Well I am truly honored to wish you a Merry Christmas this year. Hopefully we can continue to spend this delightful holiday together for years to come. I hope you all have a wonderful day surrounded by loved ones. Merry Christmas and God Bless Us, Everyone!
Merry Christmas Eve to you all! I hope you have a delightful day full of love and celebration. My true love included some bagpipers in my Christmas stockpile to add a little touch of class to the Christmas soundtrack. I hope it is thoroughly enjoyed.
It only seemed fair that we would balance out our trip to see the Rockettes with a trip to see the men of Riverdance! I am extremely excited about this particular present. Believe it or not, but I used to Irish dance back when I was young and spry. That little fun fact about myself always shocks people. I like to think that that shock comes from people not knowing a lot of people who Irish dance. That is, instead of being based on my general lack of grace. Anyway, I feel like my very brief interlude into that world gives me even more respect for the people who can dance at the phenomenal caliber of Riverdance. I have watched videos before, and it is positively breathtaking.
I can't even fathom the amount of work and practice it takes to get to this incredible level!
I know I say it a lot, but isn't my true love such a sweetheart? The days are winding down. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve for crying out loud! I hope you all are having a delightful lead up to Christmas.
I have been given a chance to see the world famous Rockettes! I mean, how fantastic is my true love?! They performed at the Rockefeller Christmas Tree lighting I watched the other day and goodness, just fantastic to watch. I can only imagine how amazing a full show would be to see.
So, I finished all my Christmas shopping yeasterday. I will accept a round of applause now-------thank you, thank you. I mean, seeing as Christmas is three days away, I was running out of time when I could get them. I will still accept the congratulations though. Have you all finished your shopping and baking? If not, don't fret. I believe in you! This is your time to shine. But you should probably get on that, just saying.
I won't lie, I really had no clever ideas for the maids a milking one. It seems that one was a bit difficult for my true love to recreate. He totally had Seven Swans-a-Swimming down though. I was given a synchronized swimming performance by the Sunrise Swans dance team, done to the tune of Darth Vader's Dark Side theme! I mean when have you actuallly seen a synchronized swimming performance? I feel like it is such an interesting sport. I totally digged this performance though.
First of all, I realize I am a day behind. I apologize immensely. Look at me, first day back home and my longest post streak was broken.
With that out of the way, let's discuss this adorable Jellybean-laying goose. As a Christmas gift, I'm thinking it would be perfect for the Sixth Day of Christmas. If you go here, you will even have instuctions on how to make this creation for yourself. That is, of course, dependant on the fact that you are an excellent woodworker. Elves, I'm lookin at you!
In the interest of room and aesthetics, I am going to leave the prior five days off this particular post. You can read about them here though.
I'll be back later in the day for the Seventh Day of Christmas!
That's right everyone, I've been so good this year that my love got my tickets to the 2012 Olympics in London! Well, not really. But wouldn't that just be delightful?! I feel like I should put attend an Olympic game on my bucket list. It seems like it just has to happen. I also happen to think that it is wonderful that London got them this time around. I bet it will look fantastic. I mean, look how beautiful the stadium looks.
Even the mascot's theme song for the games is lovely. Of course, I'm a bit biased. My favorite member of McFly wrote the song with his sister. So, I naturally find it to be a delightful song.
I found this delightful looking cocktail on Shape magazine's website. It combines gin and ginger beer for a rather lovely sounding concoction. You can find the recipe by clicking on the link I provided. Another upside about the drink? Since it's from Shape it not only sounds delicious, but it's also low in calories. So what I'm hearing is that it leaves you with more room for other Christmas treats!
My very thoughtful true love gave me the French actor Benoit Magimel, French choreographer Benjamin Millepied (Natalie Portman OK-ed the brief borrow) and the delicious French treat, Beignets. I am a lucky girl indeed!
Two Turtle Doves! (courtesy of the generous Mr. Duncan)
and
A Partridge Family Pear Set
My finals are all over! Yay!! I am over the moon. Now, I just have to wait until Sunday to go home. Totally doable. Totally.
