ATTENTION: TOMS fans...

If you are a fan of TOMS shoes...

You may have heard that TOMS is coming out with ballet flats.

You may be saying...

"WHAT?! NO WAY!? THAT IS AWESOME!!

I WANT TO GET ME A PAIR OF THOSE!!"

Well...good news. You can!

Starting February 1.

Neat, huh?

So treat yourself and get a pair. (or two)

When I was little....

I loved to watch cartoons.

I always thought....

"HEY! I can cut the t.v. open and become one of them."

I was always dying to.

And later I found out....

they are real people and that's not exactly how it works.

My hopes and dreams were crushed.

Beauty.

I walked out of my apartment today to this beautiful view.

We're cute.

Because i think we are so cute.

When Life Gets Crazy.

I know that since I got engaged I kinda disappeared.

Well here is why....

1. Wedding planning.

2. Moved apartments

(now closer to school, work, and Blake)

3. Started the Elementary Education program.

(7 classes and lots of work)

4. Work

(4 shifts a week)

And with all of that going on, I HAVE to find time for myself and to spend with Blake.

Things are so crazy busy right now.

And they will be like this for the next 4 1/2 months.

BUT, I am not complaining....

I AM GETTING MARRIED!!

Anyway, I am in my first semester of the ELED program.

I finished my first week and I LOVE IT!!

3 hours of school, 5 days a week.

There is a lot to do, and I am going to be busy.

I cannot wait to get out in classrooms and teach.

Work is keeping me way busy.

I work 4 shifts a week...which brings me to about 18 hours a week.

Yeah.....

I love the wedding planning....

well most of it.

My mother is AMAZING!!

She is helping me stay on track.

I guess she knows what she is doing when she has

3 daughters get married all within a years time.

I just keep telling myself....

When life gets crazy, just keep going.

Merry Christmas.....

...to me.

I had the best Christmas.

Let me tell you about it.

Blake and I arrived on Tuesday evening.

Everyday has been just a relaxed kind of day.

Wednesday we went to dinner with all of my family.

Thursday evening my family took our annual trip down

to Balboa to look at the lights.

And then Friday.....Oh Friday.

That was the start of a wonderful Christmas weekend.

Blake asked me out on a date for Friday night.

He acted like he didn't have anything planned for the evening.

But, little did i know....he did.

So we went to dinner at Roman Cucina in Sunset Beach.

After dinner we went down to Naples in Seal Beach

to walk around and look at the lights.

When we got down there we sat in the car and opened our gifts for each other.

I got him a nice black v-neck sweater to wear over dress shirts.

He got me a nice big black purse.

(I seriously love it).

He told me there was more inside,

so I opened it and pulled out a pair of socks and a shirt.

Loved them.

And then he told me there was one more thing inside.

So I opened it back up and pulled out a Zales box.

Opened that up and it was this gorgeous ring.

And so he put it on me but told me we weren't engaged yet.

We got out to walk around and walked to this giant fountain.

He got down on one knee and asked me to marry him.

And without any hesitation, I said YES!!

There isn't anyone I would want to spend the rest of my life and eternity with.

I am seriously one lucky girl to have such an amazing man like Blake.

He treats me so well.

I can hardly wait to marry him.

Aren't we so cute?

Alright, so Saturday we made our big debut to my family and then his.

Everyone was so excited, as we are too.

Christmas Eve we went over to my Aunts house for dinner #1

and then we went to Blake's grandmas house for dinner #2.

We had so much fun at both places.

I am happy Blake will be a part of my family and that I will be a part of his.

We both have such wonderful families.

Christmas was wonderful as well.

My family had breakfast in the morning.

Traditional Kendrick Cinnamon Rolls.

And then we opened gifts.

Later we went to church.

And then had my family over for dinner.

Later that evening Blake and I went over to some of his families house.

I had such a wonderful Christmas.

The most important part though,

Remembering our Savior.

How blessed we are that he was sent down to Earth.

This Christmas season is all about remembering Him.

I love my Savior.

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas as well.

<3

Finals are done.

The week is almost over.

You know what that means?

Almost time to go HOME!

I have 3 shifts of work left.

Then we are leaving for home on Tuesday morning.

CHRISTMAS time!!

Let the party begin :)