My London Blog

Its taken me a few days to get settled and used to London life. Especially detrimental to my London Blogging experience is the difference in outlets, and voltages, or whatever... needless to say my computer wouldn't charge, and it still has difficulties.

Anyway, onto the good stuff! The trip over was long ... so we geared up on the Shopoholic series!! I wasn't too excited for the 3 hour layover in CANADA however, it did prove to be successful after a stamp on a passports...and the Toronto airport is amazing with the 50" plasmas and free wireless, oh and not to mention the urban cowboys -- ) but we made it!! My girl friend Anna also came on this trip, but unfortunately not on the same flight. Without cell phones and efficient planning, we failed to coordinate a meeting place. Luckily, Anna is a smart girl and waited by baggage claim for us, so we could all take a taxi to the center together. Ashley grabbed our bags while Anna and I reunited ... well she grabbed most of our bags I should say. Of course the airline lost one of my bags ... and not only that, but my bag with all my essentials in it. (No need to worry though, I got my bag 2 days later--- just in the nic of time!!) So we grabbed a taxi and got a brief tour of London from our Londoner taxicab driver. Our house is beautiful and as soon as we got unpacked, we went out on our first walk (of many) around our neighborhood. Which we learned is RIGHT by Whitelys (the oldes shopping center in the world), Notting Hill (yes, where the movie was filmed), Hyde Park (where Princess Diana Played), Portabello Road (have you seen bedknobs and broomsticks?), and lots of other cool stuff.







The next day we went on another walk, this time it was much more scenic. We saw the Tower of London The Tower Bridge the tower bridge and the Tower Bridge we also happened upon this awesome Gibson Guitar art exhibit ...



This walk was amazing, and I was instantly awestruck with this beautiful city; the history, the combination of the old and modern architecture ... and everything about it!


Thursday was another walk, this time through business district. (Ugh we are SUCH tourists!!)
I figured out that men in Europe LOVE pink--- even more so than Americans. We started counting men in pink and got to #35 in less than an hour. Also noted was a building with businessmen smoking outside -- only wearing blue shirts ( We then had an assignment at the Museum of London, and learned about the Roman history of London. Which, to be honest wasnt that exciting. But what WAS exciting was the old Roman wall amongst all the office buildings ...


Kk well this blog is long and boring so i'm finishing it now. there is more to come.

Saturday June 16, 2007 I graduated cum laude from The University of California Irvine. I'm glad I had no expectations for the ceremony, because it was nothing like I would have anticipated. I am so excited to be done!! Here are some photos:

Graduation



The parents ...


The Fam.


Funny Boys.

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Posing ...



The Babies


Gelato Anyone?

My first request to my congressman:

MY PASSPORT!
I don't know if I've heard of anyone having as much trouble as I did ...
After waiting for 11 weeks for my passport to arrive I began to call the passport agency (to no avail), and checking online to find out the status of my application. I called the Federal Passport agency relentlessly, and after getting hung up on 20 times, I began to be frustrated ... and worried. Its now been 13 weeks before I finally got through to talk to someone, only to be devestated by the response:
"Oh. I'm sorry your application is in Charleston and hasn't been opened yet".

I of course, start freaking out, and call my dad to fix it. He calmly assures me that he will take care of it. He calls my congressman, and Kristin, at Congressman McCarthy's office totally hooked me up-- well sorta. She finds my application (which was BURIED in North Carolina) and has it FedExed overnight. I checked it out, and thought I was ready to go. That is, until Wednesday, June 20, at 1:00am when a friend was looking at my new passport and said, "umm Kiley? This isn't your last name..." I look at my passport again and see the name: KILEY HURT. ok, honestly? My name is NOT difficult! 4 letters--its a word, a brand even!! So Thursday morning, 7am, I am back on the phone with the passport agency. It only took 5 calls to speak with someone this time. Only to be told that I would need to take new passport photos, and head to the LA Federal Building (see below)



to wait in line and pray to get a new one printed that day. (Friday, June 22 was my best friends wedding, and my flight left Monday June 25 at 10am, so Thursday was my only chance).

