leavin' on a jet plane

this time tomorrow i will be in grand rapids, MI.

with this kid:

[we are hilarious, obviously.]

i really can't wait :)

ohhhhhhhhhh hello, gift cards

i know it's crazy to be brainstorming how to spend gift cards TWO days after christmas. i got lots of awesome gifts from my friends & fam. i didn't NEED any of it [even though i loved it!!] and i surely don't need anything more.

but i got some gift cards. and i know i'll spend them long before they expire. so i've compiled a [short] list of things i'm daydreaming about owning.

1. a mustard yellow cardigan from target. mustard yellow has never been one of my fav colors, but for some reason i love it this winter.

2. jeans that fit perfectly. [i have no idea WHERE i could find these & i highly doubt i could afford them, even with gift cards. but i'm still dreaming...]

3. high rubber boots like the ones i wore all winter in japan. they're definitely not classy but my feet never got wet in those bad boys...

4. a red flannel shirt. i most likely will not buy this bc melissa scorns the fact that flannel has recently become in [ie: expensive!] and would absolutely judge me if i caved to the trend.

5. a set of these dishes. lemongrass is the only color i don't have & i SERIOUSLY love it!!

christmas vay-k so far...

the nelson fam had a relaxing christmas day, partaking in the following activities: mirror photography
couch snoozing
cooking delicious treats
stealing internet while wearing a russian hat indoors.

we also saw "where the wild things are", explored east providence, walked & looked at christmas lights, thrift shopped, and laughed.

christmas eve present~

today Al wanted to go christmas shopping at target. as soon as we arrived he goes "just pick out something you like & i'll buy it for you" [yes... every girl's dream!]

we wandered around for a while and i tried on this awesome dress:

he paid. we drove home. i immediately put it on for the christmas eve service*

coats!

three winters ago i bought this long, black winter coat with a hood & toggles. i didn't take it to japan & last winter mom thought she had accidentally give it away. then we found it, at the end of the season.

this season i wore my fall coat [which is SO awesome!] until my co-worker complained that i needed to switch to my winter coat. so i got it out of storage. and i've been wearing it. and i've been hating it. today i decided to scope out a few stores to see if i could find something i like better...

here are my unfortunate conclusions:

winter coats are NOT flattering!
they make my shoulders look huge.
they are too tight under my armpits.
i have to buy a much bigger size in order to fit layers underneath.
trying to buy a cute coat right before christmas= nearly impossible
i'm totally gonna need a winter coat in michigan & i don't wanna wear the one i have.

[i know, i know, my life is terribly difficult. i promise i'll get a grip.]

snowy brunch

philadelphia got over a foot of snow this weekend. for me, that's nothing significant, but for philly, it's big news! naturally, we didn't let the weather ruin our fun & my group of friends still let the good times roll.

yesterday morning we had people over for brunch. our plan of pancakes turned into a giant homemade-waffle-baking extravaganza...

SO adorable!

i found this amazingly cute youtube video from somebody's blog.

see his COMMECAISM sweatshirt? TOTALLY japanese!

one week till christmas update

awesome: christmas is next week & i get to see my lovely family. i'm really excited about the gifts i've gotten people this year. it's only snowed once this winter. fan & i had super sweet philly adventures on monday- photos here:


annoying: my electric toothbrush broke just three months after i purchased it. the family dog has been jumping up on me/barking more than usual lately. i had a failed blood donation last monday and the bruise turned super nasty 5 days later... [secretly i kinda like how tough it makes me look...]


cute: the kids of my students really like me; today one needed a kiss before she left!! another told her mom she wanted to come to my house. another wanted me to try on the sunglasses she found on our toy shelf. <3

caution: fun-filled four days ahead!

i love the fact that i only work 4 days a week. and i have a 3-day weekend. every weekend. i especially love the fact that my weekends are filled with awesome stuff. take this coming weekend, for example...

friday: dinner with melissa, joel, and kyle downtown. hit up the switchfoot concert.
saturday: my friends chad & liz graduate from college so we party hard. fan arrives. joel & i go to his staff christmas party!
sunday: relax w/ fan and my philly fam. fan & i attempt to help joel make paella for his school's culture club.
monday: fan & i explore philadelphia all day. i meet joel & his college friends for dinner.

totally rad~

little bit of trivia

sometimes my boyfriend tells me how much [ie: how little] he paid for a particular item of clothing. i adore that.


personally, i love finding bargains so it makes me really happy that he does, too.

christmas wish list

it's been a while since i actually made a christmas wish list. and i'm not about to start now.

but i just stumbled across this idea. and immediately emailed my parents to BEG for it!!


SO awesome~

someday

someday i would like to blog about the following things:
the awesome way i've decorated my own home. my own children. cool gift ideas. my own photography. rad places i've traveled. my own christmas traditions. delicious food i've made.


in the meantime:
the ADORABLE child of one of my students walked for the first time on tuesday. he walked to me!!! and today he snuggled on my lap & played with my earrings. and then another student's child snuggled on my lap and rubbed her hand on my arm. mmmmm*

i just booked my plane ticket to michigan for post-christmas/ new years. wahoo!~

if i were a boy 4

if i were a boy...

i'd

make

fun

plans

for

new

years

in

michigan.

with

me.