It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Finals week is over!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and I am home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(not that I'm really excited about either of those things...)
The rest of finals week was a nightmare a breeze. On Wednesday I really buckled down and studied for New Testament then went and took it. New Testament exam = success. Test #5 = terminated. Thursday was a great day on account of the fact that I no longer had any tests hanging over my head. I finally made it over to the gym (I told myself I was going to go everyday during finals week...yeah, totally didn't happen) so it felt really awesome to go. Even though all my tests were done, I still had a paper left, so I figured that I had better write it. 2 hours later = paper done. With everything finals related out of the way (and my GPA safely intact), I finally had time to head over to the bookstore and get some presents for the familia. On my way home, I stopped at the creamery to get my celebratory, finals-are-over scoop of BYU creamery ice cream.

{caramel cashew and coconut joy}
[I demolished it. just like my finals]

For dinner that night I walked down to Bahaar's apartment and Jacob made us some yummy Italian food.

{Bahaar, Jacob, me}

Friday morning I got up and went to the MTC TRC where I got to see my favorite sister missionaries before Christmas! Then was our Christmas staff brunch/party! I absolutely love the fabulous people that I work with. The other RAs in my building are amazing and my boss is awesome. For breakfast I made a batch of cream cheese filled pumpkin muffins and then Becca, my boss, made the most delicious fluffy pancakes with buttermilk syrup. They were so yummy I just couldn't get enough of them. Luckily, she gave me a recipe so I can make them for my family during the break :) Break was finally coming! I got my textbooks for next semester (most of them used! score!), cleaned my room, and said good-byes. My cousin Richard was kind enough to pick me up and take me to the airport. Unfortunately we decided to leave at the same time that the BYU men's basketball game got out...so much traffic. It took us 45 minutes...just to get out of Provo. We were running quite late and I wasn't sure if I was going to make my flight, but, magically, security was practically deserted so I sailed through there and got to my gate with a few minutes to spare. whew.

{cloud-filled Salt Lake valley}

My plane ride was mercifully short and soon enough I was with my family, on my way home for two glorious weeks :) Sunday was a great day at church. I got to hold a baby, which isn't something that you really do in a young single adult ward :P I forgot how much I like babies and small children. Then Sunday night we decorated our Christmas tree and watched "It's a Wonderful Life."

{our Christmas tree!}

{the mantle with our stockings :)}

Monday was a good but, to be perfectly honest, I do not remember what I did. I know, sad. Tuesday was a  busy day with my mom :) I liked getting to spend so much time with her. We went to a brunch and then to target and such to do some shopping. Then that night was the little bro's choir concert. Today was a good day. I meant to get up at some reasonable hour and exercise, but suddenly it was 9:30 instead of 7 and I just couldn't reasonably take the time to exercise anymore (at least, that's what I told myself... :P) I just had too much else to do... Anyway, so by the time I did actually get up, I didn't do a whole lot of anything until I treated my parents to a special homemade lunch by none other than...myself. I made some delicious grilled cheese sandwiches with italian bread (fresh from the bakery), fresh mozzarella cheese, roma tomatoes, and some traditional basil pesto.  Just assemble, put a little olive oil in the pan, and cook those suckers until  they're a toasty brown. So yummy. Definitely a repeat recipe.

{mmm}

Today was a momentous occasion in my life as a baker. I finally made up and baked my very own recipe. We had some very ripe bananas and I wanted to make some banana chocolate-chip muffins but I couldn't find a recipe that I liked. I thought "what the heck, I'll just make my own". so I did. And they turned out pretty darn well (good enough that I ate like three of them :P). The best part is that there's no oil or butter in them, not a drop. So they could almost be considered breakfast and not dessert :P

I was rather proud of myself at how well these turned out. 

Since Christmas is approaching, I found another quote to provide some food for thought:

"What will you and I give for Christmas this year? Let us in our lives give to our Lord and Savior the gift of gratitude by living His teachings and following in His footsteps."

                                 -President Thomas S. Monson

Christ was the first gift of Christmas. The ultimate Christmas gift. Shouldn't we give what ever we can in return for the gift of our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. So little is asked of us. What will you give for Christmas this year?

I realized that the new year is just around the corner, so I've started to formulate my goals for the new year and review the ones that I had for this year. Stay posted for that post. It's gonna be a good one :P

{my cuddle buddy :)}
[oh how I miss my dear puppy when I'm away :(]