January and the Happs... happenings, that is.

I think the last time I wrote was just shortly after graduation... and now school is underway again! But not for me ^_^

Many people have asked, and I don't mind sounding like a broken record here, but I honestly LOVE being out of school and having very little scheduled on my plate each week.  I'm not even job hunting.  I have been made to feel very guilty and ashamed for admitting that I don't want to be working full time any time soon, because I would rather catch up on the life I missed the last 6 months (especially my new marriage), but I am trying to let those voices fall by the wayside.  I will have my entire life to work full time, and while we can afford it I would really just like to soak up life right now, exactly the way it is.  Got it? Ok.

Christmas came and went and what a lovely time it was.  I actually had time off this year so I was able to go home for an extended period of time and enjoy my family and San Diego, as well as getting much needed quality time with James before he returned to work and was inundated with his usual holiday load.

 

Now that it's the new year I feel like things are already changing, already new, without my even trying.  More and more I get the sense that I am living the life I have always held in the back of my mind, and that is one of the happiest feelings.  I notice it in the little things, like changing the way I dress and wear makeup, or how the light streams in through the bedroom window in the mid-afternoon, or even the way I spend my mornings reading with multiple cups of tea.... It's difficult to put into words but I really just love the way our life is coming together right now.

A week ago I cut off a chunk of my hair and donated it to locks of love; something that was never on my bucket list but which materialized in a moments notice leaving no time for regrets.  My long hair was so disgusting, for lack of a better word; it was damaged, uneven, fried, and lifeless.  I couldn't even get it to hold a curl anymore!  So I traded it in for a versatile short 'do which I am also quite happy about.

The flu AND sinus infection rolled through our little house starting on New Years Day and have claimed us both as victims.  I had never honestly called in sick to work, but this infection had me out for 12 days.  I think I secretly didn't mind, because it gave me an excuse to truly rest for days on end, which, if you know me (/us), that is practically unheard of.  I was so miserably ill that I could hardly take care of myself, let alone house upkeep, and I had to surrender and retreat to my bed with snacks and movies.

January brought more wedding planning for Heather and me, but I was also very delighted to attend the wedding of our dear friends Andy and Lauren Turner.  Their day was so beautiful, I just watched their wedding video yesterday and nearly cried.  It was my first wedding since my own and it was so cool to me to see how they did theirs differently, but to also have the relief of knowing mine is done and never has to be planned ever again!

Recently James also got a promotion at work, making him into one very happy camper.  It never ceases to amaze me how good his company is to their employees, and I have really seen that in the past few months as the holidays came and went.  Most days I'm jealous--I wish my boss would buy me a snuggie and bring me ice cream sandwiches on my birthday!  Either way, I'm very grateful and excited for this new turn in James' career, and I am always so proud of him for how hard he works to give us the life we have.

February means our 6-monthaversary... can you believe we've been married 6 months already?! I can't.  It feels like yesterday, but it also feels like 5 years ago.  It also dawned on me that now being graduated and married, along with a few other personal achievements, I have completed most all of the "second decade" goals that I made for myself post-high school, and have little that I long for.  Perhaps that's what's been morphing my time?

I still swoon every time I gaze at these guys too long.  Love my rings.

Right now a few of my favorite things are:

Daiso is my new favorite store--it is conveniently out by us in Anaheim and it is the cutest little Japanese $1.50 store, but it carries everything and it's NOT junk.  I know our dollar stores tend to carry cheap or generally crappy looking items, but this store sells everything from men's neckties, to women's slipper socks, to a fully stocked electronics section, and the BEST assortment of school/office supplies for those who like to keep it colorful, and it's actually good quality--I tell everyone about it!  I have to force myself to stay away most days, and I think from now on I'm going to start going in carrying only a specific amount of cash.  If you haven't been, or if you are in need of anything, you should definitely try Daiso.  Just off the 5 at Euclid!

 

Vine is a new app that just surfaced, very similar to Instagram but instead of photos it's a feed for 6-second video clips.  There are so many times that I have wished for an app like this, and now that it's here I'm elated.  I know they still have a lot of kinks to iron out but its so fun to make little video clips and also to be saving these snippets of our life.  I smell a complication in the near future...

Foster the People. Everyone knows them for their overplayed, hipster-esque "Pumped Up Kicks" and for this song I had crossed them off my list, labeling them as annoying.  But lately I heard a few more of their songs and I actually have been enjoying them very much.  Great music for cleaning the house ;D

So that's our January, into February we go! Next weekend I am going to my friend Melissa's wedding (not my bridesmaid Melissa, a different one!).  I am secretly really excited because it's my first ever African-American wedding.... did I just say that?! Anyways, I can't wait to witness another beautiful day for some precious friends, and also experience a great dance party! :P  Posts to come!

may your dreams be merry and bright....