Just something about a completed to-do list
To celebrate the completion of my school semester, I treated myself to a Starbuck's White Mocha. (Thank you Secret Santa for the gift card!) Sipping that scrumptious treat was made all the better by watching the lighting celebration of the Christmas Tree in Rockefeller Center, which I cleverly pre-recorded three weeks ago.
Isn't that just a lovely little scene? It's almost like I was there. Except Big Time Rush performed and I can safely say that if I were actually there, I probably would have died of happiness. That, or bull-rushed the stage to get to them. I can't quite say what route I would have chosen.
Regardless, even on TV it looks majestic. The week is winding down. Are you getting excited? Coming up with any fabulous plans, or are you planning on getting some shopping done? I don't have anything planned besides packing. Knowing how I pack though, that will probably take the whole weekend.
Apparently, if you bought everything the song suggests, it would come to a total of $86, 609 smackaroos! Remember when you had to figure an equation like that out every year in math class? I think it was the teacher's way of showing that math could be just as festive and fun as all the other subjects. I won't disappoint them by saying that nothing can make math enjoyable for me, I'll let them have this one. Merry Christmas! Anyway, if you click on the link for the photo, the site includes a fun post on more economically suitable gifts than those mentioned in the classic song. Some of the stuff though, I wouldn't even know where to begin looking.
Full disclosure everyone, I am getting awfully excited about this Christmas business! My final exams are winding down, I'll be home soon and I even placed the order for the first of my Christmas shopping! Exciting time, exciting times indeed.
I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend. In addition to the hustle and bustle of completing all your Christmas shopping and baking up all the delicious treats that come along with this time, I hope you are also taking a moment to enjoy yourself. This time only come around once a year after all. Forget perfection, and instead focus on all the little moments that make this time so special. That's just my suggestion though, do what you will with it.
In an effort to focus on the smaller things in life, I've decided today's post is an excellent opportunity for a Favorite Things List! I've been itching to do another one of these for awhile now, so I'm extra excited! So, without further ado, here are some things I was particularly loving this week.
1.)
First, I am absolutely and totally in love with this dress I imagine wearing it out dancing with my future boyfriend Yankees' Shortstop, Derek Jeter. Wouldn't we make an incredibly attractive couple?!
2.)
Next up is something that isn't defined as a purely this week kind of love. I actually have a rather unhealthy addiction going. I'm, of course, talking about peppermints. I don't know if I've mentioned this or not yet, but I'm pretty positive that I am the reincarnation of an eighty year old grannie. I am "that person" who is always crinkling wrappers in the middle of class and I probably pop a new one every hour or so. To show I'm not exaggerating, here are the wrappers that have accumulated in my bag.
Please don't judge me.
3.)
My next love this week is to recoup from that old soul confession. I go along with nearly every other woman in America, possibly the world, when I add Ryan Gosling to this list. What? He had a fantastic year! Crazy, Stupid, Love definitely goes down as one of my favorite movies of 2011. Plus, he made a cameo appearance in one of my dreams the other night. If that doesn't get you a spot of the list, then I don't know what does.
4.)
Now, I haven't actually experienced the next thing on my list. But, they look so amazing that I feel like they deserve a spot. These delicious looking oreo cookie treats look they they will change your world with one bite. I think it also counts to have them on the list if I plan on making them in the future. With how easy they look to make and how extremely delicious they look to devour, I am definitely making them this Christmas!
5.)
For the final list item, I am opting for a seasonally themed addition. My house had its Secret Santa exchange last night and it was simply delightful! Now, I know it is cliche to say that giving a gift is just as exciting as getting a gift, but I'm going to say it anyway. Especially when you nailed it with a particular gift and you can tell that the person is genuinely happy/excited. The entire atmosphere of the house was light and happy. It was just nice to spend a few hours together without worrying about work or what still has to get done.
There you have it. Quite the eclectic list, I'll admit. All deserving of spot though, I feel. So, what made your list this week? I am eager to hear about it. Have a delightful rest of the weekend!
There is a sense of calm that comes with knowing that you will always have someone who loves you. As times are getting more hectic with the upcoming holidays, don't forget to say thank you to that person who sticks by your side through thick and thin.
