It's the most wonderful time of the year...

Our traditional Christmas Eve socks, slippers, and PJ's. After PJ's my mom reads the family a Christmas book (it's different every year). This year we also started the tradition of eating mom's homemade apple pie while she reads to us. It's a great tradition.
My cute mom. She rarely leaves the kitchen around Christmas time.

Opening stockings Christmas morning.

The 9 foot Christmas tree (which is actually about 13 feet because it sits on a huge box).

Lindi and Chloe (in her new Christmas sweater).

Cody, my cutie-petutie brother.

Jack and Grandpa.

Christmas was awesome, and everyone made a haul! I got a bunch of stuff for my new house!!! Thanks mom, Dad, and Heidi!!!!

An attitude of gratitude

I am continually amazed at how blessed I am. Really, I don't understand it, and I don't know how or why I could possibly deserve it. Ever since I got my job as a Social Worker, and have been able to see how much Satan has ruined the lives of children, adults, and families as a whole, I have grown a greater appreciation for my parents and the wonderful people that they are. Obviously, like everyone, they are not perfect, but their amazing example of living the Gospel and constantly trying to do what is right and honest has been the biggest influence and blessing in my life. I know that I will never truly know or understand how many sacrifices they have made for me and my siblings, but I want them to know I love them and am thankful for them!

In church on Sunday (it was the Christmas program) a man stood up, and before he sang he talked about family and friends and the Christmas Season. He challenged us to not wait till tomorrow, but to tell our family and loved ones how much we care about them. It was really beautiful. I love my family so much, they are my closest friends, and my biggest supporters. I love you guys!

As I look back on my life I can see how the Lord has literally carried me along my path. He is my everything, and I am so thankful for his perfect plan, which enables me to have true joy, and to forever be with my family.

When the latest Conference addition came I was reading the talks from the Priesthood Session when I found a quote that will now be a favorite forever. Elder Richard G. Scott quoted President Hinckley, who said: "Of all the creations of the Almighty, there is none more inspiring than a lovely daughter of God who walks in virtue with an understanding of why she should do so, who honors and respects her body as a thing sacred and divine, who cultivates her mind and enlarges the horizon of her understanding, who nurtures her spirit with everlasting truth".

I am trying everyday to be that woman, although I may sometimes come short, I know that with the Savior as my guide I will never go astray.

Merry Christmas everyone, I love you!

Homeowner? Part 2

So, remember how a few posts ago I talked about putting an offer in on a house, and then the next day found out that there had already been an accepted offer put in? Well...I found out last week that the guys financing had fallen through! His misfortune is my gain because I put in an offer on Friday and heard back today that they accepted it!!! I am going to be a homeowner! I am so excited!

The house is 2 minutes away from my family, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, built in 2003, and so cute! I am going to put updates in it like tile in the bathrooms and kitchen, new carpet in the bedrooms, put an island in the kitchen, and cute shutters and scallops on the outside. It is going to be so stinkin' cute...and mine!

My nephews are cuter than yours. Sorry.

Laura and I with Tater-Tot at one of Cody's football games.
Jack.

Jack, Tate, and I

Jack and Great-Grandma at his "construction" party.

Brothers on Halloween.

Gingerbread Houses

Laura and I making our Gingerbread House.

Heidi and Cody.

The finished products.


My family started a new tradition this year, the day after Thanksgiving we will all make Gingerbread houses together. It was fun, and I am now displaying the one that Laura and I made together in my apartment. Heidi and Cody's is the more colorful one. Laura and I chose to go with coconut "snow" for most of our landscaping. I'm not sure where Lindi was during all of this...

I need botox...

For my job I have to do a lot of home visits to see the foster kids on my caseload. Usually I start the visit by talking with the foster parent and the child; the foster parent will update me on anything going on with the kid, doctors appointments, therapy, school, behaviors, etc. After I talk to the foster parent, I then talk to the child alone, to see how things are going. I'm guessing this policy comes from the fact that if your foster parent was beating the crap out of you, the child wouldn't tell me in front of the foster parent. I don't know, that's just a guess.

So, after I was done talking to the foster parent (who are actually his Aunt and Uncle) I started talking with my kid, alone. I usually try and talk to them about what is going on in their life, and if they have anything exciting going on. This particular kiddo is 9. Our conversation went like this:

Me: So, what are you excited about right now?

Kiddo: I am excited to turn 18, because then I will get all of my PFD's from my Aunt and Uncle(for those of you who don't live in Alaska, the "PFD" is the "free" money we get every year, just for being awesome Alaskans).