So I headed off to LA. While on my way Kristin, once again hooked me up and got me a special handling appt so I wouldn't have to wait in the horrendous line. To my surprise, however, the special handling appt only got me so far. Once i was inside the building, there was another horrendous line! This time it was up to me to get ahead. I put a smile on my face and began to strut my stuff. The officer totally bought it, and before I knew it I was at the front of the line :) They couldn't print my passport that afternoon, so my amazing mother went to LA on Friday (since i was in the wedding) and waited in line for 3 hours to pick up my passport. I told her to start flirting in line, but she declined ...



Do YOU want to be one of those people in the photograph? I didn't think so. If you have problems with your passport -- call you congressman and brush up on your flirting skills.

"My generation is going to be high-maintenance."

The conversation of my Generation (which is Gen Y for those of you who aren't familiar with the term are people who are ages 6-25) used to be taken with a grain of salt; until I realized how true our Generations' culture was. We are first generation to use e-mail, instant messaging (IM) (which I have always attributed my amazing typing skills to) and cell phones since childhood and adolescence.

According to a recent article:
"At 11 years old, Kate Achille had a pager for her parents to reach her when necessary. At 13, she had a cell phone. Now 22 and working for a school, she e-mails her mother as many as five times a day and calls her on the cell phone several times a week...

Many millennials may lack basic spelling and writing skills because they have come to rely on spell check (I can only think of roommates that constantly ask me, "how do you spell "definitely"?). Moreover, some millennials have become so accustomed to using IM abbreviations, such as “b/c” for “because,” that some don’t know how to spell it correctly. In addition, millennials need to learn how to conduct old-fashioned research in books and other primary sources. “It doesn’t occur to them to go to the library, but there’s a whole bunch of stuff not on the web,” says Wendover. (Soo true).

Millennial Bramlett agrees. “New college grads strongly believe all Internet information is valid, and if it’s not available on the Internet, then it doesn’t exist. This can create problems in work quality if someone is relying 100 percent on Internet resources.”


Wait...so is this a bad thing? The funny thing is, while reading this article my parents called me 3 times. When I didn't answer the first time, they called again. Coincidence? I think not. They may be hovering just a little.

(To read the full article: http://www.shrm.org/hrmagazine/articles/0507/0507cover.asp)

Countdowns:
Finding Nemo Preview: 1 day
Graduation: 10 Days
Amy's Wedding: 16 Days
London: 19 Days

I have a lot ahead of me over the next few weeks... So excited!!
Any suggestions of "lasts" in Orange County?

R.I.P. Cafe Atlantic.

Do YOU Have an Annual Disneyland Pass?

If so, you MAY get a chance to be a member of my FINDING NEMO PREVIEW party on June 7th, 2007. (Even if this is a block out date for you, you would be able to go). So, start kissing up ... NOW.

Fresh Mex Not Always Healthy Mex:




Chipotle Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 Burrito
Amount Per Serving
Calories 1449 Calories from Fat 570
% DV*

Total Fat 63g
Saturated Fat 20.5g
Cholesterol 166mg
Sodium 3899mg
Total Carbohydrate 155g
Dietary Fiber 18.5g
Sugars 10g
Protein 66g

Vitamin A 152%
Vitamin C 85%
Calcium 55%
Iron 36%


If you need more info than this check out: http://cspinet.org/new/200309301.html

Thanks Mom for bringing this to my attention. Its depressing to admit I used to eat an entire burritto.

PollPub.com Vote

Once you are in a new relationship, what do you do with the ex photo albums/paraphernalia?

Why would I take it down? He/She will always have a place in my heart.
I'm too lazy to move them from the top of the closet, besides, what if I want to reminisce about old times?
I thought I was normal and spoke for most people when I seal my old stuff in a box and put it in the attic.
What paraphernalia? Anything I had was destroyed in the freak post break up gasoline accident.