We are in the home stretch! Can you feel it? Christmas is rapidly approaching and 2011 is coming to an end. It's rather crazy how fast it got here. Does anyone know where October and November went? I think they snuck out early when no one was looking. Those scoundrels.
I have less than two weeks until I am completely finished with work for the year! As exciting as this is, it also implies the sheer craziness that surrounds finishing everything by that deadline. Judging by the zombie-esque look I've noticed on the majority of the population, I'd say everyone is feeling the same way. Plus, can we please talk about the fact that Christmas is a short twenty days away? Has anyone been on their game this year concerning gifts? This is the most unprepared I've ever been. I'm not too sure how I feel about that fact, but I am sure that we could all use a bit of pep-up.
Firstly, I want to share this old Starbucks' ad. I always think what an awesome thing it would be if people actually had this happen to them. Secretly, I think it will be my future career calling. I can see it now, a member of a personal cheer squad! My parents will be so proud.
Now, on to the playlist. Hopefully these songs will inspire you to buckle down and keep going. The finish line is on the horizon. We can do it. Just. Keep. Swimming!
1. Journey- "Don't Stop Believing" A Classic.
2. Mumford & Sons-"The Cave" Now this song might not necessarily fit the playlist, but I think it's a good pump-up song. It just gets you going!
3. Andy Grammer- "Keep Your Head Up" This is my first time watching this video and I'm just gonna go ahead and say that I LOVE it!
4. Big Time Rush- "Halfway There" No playlist would be complete without some BTR.
5. George Michael- "Faith" Cause you gotta have faith in finishing strong and in those dance moves!
I hope this playlist gives you the energy to power through these last few weeks of 2011. If there is another song you listen to that gives you a second wind, please share it in the comments section. I am always up for some new pick-me-ups!
Thursday night, my roommate and I drove up to L.A. for a Hunter Hayes concert at the historic Troubadour. If you don't know who Hunter Hayes is, I suggest you watch his "Stormwarning" music video. It's rapidly climbing the country music charts, but you still have time to say you were a fan before he became super famous.
The show was absolutely amazing. I cannot rave about it enough! He was a fantastic entertainer. He interacted with the sea of women that came to cheer him on, he was endlessly gracious for the sell-out crowd and he just sounded phenomenal. At a time when synthesizers and autotune dominate much of the music world, it was a breath of fresh air to hear him sound as good, if not better, than his recorded music.
Plus, you could just tell that he was enjoying himself. Both him and his fantastic band seemed to be so excited to play every song and have the opportunity to share it with the crowd. Speaking of his musical ability, I feel the word amazing is not strong enough. He seemed to switch instruments almost every song, and played them all with equal perfection. It really was a treat to listen to him play.
I really don't think I could not have enjoyed the concert any more than I did. It was well worth the drive up. I am already hoping to see him perform again someday. I don't think I will have to wait long, judging by the sell-out crowd for this show I think his popularity is rapidly increasing. Plus, he is opening for Rascal Flatts in their 2012 Thaw Out Tour, which will undoubtedly give him the national recognition his talents deserve. I, for one, can't wait!
Here's a youtube clip of him performing my favorite song of his, "Everybody's Got Somebody But Me" for a radio station in Indianapolis. Enjoy!
Here are his upcoming tour dates. As if you didn't already gather, I definitely recommend buying a ticket. I feel very confident that you won't be disappointed.
Tuesday night I went to bed with a plan in my head. I was going to wake up early, so I could walk to school again. You know, work off the Thanksgiving indulgences and whatnot? Well, that was Tuesday Brittany's plan. She clearly did not coordinate well with Wednesday Brittany because when I woke up, I was just not feeling it. I wasn't really feeling much of anything actually. So in a very uncharacteristic move for me, I decided to take a midweek Holiday!
My extremely saucy stay-home attire
Pajama clad and coffee mug at arm's length, I worked from home. It was really quite the treat! I think I can count the number of days I have ever missed class from elementary school to now on one, maybe two, hands. Like I said, a highly uncharacteristic move and yet, it felt so right! I can see why Mental Health Days seem so contagious.
