Thursday, December 16, 2010

The Cut


Ta-dah! Just some before and after shots.

I kept talking and talking about it for the better part of a month, and I finally cut my bangs the other day. I only waited because of the characters I kept getting for my acting class. I dyed it in between assignments and scenes, but it wasn't too drastic of a change. I didn't want to cut my bangs before any performances just in case. It probably would've been okay with my last ensemble scene, but I decided to wait it out. And I'm really glad I did. Now I have fresh bangs for Christmas! I'll probably have to trim them before January, but I'm so happy with them! It's exactly what I needed to finish off this semester.

I only have a presentation tomorrow morning after I send off some final reflections tonight and then I'm done and can be on my way back home! The warmer climate is calling my name!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

a home for the holidays



I was going through my photos tonight and found these that I never posted from Thanksgiving.

Last year, I went home for the holiday, but this year it was just too unrealistic. So I went home with one of my best friends from up here. She has the sweetest family and I felt right at home immediately. They were such a blessing! It was also really interesting to see how another family celebrated and what they're traditions were.




The week of Thanksgiving, Spokane was hit pretty hard by a big snow storm, so roads were icy and we were hesitant to drive to the West Side. So we ended up getting train tickets since snow doesn't deter the trains very much, if at all. It sounded like a great idea. But we ended up getting barely any sleep because our train kept getting delayed and delayed and delayed. We ended up spending almost four hours at the train station waiting to leave. It was quite the adventure just getting out of the city! Once we were finally on our way (in buses since they eventually just cancelled the train and had to find us alternative transportation...), the Pass was perfectly fine and we arrived sometime around 7:30 or 8:00.

Thanksgiving itself was very laid back and nice. My friends family was adorable and I was actually confused for her older brother's fiancee in the beginning because her aunt and uncle hadn't seen what she looked like really. We ate a lot and put together a puzzle, had a Thanksgiving quiz, and ended the night with some songs of thanksgiving from some hymn books, finishing off with the Hallelujah Chorus (which I know pretty much backwards and forwards because of choir in high school for four years). I also called all my family and was able to talk to everyone all at once, which was hectic and fun and was the only time that I was really homesick that weekend.

The next day we went to a Christmas tree farm and chopped down our very own tree. It was a brand new experience that was pretty amazing. We spent the rest of the day working on homework. But then the following day my friend and I went into town and looked around different antique shops and sang Christmas songs with the radio like lunatics. And that afternoon I was privy to their Christmas decoration extravaganza. Their whole family gets together and decorates the house and puts up the tree and then stand there when they're done with the lights off and 'ooh' and 'ahh'. I felt like just another one of the family hanging ornaments and putting up nativity scenes and goofing off while The Chipmunks Christmas album blares in the background. And then later that night we went to an engagement party for her older brother and his fiancee.

After church we drove back to school on Sunday and it was back to the daily grind of school work and classes. But it was definitely a nice break and made me quite thankful for all that God has given me and made me look forward to going home and being with my own family for Christmas. (Which is in only a few days now that I'm mostly done with finals and am flying back down to California on Saturday!)

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

as Finals loom on the horizon

This week is passing so slowly. I can't believe it's still only Tuesday (well, soon to be Wednesday...). I have so much to do, but I'm feeling so lazy and ready to be home. I only have a week and a half left though! After this hectic week full of papers and quizzes and performances, I have finals week. But I'm getting to that point where I just want to say "screw it!" and catch the next flight home.

This is what I want to wear for the next week and a half. Easy, comfy, warm, perfect. Something to roll out of bed in the morning and throw on before rushing to class and then being able to lounge around studying and staring at a computer screen for a few hours afterwards in bed. Tights and an oversized sweater and scarf with big lace-up boots, yes please! That top is so simply perfect too. I want it all NOW! Too bad I'm pretty much broke after all the Christmas and Secret Santa shopping I've been doing this week...

Speaking of, my mum sends me Final Survival Kits and I just got one in the mail today (along with my older brother's Christmas presents). It included lots of chocolate and dinosaur egg oatmeal (best thing ever!) and a purple Snuggie. I've been wearing it all evening while I've written papers and hung out with Laura. It seriously made my week with how cheesy and perfect it is. Also how awesome is my mum for sending it to me??
everything from Modcloth:

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Christmas Time is Here

I had my mum send me some pictures from when I was little today for a project in one of my classes. And not to toot my own horn or anything, but DANG! I was an adorable little kid! (The same can technically be said for my brothers and sister as well because we all pretty much looked like each other the first few years of our existences... I'm not conceited.) We don't have very many pictures up from when I was this little so seeing a whole bunch was a little weird. I was so blond! It's incredible!

So since it's the Advent season (today was the second Sunday of Advent), meaning Christmas is on its way(!), I thought I'd share some of the ones that just happened to be from Christmas time! The first two are from the annual Christmas Eve party that used to be a HUGE party, but has since turned into just a small family thing over the years. I was exactly two, going on three, and if you will notice in the one with Santa, I'm holding a Beauty and the Beast... something. I think it was a cassette...? I'm not sure.

My older brother is in these as well. Isn't he cute too??


This one is my favorite. For many reasons. One, the sweet Mighty Ducks t-shirt my brother's wearing. Two, I'm being a grumpy-pants. Three, it's Disneyland! And four, there's a Christmas tree in the background. So it's basically the best candid photo EVER! It needs to be in a scrapbook or framed on the wall. It's so great!
All pictures provided by my lovely mum.

Saturday, December 4, 2010

snow day

(From earlier this week when it snowed all day.)