I am just not one of those people.

I realize that I never post pictures. And I realize these things aren't as fun to read when there are no pictures. But people, you must realize the dilemma I am in...I am never in situations where taking a picture deems appropriate. I am not one of those people that poses in front of my camera while I sit alone in my bedroom. Or do my hair all fancy on a weeknight just so I can pose in front of the camera on my computer snapping photos while gazing at my beautiful face, wondering how I got to be so good-looking. Not that doing that is bad...because if that floats your boat then more power to ya! I am just not one of those people. It makes me feel like an idiot. Even when I'm by myself I am embarrassed. Even when no one else even has a clue that I am doing that...I feel stupid. I blush when I think about it. And don't even get me started on what happens when I post those pictures. Oh my. So on top of that, I don't do a whole lot of fun things these days. That's what happens when you are 21, live at your parents house in Idaho Falls, and all your friends are grown-ups that are required to work either at night or early in the morning. Believe me when I get back to school and actually am engaging in healthy social activities...I will post more pictures. Actually, that could be a lie...I am not much of a picture taker in that aspect either. But I'm gonna work on it. I promise. Just for you bloggers. The whole two, maybe three people that actually read my blog? hahaha I am so popular I can hardly stand it.

Anyway, I have a few things that I would like to accomplish with this post. But considering I have internet ADD...we'll see if I get to all or even half of those things.

THING #1: Christmas

MY FAVORITE TIME OF THE YEAR!!!! I had such a blast this Christmas. As chaotic and crazy as it was at my house, I loved every single minute of it. Oh, except for the fact that I never stopped eating. Especially not the White Chocolate Chex Mix (soooo good...except that isn't the exact recipe I use. But close enough.) Ohhh who am I kidding I loved that too.

First of all, my brother Joe, his wife Necia, and their two kids Kaylea and Lila arrived Thursday night. I got off work early because only two kids showed up, hurried over to DI to pick out my ugly sweater that I had yet to find, and I drove home. I was SO EXCITED to see them. It has been almost two months since those guys moved out of this place and I was missing them like crazy. Those two little girls really have my heart. My sister Kristy, her husband Josh, and their two little cuties Karlee and Kiya got into town that night as well and they stopped by for a minute to say hello and then left. Then I went shopping with two of my BFF's Hayley Reese and Courtney Cook. I enjoyed myself thoroughly.

Christmas Eve was great. I finished up some last-minute shopping with my sister Lora, my brother Scott, and his wife Tamra who got into town early that morning. I love those kids. They are so much fun! That night we had every single member of our family over at our house: Aimee, Ben, Cooper, Isaac, Evie, Holli, Ben, Darcy, Max, Eliza, Kristy, Josh, Karlee, Kiya, Joe, Necia, Kaylea, Lila, Scott, Tamra, Jazelle (their daughter AKA dog haha) Lora, and me. It was soooo crazy and chaotic. Lora, Tamra, and I stayed downstairs wrapping presents until dinner started. Every Christmas Eve we have the very same traditions. For dinner we have Little Smokies, Shrimp, French Bread and Brie, Ham, Turkey, my Dad's homemade rolls, celery with cheese, other veggies, crackers (specifically wheat thins, chicken in a biscuit, ritz, and vegetable thins), and usually yogurt but we didn't this year. Anyway we have dinner, and then we head into the living room to start our "program". This program consists of a talent show type thing where everyone does talents (this year we left it up to the grandkids because who really wants to watch the adults do stuff like that?) and a reenactment of the Nativity where we dress up as sheperds, angels, Joseph, and Mary and act it out as my dad reads the story out of the scriptures. This year we left that up the grandkids as well, because the grown-ups are too lazy (I'm actually considered a grown-up now! It's so great.) Then my dad pulls out this gigantic stocking full of presents, generally slightly humorous, and hands them out. Then the grandkids exchange gifts with their cousins, and we send them downstairs to watch a movie. Obviously this has changed a little over the years due to my family almost tripling in size and children coming along. Then my family does our gift exchange. In my family, just recently, we switched to doing a white elephant gift exchange one year and homemade gifts the next year. It just works better for us all that way and plus, it's more fun. Then we visit for a while. I have gained a big love for "visiting". I'm such an oldie.

Christmas Day this year was weird because we actually had to wait until 8:30 to go up to my parents room. Yeah the adults had to wait for the kids to wake up. Haha. That's my family for ya. Anyway, every year we go up to my parents room (usually at 7), jump onto their bed, "wake them up" (they are already awake), and my dad reads the Christmas story to us and reminds us what the real meaning of Christmas is. Then we all go out and see what Santa brought to our stockings. Then we go and eat breakfast, which is always cereal and pop-tarts, and then we gather around the Christmas tree. There my dad picks up the presents, one by one, and hands them out. We all watch that person open their gift before moving on to the next present. I love those traditions. It's going to be really hard for me to give those up when I get married and start my own family. Sad...Anyway the rest of that day and Sunday we watched the movies and played the games that we got for Christmas. These included Killers, Knight and Day, Inception, Shrek 4, Scrabble, Scattegories, The Game of Things, Scrabble Slam, and...probably more I don't know. Those were two of the best days I've had in a long time. I love my family so much they are seriously...SO FUN to be around and it was just awesome to get to spend so much time with them. Now most of them are gone, except for the ones that live in Idaho Falls, and so I'm back to being bored out of my mind. Except I move to Rexburg soon so that's good.

THING # 2: New Years

Accomplishments of 2010:

Finished another two semesters of college.
Got into the Social Work Program.
Moved twice.
Visited Washington DC and New York.
Took approximately 14 weeks of cooking lessons.
Really became so extremely okay with myself.
Turned what could've been a major heartbreak into something that honestly didn't bother me. That much.
Made tons of new friends.
Attended 5 different wards with intentions for all of them to be permanent..ha my bad.
Changed bad habits.
Stayed drug free ♥

Okay as predicted...I'm so done with this blog. I have other things to do. Next blog I think I am going to post my goals for 2011. I need to think about them first. Good night ya'll! Comment Comment Comment!