Me: Wow, I didn't get my PFD's till I turned 22.

Kiddo: How old are you right now?

Me: How old do you think I am?

Kiddo: 32?

Me: No.

Kiddo: 40?


Wow. I am actually going to be 24 on the 31st. I have to go, I am heading to Wal-Mart to buy some anti-wrinkle cream.

Thought for the day

I just love this. Thats all.

"It isn’t as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out. Don’t worry. I say that to myself every morning. It will all work out. Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. The Lord will not forsake us. He will not forsake us. If we will put our trust in Him, if we will pray to Him, if we will live worthy of his blessings, He will hear our prayers." -Gordon B. Hinckley.

Healthy life choices

I am laying on the couch, watching the Biggest Loser Finale, after eating a huge cinnamon-roll-dinner. How could I NOT feel good about myself right now?

Sore muscles and awkward situations

I had a massage this week. Doctors orders, of course. Let me tell you, it was Amazazing! At first I felt a little weird because the person giving me a massage was a short, middle-aged man. I don't know, there is something about being naked on a bed, in front of a guy, only separated by a sheet, that is just weird. But, after the massage started, I quickly got over my apprehension. I have another scheduled for next week. Maybe, if the guy is lucky, I will actually shave my legs beforehand. I'm just feeling that generous right now. Must be the Christmas season.

My white trash apartment complex

Dear Lady in #2,

I am writing you this letter after much contemplation. Although I do not want to be an annoying neighbor, I must point out the MANY things that you have done to irritate me. After reading this, do not feel free to write me back.

I first became aware of you when I moved into this apartment (about 4 months ago). It was early in the morning, around 8am, and the cutest little 4 year old boy had just run outside (from the complex, I believe he lives in #4) and was shouting at his parents "Come on! Come on! Come on!" It was at that moment that I heard you yell from your bedroom window, "Shut up!!!". I mean, seriously? Who does that?

My second encounter with you was approximately 2 months ago. You had just gotten home from somewhere (lets say work) and you were talking on the phone and walking towards the building. It was at that exact moment that you dropped your phone (and I am assuming you broke it) and began shouting, "F***!!! F***ing F***!!!". And, as you made your way up the stairs you screamed one final, "F***!!".

The final reason for you completely and utterly pissing me off happened just this last Sunday. I was laying in bed, sleeping, and I am guessing that you were attempting to as well. There was a dog barking every now and then across the street, when all of a sudden I heard you scream, "Shut your F***ing dog up!!!". If I was that dog owner, I would have started kicking my dog, just so he would bark more.

Thank you for listening to the reasons why you have thoroughly annoyed the fecal matter out of me.

Sincerely,
Your loving neighbor :)

P.S. One last question. Why did you feel that your Dodge Neon needed a personalized license plate with your name on it? I'm honestly just wondering. Do you think my Ford Focus could sport a personalized plate?

P.P.S. Please don't slash my tires.

Touched by an Angel

I literally had the best day of my life today. Why? Because I went to the Chiropractor (I was a chiropractic virgin) and I am pretty sure she changed my life. Dead serious, people. I have had some minor back problems since I was in High School, but never felt like they were bad enough to do anything about. In the last year I have been suffering from bad headaches and an aching neck every single day. It is pretty much the most debilitating thing I have ever experienced. I was sick of being in pain and I remembered my friend's mom had talked about the "best Chiropractor" she had ever been to, and I decided to try it out.


As I sat in the waiting room today I had to fill out some papers describing where my pain was, how much it hurt, etc. As I was filling them out I started looking around at all of the people who were there and started second guessing if I should actually be there. I'm not even kidding, the people in the waiting room could barely even walk. Literally, I almost walked out, except they already took a copy of my license and insurance card, so I was pretty much stuck.

As I met with the Doctor I started telling her how other doctors have never really acknowledged my headaches, and one of them actually had the nerve to nonchalantly ask me if I thought I had a brain tumor?! Hello! You're the doctor, you tell me! So, after telling her everything, she did an exam on me and basically told me that the muscles in my neck and back are ridiculously tight (A.K.A. my body sucks) and most of the headaches are probably tension headaches and due to the fact that I sleep on my stomach. Do you want to know why I sleep on my stomach? It's basically the only comfortable position to sleep in. Everybody knows this.

Also, she "aligned" or "adjusted" or something like that, my body. Oh. My. Goodness. It felt so amazing! Not only that, I seriously love her because I have a prescription for a massage this Wednesday and next Tuesday, before I meet with her again!

My new obsession: Chiropractors.

