2014 is almost over!

I can't believe how fast this year has gone.  I'm very thankful that the first six months are over.  I can't believe the last six month are gone.  Although there's still over a week left in 2014, I'm leaving tomorrow and I wanted this to be up before I left!  I've been terrible at blogging since I started at Glendale, as well as terrible at going out and doing things, but I think I'll be better when I get back.  It's my goal.

2014

January

My car died at the beginning of January.  Buying a new one by myself was so stressful, but I did it and I'm happy with it!  Now if only someone would clean the inside for me....

February

Mom came to visit for a weekend in February.  I can't ever remember what all we did.  We packed a lot in.  We saw Cody Strand in the Book of Mormon and went whale watching in Newport Beach.  Those were my highlights.

I also joined Breakthru Fitness gym in February and learned the love that is Noel's spin class.

March

Dad came to visit in March.  We saw Cody in the Book of Mormon too.  I love that show.  We also went to Graumann's Chinese Theatre and the Peterson Automotive Museum and had delicious taco truck tacos outside of the LACMA.  Oh, and the Santa Anita Racetrack!!

I went back home for spring break.  It was so nice to get away.

We recreated a "famous" picture.

I managed to surprise this girl in St. Paul.  I can't believe it worked and it was the best.

April

This is me somewhere.  I went a lot of places in April.  Disney Hall and some cemeteries mostly.

I spent Easter at the Renaissance Faire in Irwindale with Bob and Minnie.

May

In May, I went to see some friends' short film world premiere.  I feel like that's what you do in Los Angeles.

June

In June, I started taking private Spanish lessons.  I'm still terrible at it, but I love my teacher.  This is from the park near where we meet, almost every week.  I went super early the day I met her and I was so nervous.

July

July was possibly my favorite month.  I decided to quit my job in Monrovia and I was mostly freaking out that I didn't have a job for the fall yet, but I survived.  Michelle came to visit and we went to the Rose Bowl for fireworks and took a surfing lesson.

I did a meetup for an archery lesson.  That was pretty cool.  I also spent a lot of July at the gym, taking Noel's spin class four days a week because I love it.

August

August was insane!!  I interviewed and got a job in Glendale about a week before school started.  This was my classroom the Friday before we had kids on Monday.  On Monday, it didn't look that much different.  Thankfully, I have AMAZING Behavior Intervention Assistants.  Seriously AMAZING and they have made all the difference in the world.  

The first weekend after school started, I went back to SoDak to be part of Jen's wedding.  I will never forget it.  It was beautiful and magical and everything a wedding should be.  I don't think I'll ever be so lucky to be part of such a special day again.  

September

It was busy with school, but I managed to see a few things around.

Giant duck in San Pedro

Nutella truck on a ridiculously hot day

Lil Bub at the cat show!!

October

Rise of the Jack-o-lanterns.  Not as cool as I wanted it to be.  The dinosaurs were awesome.  Otherwise, it was just faces.  Eh.

Beverly Hills Art Show

Halloween in West Hollywood is an experience.  I don't think I really need to experience it again.

November

Mostly busy with school and a test I had to take for my teaching license.  I went home for Thanksgiving, which was great because I got to meet Chelsea's baby Molly (pictured) and Bob and Allison's baby Adrienne.  I also went back to Bellevue and saw people I hadn't seen since I moved.

December

Zoo lights at the LA zoo was pretty cool.  It can be really hard to get into the Christmas spirit here because I associate Christmas with cold and it's really not here.  

The only picture I have with him from this semester.  I'm a little impressed he actually let me take this one.  Nope, still not dating.  Just friends.  I'm just using him for his East LA tacos.

Grand Park Christmas decorations

I was wandering around downtown last night, on the phone with my mom.  I looked over and saw this sky.  It reminded me how much I like it here and feel like I belong.

It's been quite a year.  I've only included some of the highlights, but there have definitely been ups and downs because that's life.  This year, I'm actually excited to see what next year will bring.  Merry Christmas!

Thanksgiving

I am tired.  I spent all last week tired too.  I was in South Dakota.  It was so great to see so many people, but it was exhausting.  I laid on my couch pretty much all of yesterday and probably will today too.  It's cold, cloudy, and rainy today, which is so nice.  I feel like I should go somewhere and do something and then I think no.  Laundry and doing nothing wins today.

Not a lot

Updating my blog has been on my to do list for what seems like ages, but I really don't know what to write.  I've been doing stuff sort of, but not really.  I've been doing school stuff, Spanish stuff, and Netflix.  The weekends, all I want to do is stay home and not go anywhere.  I think I've gotten into the just living in California.  It's nice, but kind of sad.  I know there's a lot to do here still, but now it takes more research.  I'm lazy.  Even now, I'm trying to remember what I've done in the last month, but I can't really.  I went to West Hollywood for Halloween.  I saw the Rise of the Jackolanterns at Descanso Gardens. Um....that's all I got off the top of my head other than binge watching the first season of the Blacklist on Netflix.

