snickerdoodles in the world. TRULY!'twas a wonderful day...and reminded me yet once more that I am loved in SD...and maybe should end up there...someday...

Palm Springs...

Since Ev. Free was SO generous and gave us the entire week between Christmas & New Years off, Mom, Julie and I headed to Palm Springs to spend some time with my Aunt Pat & Uncle Greg. Aunt Pat was UNDOUBTEDLY my favorite growing up - she was the "spoiling" aunt - she bought us special gifts, had goodies for us at her house, and always let us stay up too late (usually watching Star Wars). She made us feel WANTED and WELCOME in her life...I just thought she was the best. She is still a remarkable woman - she has been through a lot and has gained wisdom through her experiences. We were only there for about 24 hours but it was a WONDERFUL visit - and the drive really wasn't too bad - I should go WAY more often! (Don't we always say things like that - what happens? LIFE?) Thanks for having us (and for the DELICIOUS mexican food & awesome breakfast!) loveyouguys!

"us" 2010...

For as long as I can remember, it's always been me, Anna, & Jenny. We have been best friends since we were small children. Our parents started the tradition YEARS ago of having us exchange ornaments rather than real gifts, and the tradition is ALIVE and WELL today. We exchange at church the Sunday closest to Christmas and it is SO FUN. I love knowing that someday when I have a home and my own tree, I'll have SCADS of special ornaments from two girls I love VERY VERY MUCH. These two are amongst the best - and they're mine...WHAT a blessed girl I am!

Christmas 2010...

Christmas this year was lovely. I spent the day {week} at my parent's house in San Diego, CA and we celebrated it up! On Christmas Eve we went to Gateway for the annual Christmas Eve Service {where Steven and I agreed unanimously on the UGLIEST Christmas sweater in attendance} where we enjoyed the famous parking lot rendition of Silent Night illuminated by candles that must be RIDICULOUSLY cheap because I'm fairly certain that their burning capacity is a mere 10 minutes. After church, we headed to Mom & Dad's for dinner - ham, CHEESY POTATO GOODNESS, buttermilk bisquits, spinach salad - you know, just a tiny smidgen of food - nothing too heavy or satisfying! ha! On Christmas morning I woke up and got ready for the day - no more of these AWFUL pajama pictures without makeup please! Then we got breakfast ready and greeted the rest of the family. I love that Kevin, Jamie, & Madeline still spend Christmas morning at our house along with Grandma and Aunt Sandy. This year we were also joined by my DEAR WORLD CHANGERS FRIEND Wes Tate.We had brunch first - again, just a light meal - sasuage balls, hash browns, eggs, peaches, 6 different kinds of muffins - average, right?!? then headed into the living room to open gifts. My family was exceedingly generous this year and watching Madeline open gifts was especially fun. She was DEFINITELY into the "Christmas Spirit"! ha! sweet girl!My brother officially announced his upcoming career change in his Christmas letter - so I suppose it's safe to blog about now...my big brother Kevin has decided to join the Army as an RN and is officially a Private, First Class but will be an Officer when he leaves for training, etc. sometime in 2012...realizing that we may only have one more Christmas together in San Diego made this year especially tender...I can't imagine it without them - but I'm excited for all their future holds! PRAISE THE LORD FOR SKYPE!! So blessed to have a wonderful family and a Savior who came to this earth to bring me hope. God is good!

rain...sprunch spray...and elephants!

it has been raining in "sunny" southern california for DAYS now...and i'm in LOVE! there is nothing better than listening to the rain pouring outside my window while lying in bed...it has been the PERFECT introduction to winter!! of course, my hair is a little frizzy...but the sprunch spray does wonders on that...and i'm a bit cold...but i've got my Lily Pulitzer mug with elephants and camels on it...a girl CANNOT complain! happiness!

Christmas @ RHF...

this is the FIRST CHRISTMAS of Rock Harbor Fullerton and it is INSPIRING to be a part of something so great. I LOVE MY CHURCH! last night was the last service before Christmas, so we celebrated the season...with candles...it felt like home - and i was literally OVERWHELMED with joy as i looked down the aisle and realized i was surrounded by some of the most amazing people I've ever had the privledge of living life with...Rach & Andrew, Steven, Rebecca, Carrie, Kacie, Noelle...in the midst of such a strange chapter of life - i have SO much to be grateful for. life truly is beautiful.

christmas with ST...