I wasn't completely lazy though. I found some fantastic new blogs that I absolutely adore. With every new link I was more and more amazed at how creative people are with their blogs. The designs they have, the way they use photos, their topics; it's all just so delightful to see. Of course, I had you in mind too. So here are the links to these lovely blogs:
If you have a favorite blog that you like to read, please post the link in the comment section. I would love to see it.
Today was also the Christmas decorating day for my house. My house at school, that is. You've already seen my home home decorating. Things aren't quite as extravagant here, but we do our best to make it festive. So every year we do a Secret Santa gift exchange among all the roommates. Today, we drew names for this year's celebration. So exciting!
Anticipation!
Then, we started assembling our Christmas tree. It might not look particularly glamorous now. But just you wait.
Now look at her! Beautiful! Majestic almost.
I also set-up my personal tree for my room. I must say I am very proud of how it has turned out.
It is even expertly decorated with:
Heart Garland
Peppermint Candies
Cat Cut-Out
and Bubbles!!
I went a bit crazy with the bubbles actually. It's impossible to just use them once though. They are so simple, yet such delightful fun!
Now that the house is decorated and with December rolling around tomorrow, I really feel like the season is upon us. I, for one, am extremely excited! If you celebrate the season, have you all decorated your houses yet? Are you getting excited?
Thanksgiving was a fantastic success!! I ate, watched the dog show, ate some more, played some board games with the fam-bam and ate even more. Needless to say, it was fantastic! I was borderline overwhelmed with the amount of food at home. I'm used to buying one thing, finishing it, and buying another. None of this stockpiling of food. It was phenomenal!
Of course, there were other wonderful aspects of going home. I got to see our adorable "puppies" Lucy and Lola. Such cutie pies!
Lucy
Lola
My sister, friends and I also saw the Muppet movie. Let me just tell you, it was fantastic! I really loved it. It was cute, happy and stayed true to the original Muppets we all love. Jason Segel was perfect for it. Plus, there are cameos out the wazzoo. Essentially, I highly recommend it.
Finally, some wide-scale Christmas decorating took place. I'm not talking about a string of lights and maybe a blow-up decoration. No ma'am. We go big. I'm talking about lights, light-up figures, painted wood cut-outs, blow-up figures, the works! I took a little video of the finished creation, just so ya'll can experience our little segment of a Winter Wonderland.
As you can see, the holidays are a pretty big deal to my family. I wouldn't have it any other way either!
Here is a song to listen to while you watch the video. Hopefully, it will get you in a festive mood.
How was your Thanksgiving? Are you excited for the holiday season? It's coming up fast! Only three weeks until I'm back home for Christmas Break!
My title of course, refers to my eminent journey home for Thanksgiving break, and not the delightful tale of Shadow, Sassie and Chance; three housepets that become separated from their family and must band together to make it back. I do, however, highly recommend that movie for a lovely family night in.
Back to the discussion at hand. I am currently attempting to paint my nails while simultaneously writing this post. So far, I have only messed-up my thumbs, which happens when I do absolutely nothing for an hour after painting my nails anyway. So, I consider this technique a success. You may ask, why are you painting them now anyway? I would say that you are a very perceptive reader and that I am in a time crunch. My dad is picking me up to go home primarily because I am positive I would embark for home and end up in Albuquerque. He should be here soon and I wanted to update you on my excitement and horrible packing skills before I leave. Look how dedicated I am to you! Plus, I wanted to get my nails painted before I go home and didn't do it last night. Good story, I know.
So, I will be home for essentially three days. Sunday is a travel day, so I don't really count it. Now keep this time period in mind when you see this..
This is my packing for three days. The sad thing? I am actually quite proud of myself for condensing it. All I can think is thank goodness I don't have to fly to get home. The baggage fees would probably cancel out any benefit.
Finally, I will leave you with the self-designated theme song for my journey. Simply because I love this song and would like to work it into conversation as often as I can.
Now, I want to wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving. I hope you enjoy yourself, you deserve it!
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