Aspirations

As 2009 ends, I'm already making plans for 2010. While I feel like I'm a totally awesome person, everyone can use a little polishing right? If you read my sister's blog, then you've perused her post about New Year's resolutions.

Anyway, I'm going to do a similar deal where I report back on my progress on the 1st of each month. This way my butt's on the line, and you guys can help keep me straight.

Plans:

• Do Power 90 at least 2 times a week (Let's not get crazy...)
• Read my scriptures regularly
• Write at least a page a week in my book
• Start a book.
• Be a better pen pal to friends on missions
• Be a harder worker, as posted about before.
  

They all seem fairly manageable, I'm going to do this people. I am woman hear me ROAR!!

Truth

Via logophilia

Word.

Best Day Ever

What a babe!

On this day, an undisclosed amount of years ago, my mother was born. Ever since then, she's been raising hell. Haha, just kidding. But no, really...

She's the kind of mom that I'm sure made other kids jealous. For years Katie was convinced she only had friends because they wanted to come over and hang out with our mom.

As you've all probably figured out by now, I like to list things. It helps me get all my thoughts out, so here's another list...

The Top 15 Reasons Marti Wallwork is the Coolest & Most Awesome Mom Ever:

1. Her cousin is Robbie Benson, the guy that does the voice of the Beast from Beauty and the Beast.
2. She collects leather-bound books because she loves the smell.
3. Her eyes sparkle when she laughs, it's kind of pretty.
4. She has always stood up for us, especially against loser middle school vice principles.
5. Have you seen her shoes?
6. Her jewelery collection is pretty great too.
7. She taught me how to play backgammon with her.
8. She taught me how to make delicious spaghetti.
9. She laughs at my jokes.
10. She believes entirely in my genius, or in the fact that I have a genius.
11. She's funny.
12. She takes us chalk tagging.
13. She suggests we go chalk tagging.
14. She's funny.
15. She loves me.
    

Check out that killer skirt she's wearing as she holds that chub a lub (aka ME)

She's entirely too good for me, but I feel honored to even live in the same house as her when I come home. She does so much that I'm shocked she hasn't been nominated for something. She is easily the strongest person I know. Live it up Mom, it's your birthday today!

Growing Up

My chin in the bottom right pic looks lumpy. Don't ask.

I'm kind of a lazy person. That whole , "never put off for tomorrow, what can be done today" nonsense has never flown with me. I'm all about putting off what can be done today for tomorrow.

Sure I do what's necessary to get by. I do my laundry when my jeans are dirty enough to stand up by themselves and I am completely out of underwear, and there is no money in the bank to go out and buy more.

I do the dishes when the faucet becomes unreachable because of all the crap in the sink.

I pick up my bedroom when it starts to look like a bomb went off. I'm sure if you were to move my pile of dirty clothes, you would find Osama Bin Laden, the perfect man, or some other elusive creature hiding out. It. Gets. Bad.

I'm also horrible about keeping in touch with people. I have a hard time maintaining a relationship with people when we live in the same town, let alone in another state.

I suck at writing letters to people. My good friend, Coop, has been on a mission for over a year, and I have written him once. My roommate, Beth, is serving in Russia and I have yet to send words to her. I'm horrible! If I write the letter, then I don't have stamps. Or if I have stamps, I don't have time to write the letter. It's a vicious cycle. Things just seem to get in the way. I always rationalize this problem by saying " they have other friends writing to them."

But they don't have other friends named Kristi Wallwork writing them, and I'm the only one they got. Sad as I may be, I like to think that I have a little somethin somethin to offer people.

As I've been home for Christmas break this year, I've had the opportunity to serve my mother, who's been ill recently. You can bet growing up that it was harder than all get out to get me to do anything. I pretty much did, and do, whatever I want. What kid in their right mind wants to scrub the bathroom, or do the dishes?

But being able to help my mom I found that a little hard work isn't a bad thing. I've cleaned the kitchen many times this past week, and I appreciate how quickly it gets dirty again, and that's without little kids in the house.

The effort to keep ones' house clean is endless. I find that I'm still able to abide by some mess, but I start to feel guilty for some reason, if I'm laying in bed in the morning and the kitchen is dirty. It's a new development I'm not sure I like.

With the new year approaching, I'm getting an early start on my resolutions. I'm going to be a harder worker. I'll keep you posted folks!

Birthday Boy

Happy birthday to my pops who turned 48 this year!!

We haven't always gotten along, but I love him and I wouldn't want anyone else.

