Ok, Jared and I are not reality tv people – AT ALL! We stick more to shows like 30 Rock, Community, Glee and stuff. But last night we stumbled upon the last 20 min of The Bachelor. OMG, was it captivating… and super nauseating. We were both stupefied by the insecurity of these girls yet we couldn’t look away. It was like these girls were feeding me compliments left and right, making me look like the goddess of all wifeness and goodness when compared to their superficiality. Seriously, this show might become a regular in our house due to my rising self-esteem… No no, I could never do that…

But I can report that I am sticking to my New Year resolutions so resolutely. I’ve gone to the gym at least 3 times a week, no desserts until Saturday and scripture study has been done daily. I had one rather unusual resolution this year - to be a better geographer! I've been flabergasted by my lack of geo-sense for long enough now and its time to do something about it! So I've been doing these geography quizzes on National Geographic and trying to build up my score in the GeoBee competition! Seriously, you should try it out. I want compete in the competition but it looks like high school is the cut off. Shoot! I guess Jared and I will have our own show-down.

Good news: Today my company's marketing director laughed to himself in his office. He then peered out and said “I like your writing style!” It’s always nice to have your writing appreciated.

Tigers

Maybe next New Years will be more fun...

Jared had to work Friday morning at 4am, so we celebrated with the New Yorker's at 9pm and then hit the sack.

Regardless of our lack of enthusiasm, the new year has treated us well thus far. That is, until the check engine light came on in my car this morning [I'm tempted to just keep driving it. What could it hurt if the car isn't puttering along on its last breath?]

We hit up the Cheesecake Factory and AVATAR one night. That was cool. I am continually amazed at how enamored I am with fantasty movies. What is it about Lord of the Rings, Van Helsing, Star Trek, The Brothers Grimm, Twilight, Potter, X-Men, AVATAR that have me hooked? Maybe its the fact that they all star hunky men like Hugh Jackman, or that the special effects are really cool - but I guess I'm a closet fantasy fanatic. Any others fantasy lovers out there?

On Saturday we took some bikes out on the beach. This is why I love Santa Monica in January.

2010 is year of the Tiger. Jared and I were also born in 1986, which was also a Tiger happening year. Accordingly, we're destined to fulfill great things in 2010. Let's hope so.

Oh, and Christmas was great too. I'm really liking these purple tights JO got me.

I'll leave you with this Christmas image.

5 FACTS. because 5 seems like a good number

1. I'M A BIG KID NOW. I tried to deceive myself into thinking I was an adult this Christmas. With no written Christmas list I was feeling high and mighty receiving full satisfaction that I had risen above the world of wants. LIAR! After going Christmas shopping for family and friends this weekend, I realized I had a longer wishlist than any child could ever muster.

2. I MAY BE PAPER CHALLENGED. I am the WORST gift wrapper. Seriously. Any tips?

My wrapping handicaps:

Too much wrapping paper on gift

(I know, sounds weird right - how can you have too much paper? Just cut it off. But let's say you're at the point where it wraps perfectly width wise, but the length is 3 inches too long on each side? Cut it still? No that makes for unclean edges, but would I rather have unclean edges or a bulge on two sides because of too much paper?)

Corners not tight

Folds are jagged and far from crisp

Wrapping looks crinkled when I'm done - like it's gone through 3 days of shipping across the nation in the back of a delivery truck when in fact it's just spent the last 10 minutes in my lap being taped and untaped and re-wrapped

3. I GOT LUCKY. I was supposed to work Christmas Eve. Now I'm not.

4. CHESTNUTS ROASTING ON AN OPEN FIRE... I was delighted to learn that I have a naturally good Christmas singing voice until I realized I only sound like Mary Carpenter in the shower. Or when the volume is turned up really loud in the car. Nowhere else.

5. SMART MAN. Jared has all A's so far this semester!

We leave Wednesday night for Clovis. We're excited for our first trek home for the holidays!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

One Year Down.

Well, folks, we've hit our one year mark. No more of this newly-wed nonsense, we are head deep in this marriage deal. We have fully enjoyed the life of his and hers, Mr and Mrs and mostly sharing bank accounts. We have both felt incredibly blessed during our first wedded year. ONE YEAR LUCK: We moved to Santa Monica, I landed an incredible job, Jared has completed a year of school (one more year to go!), we became pink-slip owners for a Honda Accord, Jared got a part-time job valeting a this hotel, traveled to Belize and Guatemala and we're both still loving each other! Huzzah! Here's looking at you, kid.

One Year Ago...

First Wedding Card! I look nervous...December 20, 2008

Mean Girls

Last week Jared and I received an invitation from a friend to an Ugly Sweater Party on Sunday evening. When we read "Ugly Sweater Party" that indicated that the attire for the evening was to be a hideous knitted piece of apparel. So Saturday night, after a long day of errands, we were settling in for the evening when it dawned on us that we didn't have anything to wear the next night. We raced over to the Salvation Army and picked out some prime sweaters. Sunday afternoon we rummaged through our closets both trying to find a pair of light colored jeans, tube socks and tennis shoes that could best accompany our sweaters. After some time of putting together a make-shift outfit, we headed over to our friend's apartment. Jared had forgotten a very critical part of his ensemble - his hair. It need to be slicked down, parted and wet. Dipping his hands into the complex pool, I helped him smooth his hair into "creeper" position. Perfect! As we were making our way up the stairs, our friend came out to direct us to his apartment. I noticed that he was not wearing an ugly sweater. Jared, being the astute man that he his, recognized the same and whispered to me, "I think we just pulled a Mean Girls." Upon walking into the party, laughter ensued as we were the only ones dressed not only in ugly sweaters but in any sweater at all. We definitely pulled a Cady Heron. Luckily our friends are cool and still talked and laughed with (maybe at) us the whole night.

A Roll of Film is Like A Box of Chocolates...

You NEVER know what you're gonna get!

Thank goodness for digital cameras!

{not feeling} Guilty Pleasure

We ate a whole box in 2 nights and

I don't even feel bad about it.

Not A Typical Thanksgiving

We didn't eat turkey this year for Thanksgiving. We did not travel home nor were we surrounded by friends and family. We didn't spend Thanksgiving Day watching football or setting up Christmas decorations. Instead we spent it here:

And Here

And Here

We were Extremely grateful this past Thanksgiving.

Hope Everyone Had a Great Holiday.

Can't believe Christmas is right around the corner!

I love....

coming home from work and finding a bag from

on my bed!

Thanks Mr. Oakden!

How's your job treatin you?

Some people have sucky jobs.

Some people have jobs where you receive complimentary tickets to plays at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre, get into local events for free, recipient of complimentary nutritional and exercise counseling, can take a day off to go the amusement park because it's your birthday and are invited to a private party at Disneyland during closed hours. The latter would be my job.