I live in Paradise- I wish I could just remember that everyday!

You know I always hate to pay rent, I always hate to fill up the car, I hate that I can't work on my cars, I hate the cost of food, clothes, etc., etc.. Then a day like today comes along- December 24th- right in the middle of winter, Christmas Eve, source of so many songs ("White Christmas," "Rockin' around the Christmas Tree," "Jingle Bells"), longing of snow- and yet as I went to work I noticed that crystal blue sky and the need to wear sunglasses. PARADISE! Sun, 75, costal breeze, not a cloud in the sky, palm trees swaying, beaches filled with people, PARADISE. Yeah it sucks in the day when I have to look out the window and see the great weather I miss working in the lab, but its days like today when everyone I know is enduring blizzards and ice, and I am in shorts and flip-flops and happy as can be. Just goes to show you happiness CAN be bought, you just have to be able to afford to live in San Diego, and hopefully have time to enjoy it.
Fortunately for me I have a few days off and I fully intend to enjoy the very thing that Alicia and I take for granted.
The other great part about paradise: New traditions to be formed: Yup you heard it here first- Lish and I have a new Christmas tradition (well technically a Christmas Eve tradition) Wienerschnitzel for Christmas Eve dinner. Yup chili dogs and $0.99 chili cheese fries burritos (don't ask, they're just great), wash it all down with a cold Dew Float. Best part about it? All enjoyed while staring at the setting sun, while wearing shorts, hoodies, and flip-flops. Yup only in paradise can you start Christmas traditions that involve shorts, flip-flops, and hoodies.
Oh and for all of you who are enjoying the snow: Merry Christmas, and enjoy the cold!

Christmas in San Diego

Okay...so Christmas in San Diego is not quite the same as it is in Utah. For one, there's no snow. But we've been able to start some traditions of our own, being here for the second year in a row without family. So yesterday I baked. I made some awesome sugar cookies. I'm a sucker for soft cookies and I found a recipe last year that puts every other sugar cookie recipe to shame. Anyway...we had Jason and Elise over to play some Wii and gratefully, Elise helped me to decorate the million and a half cookies I baked.



Last year, we finally got our own real sized Christmas tree. Last year we were fortunate enough to have my parents here to decorate it with us, but this year it was up to us, and so naturally, it took a little longer. But Chris's parents this year got us a tree skirt to match our Mickey and Minnie stocking we got last year. Here are some pictures of our final tree this year:

Hmm...tagged?

So I'm new to this whole tagged thing...and since I don't know anybody besides Dave and Kristin with a blog...it won't go beyond me...but here goes...

Five things I was doing ten years ago...

1.) Getting good grades

2.) Running track and cross country

3.) Heart attacking friends (don't ask)

4.) Doing my homework

5.) I don't remember anything else (I was very boring...)

Five things on my to-do list today...

1.) Take more pictures

2.) Post on my blog more

3.) Keep in touch more with old friends

4.) Not get called as Relief Society President

5.) Not get sick from kids anymore

Five snacks I enjoy...

1.) Frito Lay Munchies Cheese Fix....can't get enough...

2.) Chex Mix Chocolate Peanut Butter

3.) Fresh fruit ( grapes, apples, oranges, just about anything)

4.) Apple Crisp

5.) Loaded Baked Potato Pringles

Five things I would do if I were a billionaire...

1.) Buy Chris a HUGE garage so he could bang on cars when he got stressed

2.) Buy my parents a house with massive amounts of land

3.) Buy Chris's parents a house with a home for all of their cars

4.) Buy myself a house that I would never have to leave

5.) Buy Chris and I a lifetime membership to Disneyland and join Club 33

Three of my bad habits...

1.) Biting my nails

2.) not picking up my messes

3.) Not picking up Chris's messes

Five places I have lived...

1.) Colorado Springs, CO

2.) North Ogden, UT

3.) Logan, UT

4.) La Jolla, CA (Yeah, its kinda part of San Diego, but otherwise I wouldn't have 5)

5.) San Diego, CA

Five jobs I've had...

1.) Landscaper (okay so I pulled weeds and mowed lawns)

2.) Assembly-line worker

3.) Receptionist

4.) Assistant Center Director

5.) Preschool teacher

Five things people probably don't know about me...

1.) I'm a master of Lego Star Wars

2.) I'm addicted to my Nintendo DS

3.) I like to cook, especially bake, but never do cause I hate to clean up

4.) Disneyland is my favorite place to be besides home (my apartment)

5.) I love to go on long bike rides, but again, never do, because I'm lazy

So that's it. And since no one else reads my blog or has one of their own, I'll not be tagging anyone this time around...and anyone who reads this needs to get a blog!!!

Little Help from Our Friends...

I'd like to shout out to all who take the time to read and send us/me feedback on the blog- it's the only way that I can convince Lish to keep posting to it. As a New Years resolution I intend to try and post a ramble at least once a week- usually it will resemble a rant (just on a smaller scale). Sometimes I'll post up what I'm playing in the Video Game realm...OR I may even post up a bit of my research- but only, only if you promise to behave. Otherwise, I'll turn this post around and go home. So please, if you are a visitor- frequent or not, feel free to post up in our comments- be heard. Just know that if you flame or spam me I will hunt you down and force you to do things that will make your mother and children cry - most of them involve having to play THIS GAME (btw- gotta love any game that gets that good of a review).

So thanks for the support and hope to see you around.

Chris