december's eve

So this year, after being kind of a loner and boring, I decided I would support my Christmas and my birthday by doing something every day of December, all leading up to Christmas Eve. Because, as we all know, it's the most wonderful time of the year!
I spent long, sleepless night coming up with things so that I could have the best Christmas ever. And boy, it's gonna be.
I've officially called it "25 Days of Christmas" (Not like the abc family's 25 Days of Christmas, but better)

25 Days of Christmas
in no particular  order

1. Attend a choir christmas concert
Local highschools everywhere will be doing this!
2. Photo shoot in the snow
Because pictures are memories.
3. Make a birthday cake to Jesus
Put a little more Christ in Christmas, but in a fun way. 
4. Put on a production of the Nativity
Best if done with your family, you could make a movie or do it live.
5. See the "Forgotten Christmas Carols"
I think this is one of my favorite Christmas stories. And the music is absolutely fantastic.
6. Make neighbor gifts
Give, give, give!
7. Make christmas cookies
Sugar cookies, sprits, and gingersnaps! I'll be putting up the recipes.  
8. Christmas light scavenger hunt
Drive around with friends or family. I'll be doing this Christmas Eve!
9. Decorate for Christmas around our house
Every family's tradition, I think. I'll be putting up nativities and Christmas trees and lights and making it smell good!
10. Attend or host a White Elephant party with friends
I'm co-hosting the white elephant party this year. I'll be putting up ideas for gifts!
11. String popcorn for Christmas tree
I've always wanted to do this I'll put up my "trying" to do this craft.
12. Go ice skating
My favorite christmas activity!
13. Dollar Store Christmas gift exchange with friends or family
Basically, get a group of people and put names in a hat. Pick a name and then spend one dollar on them. Exchange on Christmas morning!
14. Attend a Christmas dance concert
Again, high schools or colleges everywhere will be performing these. 
15. Make a pinecone bird feeder
I've always wanted to do this too. I'll blog my experience so maybe you can try.
16. Donate old toys
It's such a good thing to give during Christmas time!
17, Make a fort by the Christmas tree and spend a night there
I'll be doing this with one of my best friends. We'll cuddle up under blankets and watch Christmas movies!
18. Snow day!
Build a snowman, go sledding, make an igloo and have a snowball fight!
19. Visit Temple Square and look at the lights
I live in Utah, so it's an attraction of my state. So maybe just a Christmas attraction around where you live.
20. Make paper snowflakes and decorate with them
I'm a lean, mean, snowflake making machine.
21. Family game night
Spend a whole night with your family playing games you've never played before and singing Christmas song!
22. Make a gingerbread house
One of my favorite traditions!
23. Dip pretzels in chocolate or make fudge
Everyone gains weight over Christmas Break. ;) But that's why New Years is close by, right?
24. Any Christmas Eve traditions you do every year
Whatever you and your family do on Christmas Eve! Traditions are what keep Christmas going! 
25. Open Presents
Open them like nobody's business! Take lots of pictures.


So, hopefully you can take all or some of these ideas and do them yourself so you can enhance your Christmas experience! You can do this with others, by yourself, or both!
Please make your December experience the best you can! Because that's what I'm hoping for!

Cheers!

+--- A

day of thanks

I have relatives shouting at me to come set the table for thanksgiving dinner lunch so I don't have much time.
But this:

          11 Things I'm Reealllyyy Grateful For

1. laptops

2. food

3. boots

4. christmas

5. traditions

6. my home

7. "marshmallows"

8. baggy sweaters 

9. music

10. patsy

11. family

Cheers to turkey!

+--- A

city of lights

Well, we made it. 

Imagine 6 hours in a very squished back seat. That was me about an hour ago. And also, I got stuck on the hump seat. 

But as it was dark when we pulled up to the city of Vegas, the sparkling yellow lights twinkling in the horizon was almost worth it. 

Unfortunately I didn't capture a picture of that, but I did capture the the activity we were doing the moment we walked through the door of my uncles house. 

Yes. We're watching basketball. Not my choosing, by the way. That last picture is Shawn freaking out that BYU is losing. 

But it's a million times better than working at a "work-for-commission" kiosk job.

+--- A

Well, that happened

@ Catching Fire

So that job I had? Yeah, I decided to take it. And um.. well.. no. I don't have it anymore. 

No, I didn't get fired. 

Yes, I quit. 

Now before you freak out like everyone else did, let me finish... I worked ten hours my first day and I only got 3 bucks. Yes, you read that right. Three dollars. And that's not per hour, mind you. That's called getting payed by commission.

And obviously there were other reasons lots that I'm not gonna really bore you about. I'm trying to keep myself together at this point so it wouldn't be wise to repeat things.

Lets just agree to agree that kiosking is not for this gal.

On the bright side, I get to spend thanksgiving with my family, and really, that makes up for everything.

Later that night I had the honor of watching the Catching Fire midnight premiere. Though it was a bad, hard, long day earlier, that movie was just so... freaking amazing! Plus I was surrounded with awesome people.

And then the next day, I met up with a long lost friend. And lets just say.. we're not long and lost anymore.
It's amazing what just one conversation can change.

We do not see things as they are. We see things as we are. But we have to, need to remember that perspective is everything.

Do that and you'll be alright.

+--- A

decision making

So here's my, "getting a job" story.

I was at the mall searching for christmas presents with my friend, Michael. We came across the perfect gift for the perfect someone at this kisok.
Fortunately, I wouldn't be buying this gift.
Unfortunately, it would take us a few times to circle back for Michael to decide whether he was.
But that was alright, because the cheerful lady who worked there chatted with us each time. Y'know, selling stuff, answering questions, joking around. What people who work at kiosks do. (hint: "my future")
Finally, around the third time we went back, Michael finally decided he would buy this thing. (It was the perfect gift, after all.) So while the cheerful lady, Candice, was putting this awesome gift together, we talked once again.
Me, "These are so amazing, if I had enough money, I would buy one."
Michael, "Too bad you don't have a job."
Candice, "Hey! You're hired! Legit!"

