Happy New Year!

I think 2012 is going to be a good year.

I will not be sharing most of my resolutions this year because then I don't feel guilty when I don't keep them up 5 months later. No, I did not learn how to do the splits, and some of my resolutions were completely forgotten as I headed completely in the other direction (ie. less baking/improve waistline. I actually did MORE baking and gained 10 lbs). But yes, I did read four books a month, except I failed on the non fiction side. I might have read three nonfiction for the entire year, maybe, and those were comedian memoirs... yeah, a little shy of that goal.

So anyway, I thought I'd give you my favorite 10 books read in 2011 (I actually ended up with 67 total on my list) since that was really the only goal I succeeded at. Ok, so here are my books I chose to recommend to you. Written in order of completion, not in order of preference.

• The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan-- if you like Greek/Roman mythology, these books are so fun. I recommend all the Percy Jackson books too and incidentally bought them for my sister Cami for Christmas since she just finished a Greek/Roman mythology class at BYU. Rick Riordan won Author of the Year at the Children's Book Choice Awards.
• The Chosen by Chaim Potok-- classic story about two Jewish boys in New York in the 1940s who become best friends despite their differences of religious practice. I reread this this year and liked it just as much as the first time.
• These Is My Words by Nancy Turner-- maybe my favorite book of the year. Told in diary format, it follows the life of Sarah Prine and her relationship with her family and husband in the 1800s.
• The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner-- I loved this book, I loved the characters, the storyline and the intrigue. I debated whether or not to buy this for my sister instead of the Percy Jackson books.
• Bossypants by Tina Fey-- I actually listened to this one since it was read by Tina Fey and found it so hard to not laugh out loud while listening on the metro. It was that funny. Seriously.
• The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt-- a nice feel good story about a middle school kid and growing up during the Vietnam War. It won a Newberry Honor.
• Room by Emma Donohouge-- I expected to be really disturbed by this book since it is told from the perspective of a little boy who was born in a high security one room prison that keeps him and his kidnapped mother. I avoided reading it for a while but am so glad I finally read it. 
  
• Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston-- recommended to me by my mom, the author had such a good way of writing accents I some times found myself reading out loud to get the full effect.
• Entwined by Heather Dixon-- I like fairytale retellings and this one of the twelve dancing princesses was unique and original and I really liked the characters. Though the description of all their gorgeous hair was unrealistic. Or is it just that I'm jealous my hair isn't super lush and waist length?
• Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling-- I always felt like I'd love Mindy Kaling, but really, I want to be her best friend. She is real and funny and enjoys the same stupid things I do.

Happy Reading, Happy New Year!


P.S. I think you can tell a lot about a person by what they read. I don't know what my list says though. I like kids books and laughing with a smattering of seriousness? Half of my books on this short list were written for adolescents. I feel only slightly embarrassed. But I like stories, and I like fiction. I only know of one person who enjoys reading books on the history of cancer during their work commute. I prefer something light.

Happy New Year's Eve!

Blogging when on vacation is hard. And I've been milking my vacation. Sleeping in late, getting completely hooked on Toddlers and Tiaras (thanks Netflix), seeing lots of movies, eating out courtesy of Papa Richey, and playing games with my sisters.

The pictures I've snapped really don't even come close to showing what a good vacation I've had. But I'm going to post the ones I instagramed here anyway. (Sorry if you already follow me on instagram... you're about to see them again...)

Christmas Eve was spent with roommate Lisa and her family at the Botanical Gardens until my flight to Oregon

Pit stop home from the airport to see the famous Eugene Christmas lights

Our lone, leftover Christmas stocking of Missionary Sister Emma

This picture is actually of Emma. She's on the phone.

My dad's shoes as he gets dressed for us to play floor hockey at the Stake Center on Boxing Day.

We're all excited about the Rose Bowl in Duck country. And if I had a niece she'd be sporting this outfit.

Cami (24) and Rach (18) got their ears pierced for the first time. Look how cute they are.

Puppy Ellie gets a picture, she got a shower after going on a run through the mud in the rain.

Tonight the plan involves dinner with friends and probably games. If I make it to midnight we'll count that a success. (I'm lightweight when it comes to staying up late.)

Happy New Year's Eve everyone!

Merry Christmas!

It only took us until 4:00 to finally finish opening presents but we were able to have a lovely church meeting and talk to my sister Emma on her mission in London too. It's been a good Christmas.