View Results

Poll powered by PollPub.com Free Polls

A friend of mine recently found herself in this situation. To help her out, I decided to take a poll on what "normal" people do. Considering my sample size isn't large enough to define normal, I'll take your opinions.

My Modeling Career.



Deseret Book puts on an event called Time Out for Women at various cities throughout the United States. Its a great event with inspiration speakers such as Sheri Dew, Steven Robinson, and Michael McLean (and sometimes you are fortunate enough to get the gorgeous Scott McLean as well). Last year, there was one held in Long Beach, and my mom thought it would be fun to have a Mother/Daughter Day out of it. So we show up at the Long Beach Convention Center, and can't even get inside the door before we are stopped by a random camera man and asked if he can take our picture beside the Time Out for Women Sign. Flattered, of course, we laughed and take the picture. Throughout the day we saw the camera man taking pictures of the event, as well as many other pictures of the thousands of women that attended the event.


A few months later I got an email from my cousin that read,

"Kiley, I think I saw a picture of you and your mom on an email that was sent out about Time Out For Women, is that you?" I had her track down the email and send it to me. I was HORRIFIED. The picture is terrible!! (My version was much better!) He caught us mid laugh, but there we were, posing in front of the Time Out For Women Sign. I immediately called my mom and shared the story with her. We were the poster girls for Time Out for Women. However, little did we know how far this would go. We continuously got phone calls and emails asking if this was us ... I even got a call from an old friend that lived in Idaho, who saw us on a brochure for Time Out For Women on his aunts refrigerator. Just when we would think they had switched our picture out, we would get more phone calls about the picture. However, the pinacle of this picture was when my Relief Society President approached me on Sunday and asked, "Are you a model for Time Out for Women? ... I was in Riverside this weekend at Time Out for Women, and your picture kept popping up on the (huge) screen."



Over a year later and they are still using our picture picture to intice people to come to Time Out For Women, we are still on the website, mailers, brochures, and even the big screen they use duringn the event. There was no written consent for this picture to be used... I think I should get be awknowledged for the vast success of the event, especially considering how terrible I look.

McDreamy.

I came back from lunch to find the office in a buzz. A Deposition was going on, and the opposing counsel was gorgeous (thank you to whomever came up with glass conference rooms!) This occurs from time to time, and is always exciting, however this time was different.
"If a guy went to BYU and BYU Law School, does that mean he's mormon?"
"Yes, probably" I responded. "Why?"
I think the intrigue of possible Morminism caught the interest of everyone in the office. (ok, so really, this is just the women involved.)

Our MPG McDreamy: Tall, dark, hot, single and (apparently) mormon.

After the deposition was over, and McDreamy left, I was bombarded with all sorts of questions about McDreamy (as if I would know), but more importantly questions about the church, and mormon culture. I decided this is the way for our generation to share the gospel with nonmembers. Invite a young, dreamy, charasmatic Mormon into the office and you'll be answering question about the church for days. Fortunately, my McDreamy came in by chance, and if I am frequenting the 8th floor (where his offices are) you'll all know why.

Ladies, he'll be back for another Deposition on Monday at 2:30. Set your clocks accordingly.

Go Green with ELLEN!

I knew the whole "going green" was a trendy these days, however, I did not realize the Celebrity endorsements that I would encounter so soon after I expressing my "going green" here on my blog. I'm glad to say I was a bit ahead of the curve, and decided to state my opinions before her "Go Green" rampage this week. I stopped to watch the episode because I like Cameron Diaz, who was Ellen's first guest. However, it wasn't long before I asked my roommate "Is this Ellen going "Green"? My roommate was had NO idea what I was even referring to (I'm still not sure why I even asked her, though it was a more speaking out loud thing, than it was expecting an answer from her). Cameron was there to talk about Shrek, her recent break up with Justin, as well as teach the audience simple ways to be more environmentally conscious (Such as, shutting off the water while brushing your teeth, and switching the light bulbs in your lamps) as well as endorsing her car of choice, the PRIUS (of course Ellen gave one away to a lucky audience member). Ellen has also gotten many other celebs to promote this "Go Green" Attitude, such as Lindsey Lohan, Carmen Electra, Marcia Cross (hmm... is this a coincidence they picked hot female celebs to promote going green?) If you would like to hear their tips, or perhaps, just like to see them, you can go to:

http://ellen.warnerbros.com/showinfo/greenshow/celebs.html

However, if you would like to know how you can be trendy and part of the green movement, here are some of Ellen's everyday tips:

ADJUST YOUR THERMOSTAT (I try to do this until my roommates turn it back down/up)
Moving your thermostat just 2 degrees lower in winter and 2 degrees higher in summer will not only lower your energy bill, but you could prevent about 500 lbs. of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere a year.
TURN OFF THE LIGHTS when you're done (ALWAYS do this)
Shutting the lights cuts carbon emissions by reducing electricity use. You can also install motion sensors to activate lights as needed. Dimmer switches use less electricity, and the light is often more flattering.
KEEP YOUR FRIDGE FULL to save energy (I don't have to worry about this with my roommate keeping 4 gallons of milk in the fridge, for herself alone).
A full refrigerator doesn't have to work as hard to stay cold. If you don't typically have much food in your fridge, fill it with jugs of water. The jugs will insulate the interior and help keep it cold.
USE YOUR MICROWAVE (hmm not so sure about this one).
It's 70% more efficient than a stovetop or oven.
USE SAFER CANDLES (good to know).
Candles made from soy or beeswax are nontoxic, biodegradable, and they burn longer than paraffin.
USE RECYCLED PAPER (I don't really like paper towels anyway).
Recycled paper uses 60% less energy to make than virgin paper. Each ton saves 7,000 gallons of water and 17 trees. Grab a dishtowel instead of paper towel when you dry your hands. Instead of paper towel, clean with rags or microfiber towels, which grip dust and bacteria and go in the laundry when you're done.
BUY A LAPTOP (Done. Love it.)
A desktop computer uses 50% more energy than a laptop.
DRIVE LESS (hmm Irvine is definitely not coducive for mass transit ... its built around the car).
Walk, bike, carpool or take mass transit more often. You'll save one pound of carbon dioxide for every mile you don't drive.
TAKE CARE OF YOUR CAR (Maybe I need to take a class on caring for my car?)
Something as simple as making sure your tires are inflated properly, the air filter is clean and getting regular tune-ups will improve your gas mileage and help keep dangerous pollutants out of the air. Every gallon of gasoline saved keeps 20 lbs. of CO2 out of the air.
DON'T IDLE (good to know).
Shut down your engine. Idling for any length of time burns more gas than it takes to restart the car. You'll save more energy by turning the ignition off.
CONSIDER PURCHASING A HYBRID AUTOMOBILE (I AM considering it...)
Not only do the cars get better gas mileage, but they also produce less pollution -- about half that of a comparable vehicle with a gasoline engine.
EAT LOCALLY (Does anyone know where a good farmers market is?)
Produce travels 1,500 miles on average from farm to grocery, and much of the transport is powered by fossil-based fuels. Green markets, farm stands, and conscientious supermarkets offer locally grown produce. Buy it and you'll conserve fuel, reduce pollution, and get more flavor. Search localharvest.org by zip code for farmers' markets, greengrocers and food co-ops in your area.
When ordering take-out food, request no napkins or flatware.
USE A COFFEE MUG instead of the disposable coffee cups. (I LOVE mugs. done.)
Starbucks will even give you a 10 cent discount for using your own mug.
GET OUR KIDS OUTDOORS MORE (I LOVE to be outdoors!!)
The best way to protect our resources for the future is by helping children develop an appreciation for the outdoors.

To me, most of this is common sense, but clearly Americans have turned into an overconsuming population and don't know how to be efficient within their daily lives.

DESTROYING ANGELS vs. THE MURDERING MERMAIDS

Have you heard of Church Ball? It's like that...but for girls, and so much better.

