Friendship Bomb!

Yesterday I slept in since the day before I woke up early to go out to breakfast with Grandpa. After I was ready for the day, I helped my dad pick up pinecones in the yard then went for a walk with my mom. Once my brother, Zach, woke up, we had a Christmas scavenger hunt (my favorite!) for a last minute gift. Then at 3:30pm, Mia, Sharanya and Tonia came over again to splatter paint.

That had been Mia's ideas- for us to make one big "painting", then all take one piece. I supplied the 5x7-inch canvases and the little paints. Zach took a few Polaroids for us and my dad took the silly group shot of us holding our finished products.

Sharanya drove us to the San Felasco park and we walked along a few trails and played on the swings until 6pm when the park closed and it was almost completely dark. We talked at home for a little before heading back out for dinner at Moe's. My meal was really good. I got the Funkmeister. Plus I like all the free chips it comes with. Mia stayed a few extra hours with me at my parents' house and we watched episodes of Glee that she hadn't seen.

Delicious Dinner Plans

Our texting communication got a little fumbled, especially after my phone battery died so quickly, but we were able to meet up with Tonia and Sharanya by 6pm for pizza at Satchels. Mia and Tonia ordered a salad, which we all shared. It was sooooo good and now I don't know how I will eat one without apple slices. While our order was cooking, we talked about Mia's schooling and Tonia getting married in a couple months!

I ordered The Mama Calzone with bacon, ham, pineapple and sausage. Very yummy too with the marinara dipping sauce. By the way, I am literally salivating as I write this post.. We walked around the gift shop and I saw a few things that I would have bought if I had more money ~ not that I needed any of it or half of the things I already own.. Mia wanted to stay because there was live music, but lately I have felt like an old lady and like to be home after it gets dark. *sigh* We all drove back to my parents' house and instead of having a full Blood Widow "premiere" (which was also planned for tomorrow), we simply watched the movie and some behind the scenes footage. It was a very nice day, with more fun in store for tomorrow!

Portraits ~ Miahontas

The plans I made for this week have already been shifted and shortened due to the weather. Turns out to may not even rain tomorrow? But just in case, after Mia and I shopped at the mall, we went ahead and did our Indian Adventure today. We parked at a church and after Mia got changed, I took a few Polaroids of her as she danced around and sang "Colors of the Wind" from Pocahontas. She drove us next door to the Cofrin Park where we took all the pictures. I liked the ones by the creek best.

 ~ ✩ ✬ ✭ ✬ ✩ ☆ ✩ ✬ ✭ ✬ ✩ ☆ ✩ ✬ ✭ ✬ ✩ ☆ ~

 

Miahontas doing her energetic tribal dance, hahaha!!

Christmas Day!

Christmas morning I was able to wake up at 7:45am without being super tired, so hopefully my body has already adjusted back to "normal people time". Michael and I got ready for the day- I put on my new favorite Christmas outfit.. or "elf outfit" as Michael later described it. Christopher and Meredith came over again with their dog, Daisy. We had the most delicious cinnamon rolls for breakfast, then there were lots of wonderful presents to be unwrapped!

Ours included candy in our stockings and money for our trip to LA. I got a very soft owl plush that Sasha already tried to get dibs on, Season 3 of Glee and a 40-pack of wide Polaroid film! Michael got The Dark Knight Rises on Blu-Ray along with a full box of red make up sponges and an inspirational plaque about enjoying life. Although Michael and I agreed not to exchange gifts so we could save money for LA, Michael still surprised me with a "loaded" gift card to Forever 21!

A couple years ago, my Aunt Sue Ann got Michael and I a Christmas scrapbook, which will last for the next 20 or 25 Christmases. Last year (being our first married Christmas) we began our annual "family portrait". It was taken on a tripod last year, but this year, Parker took it for us outside of his parents' house. Sasha was going crazy, trying to jump down to chase a cat while we held her, so she didn't make it into the photo!

 I love how Mrs. Patty always has Christmas music playing throughout the living room and kitchen. The songs are very nice and not distracting at all. Michael and I discussed how we particularly enjoyed a more upbeat version of "Carol of the Bells". Later on in the day, he went over to a friend's house while I stayed with the family and laughed so much as Meredith read Christopher's 2nd grade journal out loud. It's been a wonderful day!

Is It Christmas Yet?

We haven't been able to come to Birmingham, Alabama to visit Michael's family since July of last year, so I have nothing about the nice city on my blog yet. However, due to the holiday season and us only really spending two full days here, we didn't go to any parks like we normally do - mainly Spain Park and Peavine Falls. So I took some pictures around the house and of some of the Christmas decorations, including Dr. Gore mapping out our trip to North Hollywood next week!

Christopher and Meredith came over and we decorated cookies. Parker helped Michael's mom cook "brinner" (breakfast for dinner!) while Dr. Gore got ready for work. The meal was very delicious with the egg, sausage and biscuit casserole, a side of grits and a mix of fruits with cinnamon for dessert.

Parker and I had a short "photo off" since we have the same camera. But he used the kit lens for his pictures, while I used the 50mm. He may have made the smarter choice- my 50mm had a hard time deciding what to focus on. We both took pictures of Sasha while she we resting. I liked Parker's better because of the pillow colors in the background from his angle. 

After dinner, Michael walked with me and Sasha around the neighborhood to look at the houses that had nice lights set up. Some of them didn't have too much, but they still looked really nice. I like the ones with light-up characters better, compared to the blow up-ones.

 

Don't forget: JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!!

Packing Up

Michael has been completely incredible these past few weeks, taking on the daunting task of packing everything up. I have barely been any help at all- only sorting DVDs and wrapping the smaller picture frames the first day. I didn't want to forget this exciting time, so I finally snapped a few pictures at 5am when I got home from work. I won't even edit these, to give the real feeling of moving. (I felt a true lack of productivity with only two other posts this month.. Oh geez, the Christmas tree was actually in November! Hopefully there will be many more after Christmas and at the beginning of January!)

Michael even put my scrapbook stuff in separate boxes, but left out my Polaroid cameras with extra packs of film. What a thoughtful gem! I don't know what I did to deserve him, but I sure am glad I get to keep him forever. ♥ Now back to watching 7th Heaven.

Mini Decor

I have noticed that I am one of those people who like little things. They are so cute. Look at this tiny house and these tiny trees. I figured I might as well post these pictures I took 2 weeks ago, since now we are starting to pack everything up. Today before dinner, Michael and I ran to Target to buy plastic cups and paper plates to use over the next few weeks so he could pack up all the kitchen supplies. I spent some time packing up all DVDs and picture frames.

Below are a couple pictures Brittany took with her phone when I went with her and Miriam to the Runway to Hope Christmas event. There was not a runway show that night, unfortunately. I would love to see one- even in a mall, which was actually how Miriam and Brittany got involved with Runway to Hope. They volunteered to help out for the event that was in September at the Mall at Millenia, right by our apt!

We were able to meet the founders, Mark & Josie NeJame, as well as Renee who I believe was one of the coordinators for the events. She was very nice and very pretty. There was a group of students putting on a Nutcracker ballet as well. I wish I had brought my camera for the event.