I took a step in getting my California English Language Learner Authorization or whatever it's called.  I took a three part test...each part had two sections--multiple choice and essay.  I feel confident about none of it.  All my fault as I didn't really didn't study for it.  I'm making up for it by binge watching Grey's and possibly doing a little work.  Yeah, my life is so exciting.  I might actually take a nap. That sounds awesome.

I'm going home for Thanksgiving.  I'm mostly excited, but a little sad to not be in LA.  It's weird.  I have no idea what I would do here, but I still kind of wish I was staying.

Being lazy and hot

I'm not even sure what I've been doing lately.  Working and binging on Netflix mostly.  Lately, it's been Once Upon a Time.  I finished it, but then have started it over.  It's been infinity degrees so I haven't spent a lot of time going places.  I've also been really poor and gas costs money.  Flako's back in town for the semester, so there's that.  I don't see him very often.  Spanish is going ok.  It would be going a lot better if I actually did my homework and tried a little harder.  She told me today "what do you want to do for homework because you're not going to do whatever I give you."  Pretty true....I do some of it, but rarely all of it.  Must get better.  I'm spending a lot of money for it.

I'm trying to think of some fun things I've done since school started.
*Nutella truck--free samples!  But that was about it.  I was hoping they sold crepes or something but it was just samples.
*LA Feline Film Festival--I thought it was not as outrageous and silly as I expected until I realized that I watched an interview with a cat.  Yeah, I did that.
*Forest Lawn in Glendale--it was HUGE.  Gorgeous but huge.  I need to do a little better at researching where I want to go for that one.  It was too big, but I did see Elizabeth Taylor's memorial, Gracie Allen and George Burns, and Walt Disney.  Walt Disney was the one I really wanted to find.  They have all kinds of Michaelangelo statues around.

I don't really have plans for the next while.  I guess I need to get my bike together--I haven't ridden it since December--because CicLAVia is next weekend.  It's a car-free event and I want to go.

Jen's wedding

I was in Jen's wedding on August 16.  I still don't really have words for how awesome it was.

Pretending to listen to Steve at the rehearsal

Instead of bridesmaid bouquets, Jen had everyone pick an object that symbolizes our friendship.  My word was "Home."  She made everyone explain it at the rehearsal dinner.  I cried.  Through the ENTIRE thing I was trying to say.

Sunset at the Luke farm on Friday night.  Gorgeous.

Bridal party hung at the Dickensons the night before the wedding.

Before getting hair done

Deciding that it was good.

Jen did Terry's hair.

And then Anne's

Sandy cried when she saw Jen's bouquet at the florist.

South Dakota is flat.

Micah's cousin did Jen's makeup.

I got Cindy to do mine.

Opening champagne for mimosas.

The back of my hair

Amanda's birds.  There's a story of Jen flipping out and Amanda breaking tension by saying she was worried about having flowers in her hair because the birds might nest in it.  Jen gave Robin and Amanda birds to nest in their hair.

Tightening the dress.  Jen said that her only wedding advice is to get a corset back in the dress.

View from the "Bridal Suite"

Mimosas before the wedding

It's disgusting how pretty she is on a normal day.  Then on her wedding day?  Gross.

Jen and Micah wrote letters to each other and filmed reading them outloud.

"This is my Custer photo.  Imagine me in sepia tones."

We were watching out the windows, looking at guests.  This picture is actually restaged.  The first ones I took without her knowing were ok, but the lighting wasn't very good and Jen didn't like how her chin looked.

My item is the red box because Vermillion is red and the Dickenson house is red.  Inside is a South Dakota necklace with Vermillion marked with a heart.  Jen said she had been looking on Etsy for this exact necklace.

Ross's speech

Jen during Ross's speech.

Robin and I greatly enjoyed our rhubarb margaritas.  I don't like rhubarb that much but these were amazing.

It was beautiful.

I can't believe how much he's grown up.

Micah does this Arts challenge thingy.  They had a half hour to make art.

I love this picture.

We decorated their car.

Final art

Love it

Someone surprised them with fireworks.

The little boys had meltdowns as we were trying to get them all in the picture.  They both stomped off so we took it without them.

Workmans and I left around 11:30.  I loved my dress but it was hard to breathe when sitting down.  I was quite happy to be wearing comfy clothes.

Bride and Bridesmaid selfie from before the wedding

Sarah was in Sioux Falls the same weekend, so she came to chat at Deb's for a little bit on Sunday.

I got to see Chelsea, Dane, and Luke for a little bit.  Chelsea made me lemon zucchini bread and Luke avoided me for most of the afternoon,

I bribed him into liking me by taking pictures.

Crazy short weekend.  It's always too short.  Even though I love California, I miss home.

Sunset on the plane.