Happy New Year!

Last night, a few of my friends and I visited The Maple Leaf for a night of karaoke goodness. Little did we know that they would be celebrating New Year's Eve early. The bar tenders and DJ were all dressed up--we obviously didn't get the memo. It ended up being the best karaoke night ever! Good music, excellent talent, and amazing dancing. And we can't forget the countdown. The best thing about it though, is that we  get to do it all again tomorrow night!

This music video has been circulating the internet, and I had to share it. Two of my most favorite celebrities teamed up again for this little ditty.



Can I just say I love Zooey Deschanel? And New Girl? It could possibly be my most favorite. And Joseph Gordon-Levitt is so dang cute. Who knew he could sing?

I hope you all have an amazing New Year's Eve!

Modern Art

My dear friend Janča posted this on her facebook.com wall.
It makes me happy because it's SO true!

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Here's to modern art (my favorite)!

Merry Christmas!

Our beautiful Christmas tree.

I hope you all had an awesomely amazing Christmas! I sure did. It was full of friends, family, and fantastic food! The only thing missing was the presence of my dear brother.But that's ok--he'll be with us next year.

I love Christmas!
I love visiting dear friends with platefuls of Christmas cookies.
I love silently sitting and watching the white lights glow and highlight the branches of the delicious noble fir.
I love rediscovering my favorite Christmas ornaments among the branches of the tree and recalling the memories of past times.
I love playing Scum with my family (and the satisfaction of starting as scum but ending up as king).
I love standing around the piano and singing Christmas carols.
I love eating my mom's rolls fresh out of the oven.

As usual, Linds and I were told to go to bed early. It was a bit funny to be told to go to bed, because we both stay up later than our parents on a regular basis, but we were willing to oblige. Lindsey was the first one up on Sunday morning, which seems fitting as she is the baby of the family. :)

It was sweet to watch my parents open up their gifts from us. Linds and I both did good this year--Lindsey and her boyfriend got my parents a beautiful set of pots and pans, while I made my mom a scrapbook of her travels back east this past winter, and got my dad an awesome book on the history of flight. As I've gotten older it's much more fun to give gifts than to receive them!

The damage done.

Cassie the Cat, wanting to be in on all the excitement.

Linds et moi.

After the opening of the presents we went to Church as a family and were able to focus on the purpose and true meaning of the holiday--our Savior's birth.

Here's to Christmas, spending time with family, and for the birth and life our Savior Jesus Christ!

It's the Holiday Season!

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 I love the holiday season! T'is quite unfortunate that I haven't found time to write. Apparently I struggle with  consistency. But sometimes socializing and spending time with my fam is more important, wouldn't you agree?

Christmas is fast approaching and I'm excited. It's my first time in a looooong while that I'm in Seattle leading up to the holidays. It's fun spending time with my mom and sister crafting Christmas crafts, and viewing our traditional line-up of holiday movies. (Some of our favorites are Elf, The Bishop's Wife, White Christmas, and Miracle on 34th Street).

Haven't made it into the city yet, but I did do Black Friday shopping with my mom and sister. We had a blast! We felt so bad for the poor retail workers that had to work through the night, so on principle we didn't start our shopping until 6am on Friday.

A side note:

Don't you think it's ridiculous that some stores

 opened on Thanksgiving night? 

And I'm not talking 12am, but 9pm? 

Or am I old-fashioned?

(I sure hope not--I'm only 28).

Other highlights of the past few weeks:

• Thanksgiving with the fam and great friends. Complete with an inappropriate cousin (not mine of course). It was hilarious!
• Bellevue Botanical Gardens with a great group of friends.
• Being bold, and confessing (perhaps I've been watching too many Korean dramas, but they do it all the time). It felt great to know where we stand. (Just friends, and I actually prefer it that way).
• Making Czech food for my friends. Ovocne knedliky are the best! I'm grateful to my MTC companion for sending me the recipe!
• Having a new roommate move in--she's amazing!
• Watching the First Presidency Christmas Devotional (even though we accidentally watched the wrong year). 
• Seeing Arthur Christmas with my mom. Super cute movie!
• Hanging out at Crossroads, eating bulgogi, and drinking bubble tea, whilst listening to a community concert. There was one rockin' grandma that we wanted to call our own. 