Cruise!

About to board the ship! Jami was sad because she couldn't find her passport and had to use her birth cert.
Towel animals are fun.

I consumed an average of 12,000 calories per day (or was it per hour)?

I believe that this is us attempting to be sexy...or creepy.

Ready to go dancing!

The girls on formal night (Katie, Jami, Julia, Me, Heather, and Lauren).

Formal night.

Second Formal night.

With some break dancers that were on the ship.

The faces we use to pick up guys. Works every time.

Just showin off my massive muscles, that's all.

Not even kidding, I found this HUGE underwear underneath my bed on the last day of the trip. I thought it was one of the guys' that we were with. Turns out, it wasn't. I ran out of clean underwear and wore that home.

Grand Cayman

In Grand Cayman we went snorkeling on a reef and then the boat took us to stingray city, where tons of stingrays were just swimming all around us! One of the guides had me hold a huge one! It was so sweet, but I was scared to death that it was going to do me in like it did the Crocodile Hunter.

This is at a beach that we went to after our snorkeling and stingray excursion. Oh, and this is us being models. Obviously.
Jami and I on the boat taking us to the snorkeling reef.
Craig and I jumping in!
Swimming with a Stingray.

Muah, snorkeling.

Soft Sand.

My artistic photography. This crab was actually dead. But it looks alive, doesn't it?

Shopaholism is genetic...

So, I try not to watch too much TV, but the other night on MTV there was a show that I couldn't miss. It was called True Life: I'm a Shopaholic. The main reason I watched is because I was seriously fearful that I may have a problem. Turns out, I'm safe. Those girls were crazy! One girl would leave in the middle of a date just to go buy something! Let me tell you, if I was lucky enough to be on a date, I definitely would not leave it early! Also, they had maxed out ridiculous amounts of credit cards, and would buy clothes instead of paying bills. I am not that bad, by any means. I do blame my SMALL shopping problem on one individual though...my Dad. For example, here is the conversation I had with my father on Black Friday (for you ignorant fools, Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving. A.K.A. The biggest shopping day of the year).

Dad: Holly, did you buy my Christmas present yet?

Me: Um, er, well...no.

Dad: Ok, I went through all of the ads that were in the newspaper yesterday and I have compiled a list of everything that I want (Dad showing me a list of 20-30 items). I have also cut out the ads of the items I want and written on them what store they are at. So, which one do you want to buy me?

Me: What about it being a surprise?

Dad: Well, you have to pick one now because whatever you don't buy me, I am just going to go and buy myself.

Me: (Reaching for an ad) I guess I will take this one.

Dad: And you have to go buy it today because they are all on sale, and if it's not on sale, I don't want it.

My Dad is an amazing shopper, I just keep trying to live up to that! Also, when he opens presents he will ask where we got it, usually we will say something like, "Wal-Mart". He will then respond, "I saw it cheaper at Costco, I'm taking this back". Oh, how I love my father!

shop·a·hol·ic (shŏp'ə-hô'lĭk, -hŏl'ĭk) Pronunciation Key n. A person who shops compulsively or very frequently.

Honduras

I have been so slow at posting the pics from my vacation, that's why I have only done one post at a time. Honduras was definitely my favorite port. It was so gorgeous. It was by far the most depressed area, but everything was so beautiful there, especially the beach!

The crew on the way to the beach in Roatan, Honduras.

Us

The amazing beach
Heather, Me, Jami

My favorite picture.

Checkin out the goods.

Our "tradition" for each beach (I know, we're mature).

Dancers that welcomed us off the boat.

Jami on the left, Heather in the back, and Me on the right with some adorable kids that were playing in the alley.

Belize

Belize was the third Port that we went to. Half of the people that we went with were certified to Scuba dive, so while they were scuba diving, we set off to find an excursion of our own.

Belize.

The second you step off the cruise ship you are bombarded by people trying to sell you excursions. Jami had heard about an excursion where you can go cave tubing and zip-lining, so we were on a search for that specific excursion.

Mike, Heather, Craig, Me, and Jami. This is us right before cave-tubing. It was a 20-30 minute hike through the rain forest, then you get in the water with an inner tube and a guide took us through all of these amazing caves. It was awesome!
After the cave tubing, our guide took us to a place where they have 8 (I think) zip-lines. This is Jami and I getting ready.

Right before my first zip-lining experience (notice how the hat makes my head look skinny and attractive).

The view from one of the zip-lines.

The end of the day at Belize. We had to ride small boats back to the ship because the water was not deep enough for the ship to dock at port.