.Merry Christmas to All.

My favorite Christmas moments this year...

Below: My roommates and i at the Christmas boat parade!Below: My brother in his most shining moment :-)

Below: Most of my family and Frosty (we missed you Nate, Emily and Passion!)
Below: My favorite ornament (Little Ceasar's man!) that always deserves a spot at the top (though my mom begs to differ...)

Below: Me losing terribly in the snowball war with Justin...

My Grown-Up Christmas

I don't think i've ever caught myself just sitting and staring at a Christmas tree so much as i have this Christmas. i absolutely love my tree and the decorations surrounding it. i decided to incorporate gold and silver ("a very grown-up Christmas" as my roommates and i call it) into our Tuscan yellow living room, and it couldn't have turned out more perfect.
Now i'm getting ready to fly home to Washington tonight to be with my family in our snowy little town of Bellingham, and i can hardly believe that Christmas is only two days away. I'm crossing my fingers that it'll be a white Christmas. This has been one of the best Christmas seasons so far, and i'm excited for what's to come in 2009.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This first picture below captures what i miss most (besides my wonderful family) about living in Washington. Raindrop and fall leaves.

Below: My mom's fabulous Thanksgiving decorations for the whole family to enjoy

Below: Elliana's lil' boots

New Zealand.

Below are photos taken with my Canon Powershot SD700 Above: the view from my home in new zealandthe west coast of the south island of new zealand

Below: the cows of new zealand

Below: my sunrise that i woke up to every morning

London.

Below are photos taken with my Canon Powershot SD700 Above: Big Ben Below: The streets of London at Night Below: View of London from the Eye of London

Below: Westminster Abbey

Below: Eye of London

Below: London

Ireland. Scotland.

Below are photos taken with my Canon Powershot SD700

Stroll through Dublin in the rain (a raindrop landed on my lens!) Above: Irish Sailboats Above: Another shot of walking through Dublin in the rain

Below: Dublin Castle

Below: The streets of Glasgow, Scotland

Surprise!

All i have to say is, thank you to everyone who surprised me for my birthday!! and thank you for the Christmas theme! if you know me at all, you know i love surprises, and that i love to start celebrating Christmas in October...so thank you! not only was the whole surprise party a total shock, but uncle jim was in town to celebrate with all of us! and...a few days later, my brother nate surprised me with a GORGEOUS bouquet of red roses, and he delivered them to me himself at my work (emdchemicals.com)! i had no idea he was even in town! so thank you again to everyone (and valerie for coming down and spending saturday with me!) for making it such an incredible birthday. Below is the link to my surprise party photos that evan yamada took (thanks evan!) http://www.flickr.com/photos/kingdomlight/sets/72157608670275273/

Above: their 3rd "happy birthday" song celebration! (w/ pizza this time...)

Above: my friend dave knew the minute he saw me eyeing these rudolph nose and antlers in restoration hardware that he couldn't help but get them for me for my b-day

Above: my family! (plus nate's consistent pose ;)

Above: awkward pose with the guys
Above: my hunco jim and i
Below: everyone who came! (minus a few who left before this picture was taken)

San Diego.Washington.My Two Homes.

Below are photos taken with my Canon Powershot SD700 Above: Orcas Island, WA Below: Mt. Soledad

Below: San Diego Cliffs

Below: Balboa Park Shots