Christmas 2013

a tree in the trouse

I don't know if I've ever told you guys, but a few months ago I moved. My plans to live with one friend fell through last-minute so I was left really stressed about where to live (and I had to move out in 2 weeks). I looked all over but didn't feel good about any of the options I saw. Randomly, I decided to look on my ward's fb page to see if there were any openings (even though I had looked on it many times before). Sure enough, someone had posted an opening. Strangely, she had posted it weeks before but I had never seen it. It was quoted as being 200 bucks cheaper than my current place. !!

Sounds great, right?

Well, I didn't tell you that it is a...trouse.

What's a trouse, you say?

That's what I said. My (now) roommate described it as something between a trailer and a house. I thought she made the term up until I looked it up online 5 minutes ago. Urban dictionary states this as the fourth definition:

4. Trouse  

An add-on built around a trailer, with the intended end-result looking like a "real" house. Usually contruction goes incomplete, as most trailer-dwellers lack ambition and money, and the end result is a TROUSE.

Lack ambition and money? Excuuuse me? So what if it's true...but ask me in four months from now and we'll see who's lackin $$ ya know what I'm sayin?!!? Saving this 200 bucks a month is gonna be Bomb. That's not what I'm thinking, though, when I have to leave my shower running at all times (pipes might freeze, yo), or when I'm freezing in bed (space heater works. most of the time...) or when I can feel the breeze through my walls sometimes, or when the toilet is lopsided, or when the bathroom is freezing, or when I look up and see stains on the ceiling...

Anyways. I digress. 

My point is - although this place is weird, and I kind of feel awkward telling people sometimes I live here, my roommates are awesome. Why do I say that? Maybe it's because they bought me a caramel sunday because they knew I had a bad day. Or maybe it's because they make food/dinner and often share it with me. Or maybe it's because when I share my dinner/food they offer to do the dishes. Or maybe it's because they are just nice and friendly. Or maybe it's because they invite me to their parties, introduce me to their friends, and are reasonable, nice people. 

Yesterday we went to go get a Christmas tree! Every time I open my door, I get a whiff of fresh pine smell. And boy is it amazing. 

This is us when we realized this was THE ONE.

 Don't know where my eye went...but this is a groupie shot (the dude is NOT our roommate, haha)

 Ps. I love apple cider.

 Erica is putting on the lights - I thought this was a cool picture.

 And...the finished product! Best smell EVER. And best SIGHT EVER!

 

Thanksgiving 2013!

Recipe for an awesome Thanksgiving Break:

1. Cooking with the Master Chef, Ryan. I mean, who else cooks a turkey in a grill (and it comes out super succulent), cracks their own walnuts for chocolate-covered walnuts, owns a mortar and stone, grinds their own nutmeg, regularly shops at Persian grocery stores? Yep, my bro...

2. Eating a delicious, and I mean D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S Thanksgiving meal. With this awesome family.

 

3. Ping-pong Tournaments in the garage while jamming to sweet tunes.

 4. Obnoxious levels of picture-taking ;) And my wonderful/hilarious/fun bro/sis-in-law.

5. Game nights. x 5.  Complete with craze, exhibited on Ryan/Kie's face (look closely).

new obsession: DOMINOS. Why did I never know about this game before?

 6. 70 degree weather and the beautiful beaches of Santa Monica...

 7. Touring the streets of Los Angeles (I don't think I've felt this cool in years...haha)

8. Spending time with these three AWESOME people. Who I happened to be related to...

 9. Eating out at a sweet Chinese restaurant in China town!

TARO + Juliet!

 10. Picnics at the park complete with too many sunflower seeds, long talks, Frisbee and volleyball games, beautiful weather, homemade (gourmet) packed lunches.

Love these kiddos!

Ryan decided to throw sunflower seeds at us. And Kie, well, I don't know what she is doing ;) Haha!

Me and my bro!!