Orange Countys' LDS women take football seriously. As I walked up to the game, heard the roar of the crowd, I couldn't believe my ears; then I couldn't believe my eyes. This game was hardcore. Technically it was flag, but on the field, it was way more intense than that. Being a Newport Coast Alum, and current member of Irvine, I was torn. I sported my Irvine Colors, but I did sneak over to the other side to support my girls over there. Many asked why I was not participating. Sadly, I was traveling during the majority of the practices ... otherwise I would have owned that game. Since I wasn't in the game I decided this was a perfect opportunity for photos. Oh, and I would like to thank my father for being there. He was a perfect photographer.

Lindsey decided to cross sides as well...

Rommate Love. "I want to be on you".

The Ringer.

Go Green or Go Home

I enjoy learning about the environment, and ways in which we, as consumers, can individually (and collectively) protect it. We are so blessed to have such an amazing place to live, is it bad to want to "give back?", wait, let me rephrase that, not even give back, just be conscious of the effects each of us have on our earth? For instance, did you know, the average American has a "carbon footprint" of 20 tons per year?!
To Be Green:
To conserve natural resources and consume consciously to reduce our impact on this big blue planet we call home. Think about how you eat, what you wear, how you drive. This isn't about everyone doing everything. No one is perfect. But we all play a role in the problem and can take part in the solution. If everyone does something, it would have a tremendous impact on our world and the legacy we leave for future generations.
Carbon Dioxide gas (CO2) is the major cause of climate change in the world. Humans are emitting millions of pounds of CO2 gas into the environment. CO2 gas is referred to as a "greenhouse gas" because it allows sunlight to enter the atmosphere like through the glass of a greenhouse and it keeps the heat trapped inside. This warms up the planet.

So my question is, Does knowing this automatically make me granola? You decide.

"Going Green" is a popular topic these days. Companies are realizing they have a competitive advantage when they endorse Green Business. Celebrities are also taking a stand. My favorite this year is Sheryl Crow's Global Warming Tour (ok, so really it was her blog that caused a scene; urging readers to "only use 1 square of toilet paper; 2-3 for those pesky incidences.") Thanks Sheryl for making us all look like freaks.

Recently in my International Environmental Law class we have focused on recent efforts to be "more green". We have discussed whether these efforts actually make a difference, or if they just make people feel better about themselves. Professor DiMento posed the question: How many of the girls in the class would buy a hemp dress? I decided that I would possibly buy the dress to encourage alternative forms of consumer goods; however, if I were to ever wear the dress I would have not only crossed, but jumped over the line and would need someone to bring me back to the light.

Cinco De Mayo. err Cinco De Quatro, Mayo and Seis?

What does it really mean? And what is the appropriate way to celebrate it? ... Clearly after examening my weekend celebrations (yes that was weekend) one would think "Cinco De Mayo= Tacos" (and Tacos again. and Tacos again.) Is this just an American excuse to eat a lot of tacos? Does Mexico/mexicans even like it when Americans attempt to be cultured by having "fiestas" and taking any excuse we can to dress up, have a party and [if your not mormon] get drunk?

Don't get me wrong. I love Tacos. I like Mexico. and I think I've had my best Cinco De Mayo yet. However, it has caused me to ponder the meaning and connotation of such a holiday.

Ole'!

Sundays.

Since I have lived in the beautiful Orange County, I have made an observation: Sundays are PERFECT. Don't get me wrong, we do live up to our "Perfect Weather" name, however, Sundays are always, a little bit warmer and definitely beach worthy. For any other Orange County resident, they probably basque in the amazingness of Sundays, however, I can't help but get a little bitter each and every time this happens to me. Simply because I can't enjoy the Sunday in quite the same way. This weekend is a perfect example of this.

Fri: 68/57

Sun: 81/55

So while the rest of you are frequenting the harbors this weekend in your Sailboats, just know I'll be in church "coveting my neighbor".

The Space.