So you can guess what else went down. Me, with a surprised face, Michael, with a cheerful one, and Candice with a serious one. The norm.
Turns out the job was for the kiosk next door to the exact one we were at. It was opening for the holidays. And just for the holidays.

Picture this: Me, Alex Wilson, selling colorful hair chalk supplies for ladies everywhere who wish to be original, different, hip!

Ha.

Well, I accepted. (Whats bad about extra cash around christmas time? Nothing.) We exchanged numbers and then we went on our separate ways.

Here comes the hard part. See, I was planning on heading out to Vegas for thanksgiving. One of our many family traditions. My decision is to either take this "free" job, (I call it free, because I didn't have to do anything to get it.) where I only get payed by commissions, (Which is 12% of what I sell, fyi.) but gain experience?
Or become super busy and unavailable during the most wonderful time of the year.

To work or not to work? That is the question.

Or this: To have cash, or to not have cash? That is the better question.

I'll let you know what I decide. I am leaning towards one over the other... but I guess we'll both have to be surprised.

+--- A

satan don't kick no dead dogs

If I could define my weekend with 2 words it would be this: Thor 2.
And Loki.
Plus pictures.
And Loki.
Also, Loki.

I seriously loved this movie. I was laughing more than I was on the edge of my seat. .... and I was on the edge of my seat a lot. I feel bad for my buddies who sat next to me. But, unfortunately it's not over. Because Catching Fire is this Thursday and well... I get startled easily.

It was refreshing to get out of the house and be around people. Because. You know. I'm a loner.

Today was a frustrating day. And it seems like those days have been happening a lot. But a wise, old, owl told me this: "If you feel down, guess what, that just proves satan is afraid of what you can do. Only the strongest are the ones that he goes for." 

It was exactly what my little mind needed to hear today.

Also, I got a job.

+--- A

autumn leaves falling down like pieces into place

and I can picture it after all these days. 

+--- A

laughter is the best medicine

Few things. 

1: I can't laugh and balance on one foot at the same time.

2: I absolutely adore Thursdays.

3: Not caring what other people think brings fabulous joy.

4: C H R I S T M A S is in 40 days.

5: December is in 16 days.

6: Year 19 is in 35 days.

7: He gives me the honeyglow something awful.

+--- A

one thing missing

I wish I could say I was having a good day. But, alas, I am not.

Up until today though, I was ecstatic to say how ecstatic I am for C H R I S T M A S!!! I have plans for all of December and with the fam. Last year, my December was not all I wanted it to be, and so this year I'm making sure that it will be amazing. They'll be so much going on, my blog will blossom with happiness. I'm super excited.
Also, don't worry. I'm not forgetting about Thanksgiving. I have plenty of dopamine filled plans for that.

Now I just have to last until then. Sometimes I don't think I can. That unsettling alone feeling gets me every time. Especially on awful days like today. The two people I would even remotely think about talking to are both miles away from me. Miles of road and miles in mind.

I hate being imperfect.
These are some sweet, sweet words by Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf.

"My dear brothers and sisters, there will be days and nights when you feel overwhelmed, when your hearts are heavy and your head hangs down. Then, please remember Jesus Christ, The Redeemer, is the head of this church. It is his gospel. He wants you to succeed. He gave is life just for this purpose." 

In case you were wondering this is what I believe in.

+--- A

like passing notes in secrecy

this girl has her smile is back. that's right.
have you ever met someone that can take all the stress off your shoulderS just by having a conversation with them? him.
the feels that are passing through mE right now are.... absolutely wonderful. i flashed a future with this guy. and i want it so bad.

see, normally i am passed over or the third wheel. or i spent all my time on the wrong person. but then i realized that i should never give a person the opportunity to wAste my time twice in a row. it's okay to visit your memories, as long as you don't live there. so after i got out of my past, the blessings came.
and when he is there and when i am there... i feel like a million greeNs.

and all i can say now is, please don't be in love with someone else. please don't have somebody waiting on you.

my feels: enchanted

+--- A

my grandparents were hipsters before it was cool

Ten points to Gryffindor if you can guess what I'm listening to.

There's a cafe. Bailey's. I've been going there for years with my wonderful grandparents. And today I only just realized how amazingly cool this place is. It's a coffee/sandwich joint and the nicest people own it. There's a patio and the whole place oozes with charm. And they provide games like chess and chinese checkers. It's the kind of place where you can go and have a regular because they remember you, even if you've only been in there a few times. Just pure, genuine, nice people. And that's the kind of positive attitude I need in my life.
I hope to have a Taylor Swift moment in that exact place. "But on a Wednesday, in a cafe, I watched it begin again." 
After a day like today, it was exactly what I needed.

In case you haven't guessed yet, I was listening to this. It's my jam.

+--- A

p.s. sorry for the crappy iphone quality pictures.

thriller

This is a taste of my Halloween. Amazingly, it was better than I expected.

I did spend a little of my night giving out candy. I told the kids that marched up to my door with their bags open, that they could have one piece of candy. But, if they sang or danced for me, they could have two pieces.
I had one group of girls sing the whole darn'd "Carol of the Bells" to me. I should've given them the whole bowl for that performance.

And then my dear cousin, jumped out at the kids who were too old for treating and scared them. I don't think anyone is too old for trick or treating. 

Afterwards, I went to a party and ate lots of candy, I'm sure I've gained five extra pounds.

Happy Halloween, folks.

+--- A