saturday i celebrated christmas with my dear shalina - well - i should say we ATTEMPTED to celebrate christmas. i live in southern california - a place where people absolutely FREAK if it starts to rain - because they liken themselves to Noah {who had never seen rain} or the Wicked Witch of the West {who melted when she got wet}. shalina and craig live in Tustin {which is a WHOLE 18 miles away, MAYBE} and it took me almost an hour to get there...so...we didn't get to open gifts BEFORE our adventure. BUST. almost as soon as i got there we headed OUT THE DOOR to make it to the 12:40 showing of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader. we accidentally went to the Tustin Marketplace instead of the Irvine Marketplace {they are LITERALLY across the street from each other - i do NOT understand!} but still managed to get our tickets and make it in well before the movie began. we had UBER YUM snacks {s'mores - i'll include the recipe for that somday - it might be my personal FAVORITE} and the movie was INCREDIBLE. i LOVED it!i think i appreciate the Narnia series and really anything by C.S.Lewis SO MUCH MORE now that I've been to his house and experienced a taste of his world. God gave him an INCREDIBLE gift - this movie was PACKED with symbolism and nuggets of truth. i think it's sad that likely most of the population doesn't realize the true significance represented throughout the films...there is SO MUCH HOPE. anyway, the movie ended a bit later than we anticipated so we RUSHED out of the theatre to get shalina home and OUT THE DOOR again for her volleyball game {which ended up being cancelled. BUST!}. i ripped into my package before leaving her house and was THRILLED to find an AMAZING necklace and a BEAUTIFUL cowel-neck scarf...SO CUTE...i might have already worn it! ha! SURPRISE SURPRISE! she had to save her gifts for later - so we hugged - and said goodbye. shalina and i lived the entirety of 2010 together...i really can't believe it has ONLY been a year. she is definitely one of my nearest and dearest and i am beyong thankful and blessed to count her my friend. she added some merry to my Christmas for sure...and i sincerely hope i will be able to say that for YEARS to come!!

meet Clarence...

i would like to formally introduce you to Clarence...our NEW DRYER...he is a VISIBLE reminder of God's amazing provision in my life. our previous dryer {who will remain unnamed} worked like a champ for about a year...and then...he started to putter out...he needed some serious coercing to get anything done - and then finally - his motor died and there was no getting another load out of him. so we somberly said goodbye to hope {and the concept of clean clothes} and started scouring Craigslist for an affordable option to replace him. we had been looking for about 6 weeks when Carrie's dad {who is an AMAZING man with the heart of a servant and a true desire to care for others} came by to make sure our old man was truly kaput and not just on an extended vacation. he was indeed. so he was unplugged and detached from the gas line. THEN out of the graciousness of his heart, Carrie's Dad decided to ask his Sunday School class if any of them had an extra dryer just lying around. HIGHLY unlikely right - but he was willing to ask. AND...in God's perfect way - THERE WAS ONE. Jim gave us the BIG NEWS on Monday afternoon and by Thursday evening Clarence was hooked up in our garage and ready to ROLL...he has been graciously drying load after load after load of laundry since his arrival and has become fairly familiar with his new mate - Maybelle...who is also working MUCH harder than usual and providing HIGHLY improved service (Jim used some crazy cleaning stuff on the water spicket and she fills up SO MUCH FASTER NOW!). God is SO good...and we are SO THANKFUL for Clarence and the plethora of clean {dry} clothes he is allowing us to enjoy! Welcome to the family bud - I hope you become an institution amongst us!

Ev. Free Staff Christmas Party

Yesterday was the Ev. Free Fullerton Staff Christmas Party...we were invited to enjoy the afternoon eating DELICIOUS tacos (Blue Agave catered the event - LOVE Blue Agave!) and drinking Mexican Hot Chocolate. There was a short program but other than that we just chatted (and came ridiculously close to napping) and spent the afternoon fellowshiping as a staff. It was delightful. I AM SO THANKFUL to work with wonderful people who love the Lord and truly desire to serve Him - it really does making WORKING a tolerable practice!

LifeGroup @ the Boat Parade...

Last year I went to the 101st Annual Newport Beach Boat Parade with Gan & Kenz...it was awful...we were FREEZING and got SO TIRED of waiting for the boats to arrive - only to realize that since it was the first night (and not a weekend) there were only about 6 boats participating. BUST. We laughed about it then - and we're still laughing about it now - but we decided corporately that we would NOT be going this year. THEN (of course) IRONY STEPPED IN. My LifeGroup decided to celebrate Christmas together @ the Boat Parade this year! HA! Overall the experience was WAY better...we were hanging out INSIDE a beach house, waiting for the boats to arrive while sipping on DELCIIOUS hot chocolate and eating WAY TOO MANY BAKED GOODS! Fabulous! Not to mention that I just LOVE the people in my lifegroup. They're seriously a gift! anyways...pictures can tell the rest of the story...This is the group of us (minus Alex, Kacie (driving) and me) in the car on our way down to Newport. The way down was rather uneventful...but the ride home included a melodic rendition of "Grown Up Christmas List" and that one song that goes "You don't have to be an angel to sing harmony..." WE ALL GREW UP ON AMY GRANT! Hysterical!Here we ALL are looking good too I might add...they really are WONDERFUL people!! Sweet Megan - one of my newest favorite friends...The boat disguised as a leg lamp! HAHAHAHAHAhahahaha!This boat was a castle - it was SO bright my camera really couldn't even capture the individual lights...it glowed...the whole thing glowed. Insane (and probably SUPER expensive!)and one of the loveliest groups of ladies I have ever had the privledge of growing with...that is (front row) kristy, megan, me, shannon and (back row) ashley & rebecca (aka. kenz).