It can be such a source of drama. Why do people go looking for things they don't really want to find? If you aren't friends with a person, then don't go looking on their page to see what their friends have "written on their wall". The owner of the page doesn't have any accountability for what is there (in fact, they may not even be aware of it!) So then why would one search the page and then make accusations/freak out/start drama? All I am saying is if you aren't friends with someone, don't go looking at their myspace (unless you are a myspace stalker; on that note, maybe I need to post another blog solely on that).

Technology can be such a nuisance.

What is your idea of a perfect date?

Famous words:
"My idea of a perfect date would be April 25. It's not too hot, not too cold, all you need is a light jacket."

So true.

"Your birthday is a special time to celebrate the gift of 'you' to the world."



Momma always told me I was a shining star on a [historically] dark day. Yes, today is my birthday, 4.20. Clearly I don't celebrate the day as [most] others do. However, I can't help but admit that I love having a "Popular" birthday ... for whatever reason that may be.

EASTERN BOUND?

This week has been a BIG one for me. At least, in regards to my future (totally not a big deal). Let me explain:

On Monday night I recieved acceptance to the BYU MPA graduate program. I was relieved to know that, if anything else, I was not rejected (I don't think my self esteem can handle rejection right now) ... anyway, I began to envision myself as a Cougar, a dream I thought would NEVER play through my mind.

On Wednesday I recieved a phone call from ABC (Advisory Board Company) regarding a final interview with their company-- in DC! I had an initial phone interview with them last week, but had not given it much thought ... however, after corresponding with the recruitor, I suddenly envisioned myself living in DC, and travelling all over the world marketing for this company!!

I may need to start a poll on which decision I should make. I think I'm still 50/50. At least I know I have options.

"Punctual people have nothing better to do."

MISSING:

PENGUIN

Black and White, with orange beak.
Height: 2'6"
Weight: 5lbs
Answers by the name, Penguin.
Can be distinguished from other penguins by the Mardi Gras beads around his neck, and a green "Kiss Me, I'm Irish" necklace.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Penguin has been reported missing since 3/13/07 from MPG Orange County Office. After an office-wide search and rescue was executed, MPG decided to take further action. An extensive missing "person" (penguin?) report has been filed to MPG Headquarters, as well as South Coast Offices Security. Although there has been some speculation as to whom the perpetrator(s) is/are, no direct evidence can be linked. Many employees have been adversely affected by the event, and have trouble focusing on their work; therefore a leave of absence due to grief may be the only way to deal with the pain. The employees on the Northeast side of the office seem to be affected most detrimentally, as they were the closest to Penguin. Myself included.

Eat Me.

A co-worker presented me with a chocolate American Idol Sucker. At first I thought it was a lame marketing scheme for Kelly Pickler, until she explained it was a photo of her daughter (who works for American Idol)--digitally screened onto the chocolate.

This caused me to wonder ... could I eat a chocolate sucker of myself? Hmm.

Inappropriate

"You look hot"

Can sometimes come out badly. Like when the managing partner says it to you.

Perfect Proposal

Recently I was given the opportunity to take advantage of my mischevious skills and partake in a perfectly planned, and executed Proposal surprise for one of my favorite girlfriends. (I really felt like I was on that TLC show, Perfect Proposal). The entire evening went on without a flaw, and the proposal was absolutely perfect. This event caused me to reflect on many of my friends' proposal stories, good and bad, including the folowing:

Gondola ride in San Diego
Helicopter Ride
Bonfire in the Mountains
Weekly trip to the Temple
A Christmas Light stroll through the neighborhood
The Montage Resort, overlooking the ocean at night
Airplane banner in the sky over the beach
At dinner on an exotic cruise
The LA Temple at Christmas
On the Heber City Train

... I suppose I am an example of the recency effect and only remember those proposals that were super recent ... or really good. Most of these guys did a fantastic job of keeping the proposal a surprise, despite the mormon-esque culture of the bride expecting the ring to be placed on her finger at any time.

A Moment for Britney.

How does one go from this:







To this--------------->








Oh Britney. I wish she would hurry up and figure her life out, and become the beautiful pop star we all know and love. (Instead of going psycho in rehab, and letting her LAME ex-husband profit off her trials and attempt stardom... again, and again, and again).

