2011 in review.

seriously. how does this keep happening.

how does the year go by so fast!? 

I guess the statement is true, that as you get older the years goes by faster. 

I feel as if I didnt accomplish many of my goals stated in my last year in review post, but....

 in general, 2011 was a great year.

 It was the first time {since high school} that I have lived in California for an entire year. 

First time I have spent an entire year working. full time. all day every day. 

It was a lot less stressful than last year. I freaked out less about my life plans. 

I didnt move out, but I loved living at home, and close to my family. 

I love all of my friends I have made. 

I didnt find love, but learned more lessons from the douche bags I continue to date. 

And I didnt get my heartbroken nearly as bad as last year, so thats an improvement. 

However there was a change of entering more into the "adulthood" thing. 

And with that, here is how I was living the LA life, all year long...

January. 

I rang in the new year by camping out at the Rose Parade with my friends. Was very blessed with a full time job offer that literally fell into my lap. I went to Utah and endured the cold to have a reunion with Annie, Christina, Taylor, Whitney, Cortney and Chanel. I turned the big 2-4 and had about 3 parties to celebrate. 

current events of the month: violence and revolt took over Egypt following the example of the Tunisian Revolt. Tragic shooting of House Representative Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona. 

February. 

My best friend Alyssa got married in the Los Angeles temple. Slowly my Bachelor viewing parties grew larger and larger (much to the dismay of my mother) as more girls came over each week to watch my favorite show. As this progressed I made more girlfriends and became greater friends with the girls in the ward. 

current events: Egyptian President Mubarak steps down. Violence in Libya begins now following the example of both Tunsinia and Egypt. 

March. 

My tween dreams came true by getting to meet Lance Bass! Was forced to go on a camping trip to Joshua Tree, despite my disdain for camping. Slowly started going on more and more dates. 

current events: An 8.9 earthquake rocks Japan, creating a tsunami and devastating the country in the aftermath. Charlie Sheen goes crazy!!

April. 

Went to Utah {again} for a quick trip to see friends and attend General Conference. 

current events: William and Kate get married!!

May. 

Went to Catalina Island with Christina and suffered from third degree burns. not really. but kinda. More dates ensued throughout the month. Finally get more in the Dodger spirit.

current events: Osama bin Laden is killed by the U.S. Navy Seals

June. 

The beginning of summer! and became super bummed with the first time not really having a summer break and getting super annoyed with the unemployed boys im friends with that partied all summer long. Went to Lake Arrowhead with my friends. Spent a weekend showing M'Kynzi around all the beauty of LA. I got to add another douche bag to my list of boys dated. I had a Lanai reunion in Temecula for Ronnie's wedding and got to see all of my fave Lanai friends. Dodger games. 

current events: Drug violence in Mexico continues, 17 people killed in Monterey in one shooting. 

July. 

My parents went to Europe for two weeks! and I had a party at the house each night they were gone. Kidding. {or am I!?} Laura and I brought out our inner tween and went to the NKOTBSB concert! seriously, best concert ever. I went to Utah {third time this year!} for a Robins family reunion, a Katy Perry concert and to spend time in North Ogden with Kelly. Dodger games.

current events: Carmeggedon threatened to shut down LA but was actually a bust. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II opens and grosses $91 million in the first weekend! Casey Anthony is found not guilty. 

August. 

Kelly and the kids come to visit for a week! I took off work and got to go to a dodger game, the beach and lots of time at the pool. Taylor got a job in West Hollywood. Meaning we got to meet up for dinner during the week and celebrate his birthday.

current events: A 5.8 magnitude earthquake hits Washington, D.C. shocking the DC area and damaging the Washington Monument. Steve Jobs resigns as Apple CEO.

September. 

My life starts to get real crazy and stays that way for the rest of the year, as I literally go out of town every weekend. The best part of the month was going on a 7 day cruise to MEXICO. I tanned at the pool. Snorkled and parasailed in Cabo. Zip lining in Puerto Vallarta. seriously best week of my life. The next weekend I ran in the Ragnar Relay Series in Napa Valley!! Surprisingly loved it so much!  After not seeing each other for over a year, got lots of reunions with the King of Lanai, Nick! I feel in love with my new baby niece, Lyla Robyn. 

current events: The 10 year anniversary of the 9.11 terrorist attacks. Occupy Wall Street begins by taking over Zuccotti Park. 

October. 

Two Robyn concerts with Taylor! Went to Sacramento, Vegas and Phoenix. Had a reunion with my DC roomie Jessica. I had to have a teary farewell with my best friend Chanel as she was leaving to go on a mission. A Las Vegas fling ends as he is also added to the growing DB list. 

current events:  There was a crazy finish to the baseball season. The St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series. President Muammar Gaddafi is killed by Libyan troops. Steve Jobs shockingly passes away. 

November.

Kelly and the kids make another visit! We go to Universal Studios {I have a seasons pass if anyone wants to come with me!} and celebrate Seth's 10th birthday. Another road trip to Las Vegas. Which sends me into a little mid mid life crisis. My family and I attend the horse races on Thanksgiving for the 2nd annual time. running and running after a ragnar hiatus. 

current events: Frank McCourt agrees to sell the Dodgers! HOORAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Allie and Roberto break up. Dr. Conrad Murray is found guilty in the MJ trial. 

