Life After Twenty-Three: As of Late

Since this is my blog, I'm going to cheat a bit. (Although cheating within something you created is more like making a creative rule than cheating the system, right? A least with blogging?) Cut me some slack here.

As of late, my life has certainly been a whirlwind. So in my attempt to summarize the past month (so you don't have to read a novel) I will list- yes, list- the recent happenings of my life. Ready?

1. Christmas: Home for a week. A whole week at home. I swore I'd never do that again. Hit some rough patches with the fam, as expected, but it turned out that I really needed a whole week with them. Mid-week we pulled out all our home videos and muddled through the unlabeled mess. In the process we found some gems worthy of AFV's highest cash prize. Hysterical and touching moments from our past as a family. Both sets of my grandparents were at our house Sunday afternoon as we watched hours of footage. It was so good to have everyone together in that one room! Despite the occasional bickering, the constant overeating, the pervasive stress of out-of-town company, and the inescapable togetherness of Christmas week, we shared so many memories and so much laughter. And I'll always remember this Christmas because of it!

Family Christmas Tree

Daisy (cat) after Christmas morning present opening

2. Work: "Christmas Christmas Christmas Rich People and Christmas" seem to be the best words to describe the work I've been doing these past six weeks. I've decorated entire mansions for the holiday only to return a few weeks later to tear it all down. What I thought would be a two week gig turned into six weeks of Christmas madness. Tear-down began two days after Christmas. Organize the garage. Organize the basement. Unload heaps of unused garland and greens from the car, the trailer, the van. Go to client's houses. Bring up the boxes from the basement. Bubble wrap the breakables. Organize it for next year. Re-label every box. Put them back. It's monotonous and tedious work, to say the least. But I'll admit, I really enjoyed myself! Now that I'm done working there, I am back to my job search. Just as monotonous and tedious, not nearly as enjoyable...

14+ foot tree (not my house)

Snow Village

3. Changes: The biggest news lately is definitely Kaitlin (roommate) and Taylor getting engaged! They have been together for over three years now. They have both been so ready for this next season of engagement, and -as with all my friends- it has been so sweet celebrating with them. Not to mention that we have had a fun (and much more giggly) two weeks at our house. Their marriage, no doubt, will affect my day to day the most of all my friends to get married. We in the Nashville clan are looking forward as housing situations will change and as two of our best friends will start the next phase of their lives. A lot is changing!

Double Date Engagement Celebration at Maggiano's
Me, Kaitlin & her fabulous new ring!

The newly-engaged, to-be Mr. and Mrs. Grubbs!

Me and my man

4. Snow: This morning when I woke up I opened my blinds and screamed with delight. The ground was covered in white and snow was still flurrying down! I've always seen that "morning after a surprise snowfall" scene in movies, but have never had it happen to me. I mean, in Shreveport they predict overnight snowfall, but when you wake up and open your blinds it's just brown---and disappointing. Not today, folks! I jumped up and down, screaming and laughing like a five year old, for a good five minutes. Oh, the glory. More snow to come Monday and Tuesday!

My house frosted with snow a few weeks ago

Adam displaying the white-blanketed front yard
(Not quite as impressed because he's from the North)

A happy girl in the snow!

5. 2011: You have no idea how excited I am about this year. It's my blank page, my to-be-written masterpiece. I can feel it! Hopefully I'm not getting carried away with the optimism. Twenty eleven could be a bust. But last year was a tough year, and I'm liking the prospect of this year being different. Also, for your amusement. Guess how I spent my New Year's Eve? You definitely will not guess it, and you probably will not believe me. Lauren babysat on New Year's Eve. It's true, and I've got the paycheck to prove it.