Today is New Years Eve, which means that tomorrow is New Years Day, and 2011. I don't feel like something super big is happening though... I just feel like tomorrow is Saturday, just another day. I guess I'm a little preoccupied.

We got word that our loan documents were ready yesterday... And probably could have closed today, except for that the title company's office is closed because it's kinda like a "holiday" I guess. So- I'm a little bummed about that because 1) we didn't get to close in 2010 which means we won't get the tax break. And 2) we didn't close while I was on break from school- which would have made moving super convenient. We're anticipating getting our keys in the first half of next week, which means that we'll probably move in next weekend.

I'm pretty excited to start classes next week. I'm really starting to favor the quarter system, it feels like I'm making progress faster.

Today is actually turning out to be pretty busy- got to meet up with my friend, Sam, for coffee, then going to pick up John, then we have to take our cat to the vet because of the possibility of tape worm (barf! I am so grossed out that my cat has tape worm!), then get ready for Johns gig tonight... Then we can finally relax at home.

So anyway, cheers to the new year. I hope it's great.

Here's some pics from 2010

While I'm Sipping My Coffee... an update

You know what? There is a whole list of blogs to the right, of my friends and family... and only a fraction of that list actually updates on a regular basis! I'm so eager to log in and see that there are new posts... and there hardly ever is! Come people! Entertain me!

Anyway... keeping it low key today. Daphne and I will venture out into the land of retail to see if we can handle some exchanges. Other than that, I will try to work on some belated Christmas gifts... *cringe* I'm hoping it will go faster than I'm anticipating.

Also, John is bound and determined to get into our house by the end of this week! We'll see how THAT turns out. On the 23rd of December, we received a HUGE list of requests from underwriting. We are submitting all that today, and if we don't get anything else back from underwriting, we could close any day!

As for how our Christmas went.... AWESOME! I have to say that we were COMPLETELY spoiled! In all seriousness, I think we received packages everyday for two weeks prior to Christmas. I saw the same UPS delivery man three days in a row. It's so incredibly nice to know that we have so many family members who think of us!

Christmas gift highlights

Daphne: Santa brought Daphne a guinea pig! It was so cute to wake up to Daphne saying "Santa came! And he brought me a guinea pig!" I have never woken up from a dead sleep like that and have to instantly spring out of bed. It was super nice that Daphne didn't even wake up until 8:30 too. We got Daphne a Leapster 2 and a toy story game. Daphne was introduced to Barbies (!) from her Mimi and Grandma Olsen. I had to really convince her that Barbies are fun. She didn't really understand it until I sat down with her and opened all the packages. Only a few minutes into it and I was pretty involved myself, changing all the dolls clothes several times. Ah, memories. She also got some cute pajamas and a gymnastics outfit from her Grandma Susie, a tea set from John's cousins girlfriend, Mai-Linh.... and tons of other stuff- I can't even remember it all.

John: Santa filled John's stocking with all kinds of goodies! He also got a guitar tuner, power tools, a super nice dress shirt and tie, gift cards, and a framed Beatles picture.

Me: Santa filled me stocking with jeans from Urban Outfitters :), I also got these boots that I asked for on my blog- with no actual intention of receiving! I got a cookbook, cast iron pot, cutco peeler (that is AMAZING), Toms shoes, and an AMAZING hand knitted cowl!



I already made rolls for Christmas dinner out of this cookbook, and they turned out pretty good!

We spent the day playing with our new toys, and I spent a majority of the day cooking dinner. This year we had Christmas Eve at Lydias which consisted of a Ham, twice baked potatoes and veggies. OMG- the ham and potatoes were SO good! It's making me want to make a huge spiral cut ham AGAIN! We spent Christmas dinner at our house, and I cooked up a 21 pound turkey that Lydia got for free from the supermarket. It turned out pretty good. We had a handful of sides to go with it, as well as a German Apple Strudel for dessert. We spent the night hanging out and playing games. Good times!

I hope that everyone's Christmas went well... and that those who were on my list received our Christmas cards, they were supposed to have extra postage on them because they were 5x5, and somehow ended up with regular stamps on them. We've had two returned to us, but from what I understand, some ARE making it to their destinations.

Cookies. Again!

How come, for me, when a recipe says it will make 3 dozen cookies it always makes far less than that? I came up with 23. And these are not enormous cookies or anything. They are actually quite small. Oh well.