December.

 I ran my first 10k race!! Christmas parties, looking at Christmas lights, Christmas gift exchanges. I attended three work parties, does this mean im an adult?? And still to come: a Lanai NYE reunion at Lake Arrowhead and Disneyland.

current events: Chris Paul gets traded to the Clippers, an uprising of Clipper Nation. The leader of North Korea dies. 

This was definitely a different year than last year. 

I definitely far exceeded my 2010 goal of "have more fun."

I enjoyed making great friendships and strengthening the ones I already had. 

I feel like this year I truly enjoyed my life. This year was consumed with lots of funthings {like go on a cruise with just my girlfriends, run TWO races! and go on lots of weekend trips} as I took a breather, wasnt so stressed and had a job.

however, is it bad that Im going to have the same goals as last year??

I want to move out. 

I want to find love and not date douche bags. 

I want to go on more trips. 

I want to run more. 

2011 was definitely a good year. 

And Im excited for the adventures of 2012. 

why you trippin, i aint even do nothing.

let me share a little story from my day yesterday. 

having the day off from work, my friend Rudy and I went and played some catch in the park. 

On the drive home we realized I had stepped in dog poop. 

We get out of the car and ask a kind, older man if we could use his hose to rinse off my shoe. 

We were there for about five minutes. Explained to the daughter what was going on.

Then thanked him and went back to my car. 

Cleaned my shoe off some more with a long stick.

Fast forward about 20 minutes as Rudy and I are in the car again. 

To be funny Rudy blares my horn. 

Coincidentally right in front of a cop. 

I get pulled over.

The questioning begins of what we had been up to. 

Umm...driving? Playing catch? acting immature by laying on my horn?

No, he wants to know about going to the house. 

Ohhhh....I explain the shoe.

Tell him he can look at my shoe if he wants. There were still poop remnants on it. 

Come to find out the daughter had called in my license plate number and reported us.

Allegations including:

Taking advantage of the elderly. 

Attempted breaking and entering. 

Smoking cigarettes in front of the house. 

Im sorry.

WHAT!? 

I explain the story about cleaning poop off my shoe in depth. 

I may have even gone as far as telling him I was a law abiding citizen, that we are religious and go to church every week in an attempt to help clear our names from suspicion.

I also included that we could go back to the house and he could see all the poop that we cleaned off that would still be in the street. 

This interrogation lasted over an hour. 

Asking both Rudy and I our versions of the story.

We denied approximately ten times that we do not smoke. did not smoke. and did not have cigarettes in our possession. that we did not go inside the house. we did not even get close to the door.

We had two cop cars behind us the whole time. 

And I may have shed a bunch of tears in frustration.

I was that person that people stare at as they are driving by to figure out what is going on.

YUP. That really happened. 

Over poop. 

Lessons learned: 

dont step in dog poop. dont talk to elderly people. 

dont blare your horn to catch the attention of the Burbank Police Department when you are a wanted woman and suspects in false crime. 

i love to see the temple.

My family had a perfect Sunday evening outing to the Temple to see the Christmas lights. 

I absolutely LOVE the temple. 

And I love it even more at Christmas time. 

We even had to get all bundled up to face the cold as we walked around the temple. 

There were so many people there, which made it even better. 

Mia loved the pink lights. 

Chase loved running up and down the hill. 

And then they both just loved running around the parking lot. 

I am obsessed with the lights on the palm trees. Perfect California Christmas. 

I love to see the Temple. 

And its a perfect place to be to celebrate Christmas. 

2nd Annual Secret Santa

On Friday we had our 2nd Annual Secret Santa gift exchange. 

Our good friend Trevor, who is our resident Mr. Holly Jolly, organized our gift exchange yet again. 

We picked names two weeks ago. 

Had our first Christmas party last Friday. 

And our gift exchange this past weekend.

{BTW. I was a busy bee on Friday night before the party. Getting home. Finishing up the brownies I made. Wrapping presents, get myself together. Going to my work Christmas party. Then heading to Shy's for our party. In the hustle and bustle I didnt bring my camera. Please bear with my phone photos.}

Before our exchange, a couple of us decorated gingerbread houses. 

Trevor and Rudy decorated one and obviously were a little jealous of how amazing the gingerbread house I made with Linden, Dean and Heather. 

But lets be real, who wouldnt be jealous of that work of art? 

Dean got real into the spirit of gingerbread making, which even included eating parts of our house at the end of the night. 

We then exchanged our presents!! 

I absolutely love our Secret Santa parties and I was so incredibly happy. 

We gather round and Trevor acts as Santa. He picks one gift at a time for someone to open. We get two guesses to pick our secret present giver. If not guessed accurately the secret Santa is revealed and Trevor requires {although lets be real we are all friends and its not really required} the two to hug in the "true spirit of Christmas." 