And I'm posting this video again because I liked it so much last year.



Merry Christmas! Hope you all have had a most wonderful day!

Party Planning Committee

Somehow I ended up on my bureau's holiday party planning committee. I missed the first meeting due to the National Christmas Tree Lighting. And I conveniently was "sick" during the other meeting. Next thing I know, I'm being totally dragged onto the committee being thrust $500 and sent off to Costco to make sure enough booze was purchased. (Great idea people, send the sober MORMON for alcohol.)

I was informed that all the other meetings were pointless because one person veto'd all the ideas that were different. And then everyone else felt awkward to bring up other ideas. It felt like a scene right out of The Office. So many similarities in this video:

Except Angela veto'ing karaoke and drinking games, it was someone veto'ing African food in favor of Soul food and Popeye's Fried Chicken. Gross.

Two more days of work. Two more days...

Sigh of Relief

Our front window from the outside.

Yesterday I took a sick* day. I was not actually ill. I was more sick of work and needed a lovely day of R&R. It was awesome. I feel so rejuvenated to be at work today. Highlights of yesterday include: getting my computer fixed at the Apple store; putting together** the shelf I bought at Target while watching a really stupid and awesome movie, Christmas Cupid; having my new and lovely roommate Lindi surprise us all by bringing home Cafe Rio for all; and eating the cheesecake*** I made the night before for Lisa's dad's birthday.

Last weekend my sister Jess and I went and sang carols at The National Gallery of Art. It was so much fun because the acoustics were awesome and everyone was singing. There's something about singing the same loved songs with 200 other people that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy. Then we went to the Christmas market by the National Portrait Gallery. I love living near a big city. (In the city would probably be even better.)

*when I told my sister Cami I was sick I imitated Karen on Mean Girls. Cami quickly followed up with Regina's response, "Boo you whore." So as I was looking for the clip linked I came across an 8 minute version of Mean Girls dubbed over in Polish and it made me laugh. For the Polish speakers out there, check it out.

**actually I did a terrible job putting together the shelf and couldn't find pliers to pull the little wooden pegs out of the holes when I messed up putting it together (due to lack of direction following) and the closest thing I could find to the strength of pliers was my teeth. Yep, I pulled those pegs out with my molars.

***it was a cheesecake making first. also, I used orange instead of lemon, and decided to go overboard by busting out my juicer to get the orange juice.

Puppies

I'm like extra sappy today or something. I found myself tearing up while watching this video:

I can't wait to see my Ellie in a week and a half!

Hot Chocolate

Apparently I've become quite the racer (meaning I did two races in a week and a half). Not that doing a 5 miler and then a 5K make for being a runner, but, that's all I got pictures of these days.

Last Saturday I ran the Hot Chocolate Run with a million other people in a horrifically unorganized race. (I suspect that since it's the first time they did it in DC there were a lot of unaccounted for problems that occurred. But, they really should have had it at a place with public transportation access. That would have cut out the hour long + wait we had trying to get across the bridge to the National Harbor.)

But never mind that. We ran, we ate chocolate at the end, we were happy.

See?

Immediately post race. I'm red. Yeah, also busted out that sweatband again. Genius.

With our fondue goodness. We couldn't tell if it was actually really good. Or just really good post race.

The fondue dish. 

All the happy runners. Allie's so happy she can hardly keep her eyes open.

We finished our runner's high off with Cafe Rio that night. And I finished off my night by going to bed at 10:30 and not waking up the next day until my alarm went off at 9:30. I think I was catching up on missed sleep from other nights. There was no way I was that tired from a 5k.

Other things not pictured from the past week:

1. Went to the White House Christmas tree lighting. Highlights include Michelle Obama and Kermit the Frog reading The Night Before Christmas; and One Republic singing their Christmas song Christmas Without You. Watch what I saw HERE.
2. Saw the latest Twilight movie. It was... interesting... Actually, I was highly entertained the majority of the time. Couldn't help but laugh out loud when the wolves are talking to each other in their heads. Ridiculous is really the only way to describe that.
3. Read three stupid books (and when I say stupid books I mean I read fluff novels, nothing with real substance). Bringing my year's book number to 65. 

PS. Thanks for the lovely race all my racer girls, Domineau, Allie, Stefi and not pictured: Meradyth and Lindsay