John and I had a little discussion last night. I made sugar cookies in Christmas shapes for the Holidays, AND to leave for out Santa. Because, you know, Santa likes Christmasy cookies. John promptly told me that you are supposed to leave out CHOCOLATE CHIP cookies for Santa. I have never heard of that, have you? Not to argue against making more cookies- especially chocolate chip- it went on my to do list for this evening. Only thing was, I did not have any butter, and I did not want to make a special trip to the store for butter. SOOOOO... realizing I had Crisco, I went to Crisco's website and used their chocolate chip cookie recipe! And they are pretty darn good!

Now Santa can a little variety. Mmmmm I can't wait til Christmas Eve!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Beer Drama

The other day, I went to the store for the usual grocery run. I decided to pick up a 6 pack of Pyramid Apricot Ale.

During the colder months, it's more of the norm to go the route of something a little darker, heavier, or sharper in taste. After a while, you just need a break. I LOVE Pyramid's Apricot Ale. It's so light, and flavorful. It's a pretty easy beer to like, and I don't usually go for the easy beers. I usually like something that requires a little more effort. BUT on this particular day, I decided to go for it. And I was excited to go home and have an apricot ale with dinner. So I place the 6 pack in my cart, paid for my groceries, load up the car, drive to John's office, pick him up and head home. John was on an important call and decided to sit and the car and finish it up. Idecided to be wonder woman and carry 3 large bag of groceries in at the same time. However, when I grabbed the bags and pulled them out of the car, it knocked out one of my apricot ales to the asphalt where it shattered. And my beer fizzled into nothingness. :( What a bummer- I thought. Only 6 beers, now one of them is gone. I grumbled inside where I set my now FIVE pack of apricot ale on the counter- where I was now in the light- and saw that one of the remaining beers was a PYRAMID SNOW CAP WINTER WARMER!

Publish PostHow I did not see that in the grocery store, I don't know. These are the days of my life. I cannot STAND it when some jerk switches around beer 6 packs. If you want a sampler pack, buy a sampler pack. Anyway, out of 6 desired Apricot Ales... I was left with 4.

Hair & Cookies... But not together...

I swear- I always want what I can't/don't have. A few months ago I started wanting blonde hair. And every time I saw a chick with blonde hair, I wanted my hair to be THAT color. So I went my hair stylist and told her to give me Jennifer Anistons hair color. I love Jennifer Aniston

Look at her hair! And her perfect hair line! Actually, when I was gushing over Jennifer Aniston to my hair stylist, she told me that she ACTUALLY went to a seminar or something about hair... or something like that... that was TAUGHT by some dude who used to do Jennifer Aniston's hair all the time. And he said that her hair is hella full of fake hair to make it look thicker!

Anyway, HERE is my hair before I got it lightened....

September

October

November

It was ok... it's just that it was ALWAYS a little too orangy for me. My hair is extremely prone to turning red, so when it's lightened it turns orange.

Here's me back to my good old self.

And I'm wearing my apron because I have spent the afternoon making cookies!!!

And they are SO good. We'll be keeping a few, but giving away the rest. And let me tell you- you people who are getting some are LUUUUUCKY!

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

California is DOOMED!

Being born and raised in California, I find this very interesting:

On MSN this morning I see that the 2010 census results are in, pegging California as the most populous state with 37,253,956 documented residents. And lets be honest people, this is California. How many undocumented residents do you think are hiding around down there?

Not that I care.

Yeah, that traffic is a bummer. Don't worry, for most residents they are close enough to get away from it all and relax on the beach.

Now, kinda not surprising that California has the most residents. But I find myself asking "WHY???" Why would you want to live in California? Especially southern California? We'll start with the most recent and current event: the flooding.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

I know this is really horrible for all the people who have suffered during this storm, and know that this type of weather is very out of place for southern California and is kind of an isolated event. But when things happen like this, especially right after other isolated events- like the 2009 California forest fires, it no doubt begins to pile up.

Consider the economical impact things like this have on California's ever increasing budget crisis.

Then there's the smog and CO2 emissions.

Don't really need to say anything else about that.

I know this is kind of all over the place, and no state is perfect. But I just sit and wonder why so many people flock to California.

Here's my final word on this topic: The San Andreas fault. Not just because of the earthquakes, but because this transverse fault is causing the Pacific plate to move in a north westerly direction. It is at a very slow rate, but over time the very south west portion of southern California WILL eventually DETACH from the rest of California.

At least that's what everyone says.