{Christina had the most creative way to wrap Duran's present. The tape around that box was never ending!! We were dying with laughter. And I still wish Tom would have gotten Trevor a Dodger shirt instead}

{Linden opening her present and accurately guessing her secret santa Lillie! Shy opening the present I got her!}

{Lillie got lots of earrings from Valerie.}

{Now we can tell by Shy's face that she was Brady's Secret Santa. He got a gift of a skinny tie and cool socks.}

{Moments after Tom and Trevor exchanged a hug}

I seriously just loved sitting in a big circle with 20 of my most favorite friends exchanging presents in this holiday season.

 Everyone was so excited. Everyone gave such thoughtful presents to each person. 

{And surprisingly most people guessed their Secret Santa after the first try.} 

And I sat there and was so happy that I have been blessed, once again, with an amazing group of friends. Friends that were all so excited about Christmas. That all cared about everyone so much to participate in such a fun party. 

It was pretty neat. and I loved it. Like a lot. 

12 days of Christmas.

Its gotten real Christmasy around these parts. 

And im loving every minute of it. 

My first 12 days of Christmas celebrations through photos. 

{girls night out for dinner at Roscoes. Christmas shopping and tree in Pasadena.}

{decorating the house. i really love all of our Danish decorations.}

{spotting Santa and the Christmas tree at The Grove.}

{picking out a tree with Chase and decorating.}

{the first Christmas party. Institute Christmas Party}

{Running the Santa Monica Christmas Run 10k!}

{and YES. I took photos of the run while running. I couldnt help myself. I really really loved running this 10k! It was a great accomplishment, Im really proud of myself for training and for accomplishing both goals I set for myself. And who wouldnt love running along the beach?? It was beautiful.}

Lots more Christmas still to come. 

Gotta actually do some Christmas shopping.

Need to hit up Candy Cane Lane.

And Party #2 with the Crew and our Secret Santa exchange. 

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays.

'Tis the Christmas season!!
I dont know how its already December, but the Christmas season is already in full swing!

Ive been spinning Nsync, JB and Buble Christmas jams for days.
Its a frigid 60 degrees here in SoCal.
Our tree has been bought.
Decorations are almost all up.
And my Dad and I have participated in the annual lighting of the house, with minimal yelling. ha.

Linden got me into full on Christmas elf mode and are planning out all of our LA Christmas festivities.
Ill be kicking off the Christmas season with running the Santa Monica-Venice 10k Christmas Run next Saturday!

Other planned outings include:
Christmas Tree and shopping at the Grove. They make it snow every night!
Los Angeles Temple Christmas Lights.
Candy Cane Lane. best lit houses in LA!
Secret Santa and Christmas Party with the Crew.
Disneyland.
Los Posadas at Olvera Street.
And lots of Christmas movies with Cindy Lou Who.

Hopefully we can find the time to fit it all in!
Who's with me??

kids get in for free.

The Robins fam kept up our Thanksgiving day tradition alive this year. 

2nd Annual. Hollywood Park Horse Races. 

I may or may not have even ousted the Anderson fam for the holidays, {but dont worry! they joined us for dinner a few days later}so my parents and I could take in the races and maybe some friendly horse betting. 

I was just as excited to attend the races this year, as I was last Thanksgiving. 

And this year we adopted one of my favorite friends Linden as part of our family to come along with us. 

We even pretended to be 17 and 19 year old sisters so that we could get discounted tickets...is that bad?? But I loved having her as a sister for the day! And also loved that she enjoyed the races too! 

We witnessed seven races throughout the day. 

Before each race we would go down below and check out the horses. See which one we liked the best. 

Then we have to do our research and read up on each horse and how they have performed in past races. 

Or if you are Linden, pick a horse based off the jockey's name and just keep picking him each race. 

Make our pick and then before you know it, its race time! 

Such excitement comes while watching those horses run!! Its amazing and a sight to see! 

You cant help but join the crowd and yelling and cheering on your horse. 

We may or may not have placed a bet on some horses for one race. 

It was a bust. 

Linden's horse got injured and didnt even finish. And mine came in dead last. While dad's horse (which he didnt put money on) won! I guess thats our lesson in breaking commandments...

We enjoyed fabulous Thanksgiving day sandwiches while cheering on the horses.

And we even got to meet the man that sounds the trumpet before each race!

 I loved him. And he did some magic tricks for us after. 

And dont forget all the great people watching. I didnt snap as many gems as I did last year. 

loooooved all the cowboy hats.

I really love the horse races. Call me crazy, but its so much fun and I cant wait till next year! 

Although, if anyone wants to go with me before next Thanksgiving I can easily be persuaded. 

The rest of our day included having waffles for dinner and seeing Arthur Christmas with Linden and Shylettera{which technically goes against everything I stand for: doing any Christmas activities before I celebrate Thanksgiving. But since I forced my fam to celebrate turkey day later in the week, I figured we could go}

And a few days later we celebrated Thanksgiving with Laura, Matt, the kiddies and Shylettera was adopted into our family for the holidays. 

Sadly, I failed and took no photos. I was too delirious from fasting all day in preparation for the meal. 

Which was well worth it. 

and now...on to Christmas!!