Become An M&M

So I recently discovered a disturbing phenomenon. The serving size of an average bag of M&M's is actually 2 servings(?) All these years I've been eating an entire bag of M&M's, without realizing the detrimental effects. One would think that America's Favorite Candy would be more health conscious of consumers, and sell the appropriate size bag for a single serving. Needless to say I was happy to realize I only had 1/2 a bag left to eat.
In an attempt to make some sense of this earth-shattering insight I recieved this afternoon, I visited the M&M official website, and was entertained by innumerable activities and a pletheora of information. In case you are curious too, visit http://us.mms.com/us/. Apparently there's an "M" in everyone.

TGIT (The new TGIF)

"ITS THE END OF AN ERA!"

Ok, so maybe that's slightly dramatic, but I am already having nastalgia for this heartrenching teen-age soap opera we all know as "The OC". Although many are celebrating the show's early finale, I can't help but admit I will miss Cohen's dorky humor, Summer's trendy-granola passion for animals (I have considered naming my next bunny "Pancakes"), and of course the crazy rants and raves, and even stalker-esque personality of Taylor, and then there's the rugged/frustrating Ryan. And let's not forget the adorable "perfect" Sandy and Kirsten. Despite the cheesiness of the last episode, I have to say that I am in full agreement with how everything ended. Some may have unanswered questions, but I thought it was perfect.

...
...
...

And just in case anyone was concerned I wouldn't have anything to fill my Thursday nights with ... no worries -- these are a few of my FAVORITE shows:

The Americanized Day of Love. It seems as though people either love it, or hate it. And often too many guys are forced to love it, for the sake of the women in their lives. It seems as though many, who find themselves single on this commercialized holiday, have some sort of animosity towards it because of their "unfortunate" status. I, however, always look forward to the chance to express my love and appreciation to my favorite people in my life; whether they are a "significant" other or not.

So this year, I recieved an anonymous Valentines Day Gift, flowers (my favorite) this morning on my doorstep. However, to my surprise, the card was labelled "Kylie". I can't say the surprise wasn't slightly tainted by this lack of execution on my admirer's part. Is this the time to recognize "it's the thought that counts?" Or is it weird/creepy/thoughtless that my admirer doesn't know how to spell my name? ...

Happy Day of L.O.V.E.

Grannies know how to break it down. I hope I can move like that when I am a Grandma!! This is honestly amazing! I had no idea grannies could have such attitude! I was in Utah last weekend, and while getting ready had Good Morning America on in the background. They had the newly formed NJ Nets Grannie Cheer Squad on the show to perform. To my disapointment, I realized the squad doesn't travel with the team when I saw the Nets play the Jazz that night.

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=2831516

I left my heart in San Francisco...
I love chocolate. Anything chocolate, really. But I really love hot chocolate. I have found that I drink it almost everyday. Its my form of coffee, I suppose. However, I don't drink it because I'm addicted, I drink it because it makes me happy (that's not the same as addiction, is it?). Anyway, while I was in San Francisco this past weekend we visited Boudin, where my choice of SF treat was a chocolate chip muffin. Needing a little pick me up, I ordered a Dr. Pepper to accompany my delicious muffin, only to have the Boudin worker, not only discourage my beverage choice, but also inform me that a large Hot Chocolate is what I needed instead. "The soda will ruin the muffin", he told me. I was ecstatic with my switch, and the audacity of the Boudin worker, especially when I found that my Hot Chocolate was overflowing with whip cream, my favorite of course.
(Oh, and I did get some funny looks from my neighboring Boudin eaters while taking this picture, for some reason they thought I documented everything I eat; however, I quickly explained I planned on Blogging about it... 'nuff said.)