Hoorah for the Holiday Season!

Mini Monet

Kieron Williamson has true artistic genius, and believe it or not he is only nine years old! He began drawing at the age of five when his family was on holiday in Cornwall. He asked for a sketchbook after seeing the boats at the port. "The very next day he was drawing pictures of boats and as the holiday progressed he began to add backgrounds, scenery, hills and houses."


As time went on, his work progressed. His first exhibition sold out in 14 minutes! I saw this video on NBC.com, and was amazed!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Here's another one of my favorites (which also happens to be Kieron's as well).

Pretty unbelievable, huh?
Here's to those with talent, who bless the rest of us with their work!

Do I listen to pop music?

Umm, not really.
Or at least I don't think I do.
Perhaps I am in denial.
Now that I think about it,
I am a Belieber,
 and Lady Gaga is pretty awesome
 (well, only her 1st and 2nd albums, really).

Crap.

In my head I still see myself as the alternative and indie loving, intelligent and ultra cool co-ed. 

Maybe the problem is that I'm not in college anymore?

Nor do I have a whole lot of time of late to research new bands.

Oh, bother. 

But maybe it's ok?

That I like pop, I mean. 

Well, pop music that is intelligent and has many iconic cultural references and/or statements (in the case of Gaga). 

Beyonce.is.amazing. 

And she just released this video on the internet this past week. 

And.it.is.amazing.

How many references can you find?

Happiness.

I love Washington!...and pumpkin patches.

I skipped last week's post on what makes me happy, and I feel guilty for it. I just got too dang busy. And sick. But now I'm all better, and feel good about blogging again. The world goes round.

Sometimes I feel like the things that make me happy are a bit ridiculous, so I appreciate you for baring with me. Here it is: the list.


1. Rediscovering a hobby. I've been on the hunt for a good hobby for several months now. I'm a fairly creative person, but just hadn't found a creative outlet that I was satisfied with. I enjoy writing, but have been out of practice. I wanted to take up knitting, but it seemed kind of complicated. Everyone crochets. I wanted to do something that not everyone does. Back on my mission, while serving in Hradec Kralove, we taught this amazing family who was famous for their needlework, crocheting, and tatting. I enjoyed crocheting, but loved tatting. I wasn't super good at it, but one of the ladies said I was a natural. And who doesn't like being called a natural. Anyways, today I bought a shuttle and tatting string, and have decided to relearn this somewhat of a lost art.

2. Finding a new frame for my favorite print of all time. And I'm going to hang it up on my wall tomorrow.

3. Talking to my friend Lex, who now lives in North Dakota. We try to have weekly phone chats, and it makes my day.

4. Finding cheap airfare to 3 places in the States I'm wanting to visit. Now I have to figure out when I'm going to travel to these places.

5. Helping out at the Seattle Temple. My singles ward had a baptism assignment last night, and it was so cool to witness my friend doing ordinance work for her ancestors. Her joy was intoxicating.

6. Going to my roommates (I guess now former roommate) wedding reception. She and her husband were so cute, and so obviously in love. Here's how cool  her husband is. They are both really into dancing, and he asked our friend to organize a flash mob at their reception. She choreographed a dance routine to Moves Like Jagger. It was incredible, and my roommate's reaction was classic.

7. Being able to teach. I was asked to give a lesson at a church activity, and was so thankful to be able to do so. I miss teaching, and it's hard not being able to pursue that course quite yet. Every time I teach, though, I know that that's what I'm supposed to do. It just may not happen for a couple of years.

8. Shopping with a good friend at U Village. It was fun bonding time, and she is the giver of amazing advice. And we all know that I relationship advice is much needed in my life. My love life is definitely a comedy.

9.Seeing my mom. I love her!

10. Finally being "healthy." I went to the doctor on Monday to have my bandage changed, and she said I don't have to come in anymore! Hallelujah! Now I just need to get over my cold...

And there you have it. What made you happy this week?