I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

In San Diego, the locals decorate their palm trees and red rock boulders with Christmas lights. Instead of snow, they use bubble machines. And instead of hot cocoa, they drink mai thais. OK, that last part's a lie, but you get the picture. Having Christmas here will be great with Justin's family's tamale festival and bake night, but there will certainly be no snow. So live it up, East Coast! Take your puppies outside, eat snow cream, and catch snow flakes on your tongue for me. I'll be baking in the sun for you ;)

I wish you all a happy holiday and healthy new year!

With love,
Steph

Photo Proof of Santa and the Reindeer!

I've been meaning to put these photos up for some time now (actually, just about a month) and between moving, the holidays, conferences, and getting out the February edition of the magazine it just didn't happen. Now that I have a moment to breathe, I'm going to post them for all to see. I'd like to give serious props to my mom, sister, cousin, and landlord for the amazing job that you did during the race. What a way to spend the holiday :)

Photo 1: Mom making the final push up that beast of a hill. Wait to go, Mom! "Good for YOU!" Look at that determination. Head down; eyes straight ahead.

Photo 2: Jen coming through the chute. Hair whipping in the wind. The end is SO CLOSE!













Photo 3: Justin, me, Casey, Mom, and Jen after the race. Santa and the Reindeer are there to support us...aka hold us up. It was a hard race! :)

Giving Thanks!

As some of you know, I brought Justin home with me for Thanksgiving break this past weekend. Although he'd met my parents, sister, and her husband a few times earlier, he'd never met my extended family. "Coming out of the closet," as my mother called it, regarding our living situation was a great leading stressor to the event, but luckily the rest of the weekend was nothing short of relaxing and smooth. Except the 5K run that is.

My mom and I decided to run a trot over the holidays to try to balance the stuffing, corn pudding, and booze. So she found a 5K in Laurel, MD to benefit Sarah's House (sort of a halfway-house for people without homes). Aside from the burning in my lungs and now searing pain in my hips (I'm so OLD) it was an amazing experience. We're going to try to make it a family tradition. It was also the first 5K that my sister, Justin, cousin Casey, and I participated in. And everyone, including my experienced Mom, got a PR (personal record)! So fun! Here's the info: http://www.tomsraindeerrun.org/. We have photos on their Web site here.

Justin: photos 19 and 20.
Me: photos 38 and 39.
Mom: photos 62, 63, 65, and 119 (superstar!).
Jen: photo 118.
Mrs. Claus: photo 103.
Santa Claus: photos 112 and 113.


Unfortunately, Casey was too fast for the camera so I'll have to put up our ending shot with her in it later. After the run, we headed to the Amish Market where the Amish people come FROM THEIR HOME IN LANCASTER (No, I don't live with the Amish, Justin.) and stuffed our faces with yummy goodness that is freshly-made strawberry jam, enormous eggs, and ham gravy. People of the West Coast, I dare you to find food better than that of the Amish.

I hope all of your holidays were as fabulous as mine.

Thanks to Justin for braving the Maryland cold and Methodist singing.
Thanks to Jen and Lou for a fabulous time!
Thanks to my parents for putting us up and for putting up with us.
Thanks to the rest of my family for welcoming Justin and I into your hearts.
Thanks to Rocky for only licking the turkey neck and not the WHOLE turkey.
And thanks to the turkey for FINALLY defrosting. I didn't really want Arby's for dinner.