It's so cliche but I am feel refreshed and excited for 2007. I have, of course, made new years resolutions, and plan to keep them (well lets be honest. I'll keep them until I have a nervous breakdown about who knows what at this point). But at any rate, I am ready for the new year! I plan on
(1) Being Happy every day!
(2) ... hmm maybe that's it!
It's better to focus on one thing, than attempt to do too many things, right? Right. I just (re) watched the FRIENDS episode where they each make New Years Resolutions. Honestly this episode is hilarious! Ross wants to try 1 new thing every day. Rachel isn't supposed to gossip. Chandler can't make fun of anyone in the group... and I forget about the others. But the moral of the story was that they shouldn't make resolutions to change themselves. I agree. We should embrace ourselves for who we are. Sometimes the "bad" things about us are the things that we are loved for. So my New Years Resolution suggestion for everyone is to be the best YOU!

Holiday Season Over?

I am so sad to see the 2006 Holiday Season come to an end. Despite my excitment and exuberance for the holiday throughout the month of December (ok and it began in November as well) I still felt like I didn't completely grasp the Christmas Spirit. I place some of the blame on my failed attempt to watch my favorite Christmas Classics, such as, It's a Wonderful Life as well as A Christmas Story (I know! How could such a thing happen?!) However, I did watch Mr. Kruegars Christmas, and a plethora of other Christmas Movies that got me in the Christmas Spirit. I was able to enjoy spending quality time with my family and creating new memories, as well as planning for future traditions. Below is our family Christmas Card Photo. I think it turned out Fabulously! My favorite part about Christmas this year was being able to feel the love of my family. I am so lucky to have such a wonderful family, and I wish we could share that with one another more.


This time of year also tends to strike a note on the "resolution" side of us all. We come up with a long list of goals to achieve before midnight of 2007. I can not say that I am excluded from some of these typical resolutions, such as, going back to the gym and actually going to the grocery store so I can eat healthy once again. I have many other goals for myself, however, instead of getting overwhelming and listing them all, instead, I simply wish that this next year I will take a few more minutes each day to be thoughtful, caring, and kind towards others. That is my favorite part of the Christmas Season, is that we are all striving to make others happy. "If everyday could be Christmas, what a wonderful world it would be. We could carry this feeling of Christmas, all through the year..." Ok, so its a cheesy BoysIIMen song, but its true. If we each thought more of others, and less of ourselves, we could make the world a better place, just by being better at being ourselves.

Tis The Season.
Ok, so we all know I am obsessed with Christmas, so sorry to expand on this concept, but this is just too funny to not post on my blog. If you want to hear the most amazing rendition of a christmas song:
http://www.thesneeze.com/mt-archives/000570.php
I just cant get enough of it, and seriously had tears in my eyes. Enjoy.
Oh, here's a picture from my first Christmas Party of the year:

Oh, and I attended the Huntington Harbor Boat Parade this weekend, however, sadly it started raining and since I forgot my umbrella, my first boat parade experience was cut short.

I LOVE CHRISTMAS!

Ok so I'm done with finals---yay!! I can be normal again! Now I have time to totally endulge in the Christmas spirit. As some of you already know, I am obsessed with Christmas (yes I have been listening to the BEST Christmas music...Celine, Mariah, Amy Grant, Frank Sinatra etc etc...for at least 6 weeks now and am in no way sick of it!) I watched the Original Miracle on 34th Street last night, next to my blazing fire (I swear its freezing in my house) and drank hot chocolate; only to be interrupted by a fabulous Christmas enrichment night with some amazing girls. Anyway, I just decorated my desk at the office and loving the garland, red bows and miniture christmas tree (literally 6" tall soooo cute!). Just thought I would spread my christmas cheer with today's Christmas quote:

"We all enjoy giving and receiving presents. But there is a differencebetween presents and gifts. The true gifts may be part ofourselves--giving of the riches of the heart andmind--and therefore more enduring and of far greater worth thanpresents bought at the store."

Remember to give of yourself this holiday season and take advantage of the time that is dedicated to our Saviour, Jesus Christ. If anyone wants to do some Christmas Shopping or look at lights, or wants a Christmas cd---let me know!

Oh, here are some pictures of my favorite Christmas Things.