This year, to save me from tears, I gave it to someone special...

Part of me feels like apologizing for neglecting this blog recently, but the realistic side of me knows that blogging consistently nowadays is a rare feat.

The past month has been crazy and wonderful at the same time.  Crazy because as the semester was winding down I was struggling to complete my internship hours while balancing working and completing my endless class projects, but wonderful because I am now a college grad. :]  Not too much to comment on about that except that I'm stoked and I am glad to finally be afforded time to catch my breath, enjoy being a newlywed, and truly refocus on the things that are important to me.

My after-finals-week sentiments exactly.

For my Christmas/graduation gift my sweet hubby upgraded me to an iPhone 5, which was perhaps not the smartest thing to do during finals week.  I couldn't tell you what it does (more than the iPhone 4) but I know it's nice to have storage space again, seeing as my old phone had reached its capacity and could hardly take pictures anymore.  The camera on this phone is super spiffy, and I'm sure you'll reap the benefits of that here on my blog, especially since the last time I charged my real camera was on our honeymoon.  :P

Can I just comment on how much I am loving this holiday season? Last year was unfortunate, having to work through the holiday and being depressed as all get out, but this year has been so much more enjoyable and I am embracing it full on.  We put up our tree the week after thanksgiving and we have been playing Christmas music ever since, which is a first for me.  Being on our own has been nice too, because we can decorate and celebrate however we like.  We've even been to a few Christmas parties!  Last weekend we holed up for our first holiday movie of the season, sweetly aided by the lovely rainy weather we've been having.  Even in SoCal, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

This past week was exciting because one of my best friends got engaged.  Heather and I became neighbors when I moved into my apartment in June and since then we have really meshed together.  She has known James for close to 10 years and its always fun for me to listen to them reminisce about times past.  I am excited for what's in store for them and also to participate in the wedding-planning process from a different position this time... ;]

On Thursday James and I get to travel "home" to San Diego to be with my family a bit before returning to LB for the holiday.  I can't believe how quickly Christmas creeped up this year, but I suppose that just means 2013 is coming even sooner, and oh how I am looking forward to next year! 2012 has been good to me, probably the best yet, but I know 2013 is going to be a year of even more change for us, which is always exciting.  

More updates to come, check back soon!

The Holidays are Upon Us

Confession: Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and while I am extremely thankful for my many blessings, this may or may not be my least favorite holiday.  I think it started with the fact that I don't really like turkey (or stuffing, or cranberries, or giblets, or pie) and compiling that with being made to watch football all day, it's just not my ideal.  Of course I still eat and of course I enjoy my numerous tryptophan-induced naps, but my favorite thing about Thanksgiving is the fact that it signals the start of the CHRISTMAS holiday season!  I don't know why I get so excited about that one, probably something having to do with classical conditioning at a young age, associating this time of year with presents (which for a young child is just the top of the tops), but I am ALL ready for tree-decorating with my husband tomorrow night... :P

Speaking of husband, I can't believe it has been almost an entire month since his birthday! His birthday is usually the day that signals the start to "our" holidays, and this year was followed closely by the election, halloween, veteran's day, and numerous other family birthdays.  I tried to convince him to go to the Stinking Rose, which is a lovely restaurant in LA that specializes in....garlic (we LOVE garlic and using way-too-much garlic in our dishes), but he only desired an afternoon in and to cook dinner for some of our close friends.  So that was that...

James would much rather have a waffle and bacon birthday cake over anything else... Hence :]  

Happy 24th, my love!

I can't believe we have been married almost four months now...time really does fly. I can't put into words the type of change that takes place but I see it when I look back and I see it when I hang out with old friends.  We've been so busy over here--I graduate in 1 month!!--but amidst the busyness we are still having so much fun.  This year I am so thankful for James, for our tiny home together, for our close friends who have stuck with us and encouraged us every step of the way, and ultimately for our heavenly father who has done more in our life together than we could have ever done on our own.

We like it here under our rock.

This year has been quite different for me, in regards to years before and especially any other election year.  James and I don't have a working TV let alone cable, so we haven't seen a wink of the debates, or any other political or national news for that matter.  I don't watch any of the TV shows that you post about and I have no idea who all these new celebrities are.  I didn't have cable when I lived with the Post's last year either soooo make that 2 years without TV now.  How do we manage?  Well in all honesty we just always have better things to do with our time.  I'm not saying that in any attempt to sound pretentious, but really, TV does little to edify a person (all I hear is bitterness!) and I feel like there are always more constructive ways to spend a morning or an evening.  This will definitely be an interesting election seeing as we will have no coverage of it and we'll most likely receive all of our news from reading other people's Facebook outrage, so we are counting on all of you!  Post good stuff!