SATC II

Just saw my first ad. To be honest I think they shoulda left it with the first one. Obviously I'm still excited, and will be going the first night. I just won't be seeing the midnight showing like I did last time.

A few from Christmas.

Christmas Eve dinner at Steve and Rebecca's.  Jason and Elise were with her family having their traditional Christmas Eve.  And, lucky us, my Grandma Marks spent the week with us.

The sibs.

Playing Rock Band and Jason and Elise's.  For more Christmas photos check out Elise's post.

The three best parts of Christmas.

California was great.  Nothing makes the holiday better than grandkids.  Nothing.  Thanks to Dad, Rebecca, and Elise for the photos.  :)  Merry Christmas!

Seriously?

Please note that it feels like 7*. I've never been more excited to go to California. I hear it was 80* today.

Entertaining me

Can't. Get. Enough. Really, so good.

current read

Ella Fitzgerald: A Swinging Christmas

I found Love.

It worked for Louise from St. Louis, and then Carrie; maybe it will work for me. (An Aiden, please. I've already gone the Big route.)

Good to know

Thankful to have good friends who know me so well. :)

Things I learned in Alabama

• Football is life.
• Auburn and the Gators suck.
• I'll never get tired of southern gentlemen, or southern hospitality.
• Chivalry is alive and well.
• Biscuits and gravy is quite possibly my new favorite food.
• Southern women are something else, such characters, bless their hearts.
• It's 'bama.
• ROLL TIDE.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I really feel left out that I wasn't raised to appreciate college sports, and if I had to do it again I'd really consider attending a university in the south. The spirit is just incredible. I watched Mark Ingram receive the Heisman with a room full of U of A fans and it was something else. I felt like I was a part of something. I love the unity and love for football. Don't hate me for saying this, but I've never felt any devotion to BYU football, and after this weekend, I might have to start rooting for Alabama. For sure I'll be cheering for them come the championship game. I really have no choice, seeing as how I now am the proud owner of some 'bama gear. (And don't go off about me being a traitor. It's somewhat understandable when it comes to baseball because I do have a home team that I don't root for, however my college did not have sports, and I've only been to one BYU game, and that was just because it was at USC. Or UCLA. I can't even remember, but I do remember BYU lost. Sorry, but I'm not rooting for them just because I'm Mormon.) I freely admitted that I felt like a poser in the store when my friend insisted on picking me up an outfit to sport, considering I really know hardly anything about college football (but I do know the basics of the game, I'm not that helpless,) so I won't pretend like I'm diehard, but hey, everyone's gotta start somewhere right?
I went to Alabama this weekend to visit a friend and check the state off the list. I had a great time, fell in love with the people, and will upload my one photo I took later.

A girl after my own heart

Lingos

So I think at this point anyone who reads my blog knows how I feel about The Twilight Saga, but this made me crack up multiple times.  Once a year the singles wards in the city holds a "Lingos night" where everyone gets together and watches short movies members of the wards have made.  There's always some pretty good ones.  (Remember this one?)  I didn't go this year because we were up in the Berkshires, but this video is quickly spreading around the internet.  It's hysterical.  I'm so proud of my friends-good job!!

Twilight Years from Tom on Vimeo.

Amazing weekend

I've been a really bad blogger this year, especially towards the end of the year.  This past weekend was so much fun, though, so I have to blog about it.

Wednesday afternoon I was offered a place to stay at up in the Berkshires for the weekend, and it was an offer I couldn't refuse.  My friends and I headed up Friday night, and a few other friends headed down from Boston, and we had such a blast.  It was such a great group of people, such a nice house to stay in, such gorgeous surroundings, and everything was just perfect.  I think the fact that it was so last minute really mad the trip awesome because we had no time to have expectations.  I'm so grateful we could make it up there and have so much fun.

The house.

Saturday it snowed.

I could not get enough of the fireplace.  Thank you Logan and Jamar for always keeping the fire going!

Britt was loving playing the snow.

This is one of about one hundred model shots Jamar took over the weekend.

Love these three.

I love this photo and the one below.  Saturday afternoon we headed into town to go to lunch and the snow was coming down hard.  Ashley and Maria above; Brittany, Rachel, and me below.

Jam was an amazing cook all weekend.  

There was a whole lot of game playing, movie watching, reading, and relaxing.  Not to mention, Saturday morning half of us went to the spa.

Thanks for all the photos Logan!

Homemade pizza?  Yes please.

We got about 3-4 inches of snow.

Jamar was ruthless with the snow.  Poor Maria.

The wine cellar.

Sunday breakfast was DEEEE-VINE!  Pancakes by Britt, and bacon, eggs, and homemade cinnamon rolls by Jam.  Mmmmm.

Jam and Britt braved the snow in their non-snow clothes.

The backyard.

We were sad to come back to the city, but this was a nice welcome home.

• Today I saw a chick wearing a tank top when I was walking to work.  It was that warm.  Okay, it wasn't that warm, but she was wearing it.  I could have grabbed lunch without putting my coat on, and if it was sunny I probably could have eaten outside.  THANK YOU New York for not being totally freezing yet.  I know it's coming, but thanks for holding out.
• I was supposed to be hanging out with my brother and sister-in-law in the city this weekend, but last minute Jason had to have his gall bladder taken out.  :(  Thankfully the surgery(ies) went smoothly.
• In a random swing of events my friends and I are heading up to the Berkshires this weekend and I'm pretty excited about it.
• Two WEEKS til Meg and G come out and I just can't even wait.  So excited for a three musketeers reunion in the big apple.
• I was supposed to go the gym tonight, but I got a mani and pedi instead.  I need to work on that.
• I've lived in the city for almost three years now and I still feel like pretty woman in the fancy restaurants when I'm taken out for work related meals.  Last night the host took us to our table and pulled out my chair and I sat in the other one.  There was an awkward moment.  I can't shake the white trash side of me that just loves Olive Garden.
• Speaking of fancy food, today someone informed me as we mature some of our taste buds die, which is why children like simple bland foods, and grown ups like caviar and Mongolian food.  Maybe I'm not just so picky.  Maybe my taste buds are just so much more superior than everyone else's, and haven't died off!  Ha!
• I got a Kindle, and I was so concerned I'd be sad about not owning the books.  I'm not.  I LOVE it.  It's awesome.  
• Karen was in the city this week and we got to catch up over lunch.  Made me miss Australia.  She's my traveling idol.  She just got back from Brazil.  Jealous.  I just really don't get sick of dreaming of travel.
• My roommates and I concluded it just really doesn't feel like Christmas in these parts.
• The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting  was last night.  I noticed all the barricades on 5th Avenue and was so glad I did that my first year and never have to do it again.  So so so glad I did it, and the Halloween parade, and the balloons in Central Park, and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and rang in the New Year in Times Square.  They were all awesome and they were all exhausting.  I highly recommend going once.
• I got an email yesterday from some random email address.  Some stranger decided to email me telling me their nasty thoughts on my religion and my beliefs.  Really nice.  It actually broke my heart.  Why are people so mean?  Why are people such cowards?  Ugh.
• I got my sister's Christmas card today and my niece and nephew were too cute for words.  And so grown up.  I can't handle it.
• Have a happy weekend!

What's your favorite conference talk?

The LDS Radio App has all the past conference talks and I love listening to one or two in the morning while I get ready for work.  I've listened to all the talks from the most recent conference, and now I sort of just randomly pick one to listen to.  If you have a favorite (or a few favorites) please leave a comment and let me know!  I'd love some suggestions.