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. :)