Things to Love About Keith Landell Wallwork:

1. He's ticklish.
2. He's a Nascar fanatic. Which works out great because those commentators never shut up, perfect for a blind man.
3. He calls me Johnny.
4. The guy at Weinerschnitzel thought he looked like John Candy, so he would give us free fries.
5. He laughs the loudest at his own jokes, even if no one else is laughing.
6. He has a sum total of 2 jokes that he tells over and over. The majority of us know what they are, and how innapr0priate they are.
7. He loves his family.
8. He loves Peanut Crunch from See's (Me too).
9. He works hard to give my family what we need.
10. He kind of laughs like a baboon, but it's a good thing.

I love you dad! Happy birthday old man!

I'll Be Home for Christmas

Packing up the last little bit and getting ready to hit the road. I have to finish selling my books back and we'll be good to go.

Fall semester 09 is officially over. Time for some legit caramel corn and Christmas treats! I can't wait to be back in California for a much needed break!!

<3

Our small, kind of pathetic looking tree...

I love Christmas trees.

The lights.

The smell.

The presents nestled underneath (hehe).

It's one of my most favorite parts about Christmas. I love to see the ornaments and bows arranged just right. It represents history. Each year we add new ornaments and our history grows.

My absolute favorite part about having a Christmas tree is to sit and stare at the lights. To sit in a dark room, with all the lights off, only candles flickering along side the jewel-toned glow coming off the tree. Carols playing in the background, a soundtrack to my inner thoughts.

The opportunity to just soak in everything, touches me. To have the chance to sit with my musings and reflect on my life and the things that I have been given, on the friends and family that I have.

I feel at peace, a peace that I only feel once a year at Christmas. Relish it folks, its stay is far too short.

My home tree kicks the crap out of my apartment tree.

Luke 2

Each year there are things that we always follow during the holiday season. We make caramel corn(that's another post entirely), we bake nut butter balls, we hang the candy cane count down, we get new pajamas on Christmas Eve, and we read Luke 2 before a roaring fire with all the candles lit.

I enjoy this part of Christmas, reading about the birth of our Savior. Whilst reading we stop at the appropriate places and sing corresponding Christmas carols. They are always off-key, and occasionally someone will start singing the wrong song, and mess the rest of the group up.

But no matter what, the purpose has been served, to recognize the birth of our savior. Funny story about Katie, we were in Young Women's (church program) once during the Christmas season, and our leaders asked us what some of our favorite holiday traditions were. We went around the class, and when it was my turn I replied that I liked that my family read the story of Christ's birth in Luke every year. Katie immediately looked at me and asked, "We do?".

It made me laugh, because for as long as I can remember we have done that. It's always been important to my family and it is a tradition that I want to continue when I start my own.

Cinnamon Rolls

Somewhere along the way I got this crazy idea in my head that every Christmas morning my family has cinnamon rolls.

I remember it.

My family swears that I made it up, as they don't remember. That may be so, but if we didn't have them before, we do now. Every year since then, family members have stepped in to help me make my cinnamon rolls. My aunt Pat, my Grandma, my mother...

These tasty treats are just a part of Christmas that I love. After ripping open all your presents and exclaiming and seeing the joy on everyone's faces, it's nice to refresh yourself with a hot roll and an ice cold glass of O.j.

Oh, how I look forward to it...

(Good) Ghost of Christmas Past

Love him!

Since Christmas is my favorite time of year, I want to look back on my favorite holiday memories and share them with you.

So throughout the month of December, I will be writing down my favorite holiday happenings from my life. I want to relive the spirit of them all and get amped for this year's season.

My Brown Teddy Bear Stocking
This object is intrinsically tied to my Christmas experience. With his black eyes and nose, wearing a Santa hat, he always offered unknown treasure. After all the presents were unwrapped and the gifts given out, my brown teddy bear stocking still had vast depths that I had not yet plundered.

Inside there would be candy. Mostly chocolate, but occasionally hard candies and a candy cane. Most of the time there was nail polish and fun hair things. And gift cards. Always gift cards. For months after Christmas is over, he's sat on my nightstand, serving as my candy receptacle. Offering me a nightly sweet before drifting off to slumber.

I loved looking at that stocking all year. I see him and I think of Christmas morning. I think of ripped wrapping paper and a roaring fire. I think of bed head and morning breath and the crisp air on a just awoken body. This bear is as much a part of Christmas to me as a tree is.

My mom always asks me if I want the toy soldier stocking, or the brown teddy bear. I reply the same way every year, " The brown teddy bear one. Always."

**I'll post a picture of my well-loved friend when I get home for break**

My favorite part about winter in Idaho...

watching people fall on the ice. :)