New Years Fun

 On New Years eve I had to work but thanks to good friends I still went out for fun that evening. After work i hurried home to get ready for the festivities. My friend Jessica picked me up and we were off to join some friends for dinner. Here I am with Valerie at dinner.

 Jessica, Stephanie, Kendra at dinner.

 Kendra, Ally, Kat, Gina, and Jen at dinner. Such a fun group.

 After dinner we headed down to a big midsingles activity in orange county (I got this pic from the event pages so I'm not claiming credit.)

 There were acrobats preforming (I got this pic from the event page too), dancing, and plenty of flirting going on.

 I met up with Hill and some of her friends on the dance floor.

 Fun on the dance floor just before midnight. Ritz, me, Ally, Kendra, Valerie, Jessica.

 5, 4, 3, 2, 1....Happy New Year 2013! It's going to be an amazing year!

 On New Years Day after sleeping in and doing some Christmas unpacking I headed out to enjoy a New Years hike in Griffith park. It was an amazingly beautiful Day.

 Jess and I enjoying the sunshine and our hike.

The view was awesome. After our hike we got some food and watched a movie before I headed for home feeling satisfied having gotten a great start to the new year.

Christmas Day 2012

 On Christmas morning I got to wake up to this gal sporting her crazy post 80 hair as we opened up presents. Love it.

 After breakfast and food prep we got ready and headed for Santa Maria to join the rest of the Griffiths for christmas festivities.

 Here's Adden, me and Callie enjoying the festivities.

 I was rocking Christmas themed nails. :)

 Christmas dinner with the Griffiths.

 Cousins time. Brianna, Callie, Tiana, Me. Tiana's really rocking being pregnant. She looked great.

That evening we played reverse Charades. This pic truly shows just how entertaining it was! Love my family.

 We all really got into it. Grandma and Grandpa were on a team with my parents. It was so funny....words can't do it justice.

The fam: Me, Callie, mom, Brianna

Brianna and I toasting merry Christmas. It was a great day full of family, food, and fun.

80's Christmas eve

It was Christmas eve and the morning dawned clear. First thing I went out for a jog and found the beautiful world looking like this! 

 After my run and a quick shower I did my hair in a bunch of small braids in preparation for the festivities of the night. #rocking it.

 Next came Mom and I cooking a traditional Norwegian holiday dessert called, Lefse.

 It's made of potatoes, flour, egg and sugar. Here I am preparing the dough.

 The pancake like dessert is served with sugar and cinnamon. Delicious. I love learning about holiday traditions of my ancestors.

 After an afternoon cooking and preparing dinner it was time to prepare ourselves for 80's Christmas Eve! Our family has done themed Christmas eves for the last 5 years. This was the most epic year of costumes yet! Here's Callie, Brianna, and I sporting out 80s gear.

 Sadie and I, this pic truly shows my lack in the family height gene. Love my cousin.

 Siblings pic: Brianna, Me, Callie, and Matthew. In case you want to try to replicate Callie's amazing hair was done up in pin curls the night before and came out like a 80's dream.

 Silly siblings pictures always seem to involve making me feel uncomfortable. lol.

 Family picture. 80's style...only I'm pretty sure we're better looking now than we were in the 80s. Nice work, Griffiths.

 The girls, rocking the sassy 80's look: Sadie (cousin), Katie (cousin), Callie (sister), Jean (aunt), Solveg (friend), Brianna (sister). Me. Note: Aunt Jean hasn't really been an active participant in the themed Christmas eves so when I cam home for thanksgiving I was sure to let her know how excited I was to see how she rocked 80's Christmas eve since that was her era. I was really proud of how she really brought her "A" game out.

 What is an 80's photo shoot without a good high 5 shot. #thisonesforyoubuddy

 All the girls. Katie, Sadie, Callie, Me, Addie, Brianna.

 Best 80's attitude shot.

 After photo shoots and dinner came the talent show! Addie, Sadie, Callie, Brianna, Katie, and I singing "Bless us all" from Muppets Christmas Carol. Love that movie. Double Love singing with my cousins.

 Adden sang and signed a song he learned in preschool.

Addie and Sadie finished the show off with a duet that the put together themselves. Such talented girls. After the talent came the gift exchange & visiting until it was time for a very satisfied long winters nap.

Week of fun at home

Christmas vacation for a working person normally means just a couple of days at home, however I had the great blessing of spending a week at home with my family for the holidays. Here we are my Sister Brianna, Me, Callie, and Mom excited for time together with family.

On Christmas Sunday we all dressed up and headed for church together. Here I am with my lovely Mom. 

My Mom thought I looked like an elf so she put this hat on me, which went  a little too well with my outfit.

Here I am with my sisters ready for church christmas Sunday. Looking festive.

That night my brother Mattnew and his family arrived. I have acquired some serious braiding skills over the past couple of years. Here's my brother Matthew, and my sisters Brianna, and Callie sporting braids by yours truly! Triplets. :)

Family togetherness plus tacos equals happiness!!

Hanging with my favorite boy!

On Wednesday (the day after Christmas) we had family pictures taken. Here's my nephew Adden. He told his Mom when they arrived, "they are going to be surprised at home handsome I am." Nice work buddy you looked extra great in your bow tie. 

My brother-in-law's friend, Claire Johhson,  took our photos, she is great with people and I can't wait to see them. Here's one of my sisters and I taken from my camera. Love it. 

My parents after pictures still romantic after all these years.

Our true colors come out.

Just me. Too much wholesome sunshine for this blond blue eyed gals.

That night we met up with my Mom's sisters family to go see the long awaited "Les Miserables". We (as in our whole family) have been obsessed with the music of Les Mis for years and have memorized every song.  I'm pretty sure we were all silently singing along as we watched the movie. Loved it!

After a pretty quiet Thursday we were ready for more fun. On Friday Matthew, his family, and I went to visit our friends who we grew up with Racheal and Joseph Hogeland. They recently moved to a piece of property near where our parents lived. It was beautiful out there. They even had a go cart and a quad so we went on rides, had  barbecue, and had a great time visiting.

On Saturday we spent time as a family and went for a hike on the ranch. Such a beautiful place.

Mom with her grandsons. So cute.

Adden and I hiking on the ranch.

Me, Callie, Mom, and Brianna in our natural form.

Adden and Benny bonding on our Hike.

 

I got Callie an Apolo Sweatshirt too. Spreading the Apolo love. :)

Sunday came all too soon and the ranch bid me a beautiful good bye. It was the perfect ending for an amazing week.