The theme of 2012's Winter Formal was "Frozen in Time Square." Living in a little suberb of Phoenix,  this was 100% fine by us and us girls quickly headed down to mall to pick out our dresses, shoes, and jewelry.  Not gonna lie, I think the best place to go to find great deals on formals is the discount Dillards at Fiesta Malls, where I've gotten some gorgeous dresses for a whoppin' $12!

If you can't tell, we had fun snappin' some shots.  

The dance itself was chalk full of hot music and pumpin' beat.  We're teens, and we get to have fun.  It was a blast to hang out with friends and enjoy some time melt thoughts of work and just be young.

    How nice to celebrate the holidays with family.  Grandpa Paul and Nana Hanny swung in town from California, and we also met up with our savvy cousins from across the street.  Like tradition, we indulged in fancy meals both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, received new pajamas, and watched the little kids' reannactment of the Nativity.  Without school the next day, I saw no reason not to stay up  texting and watching Christmas music videos on YouTube, getting extra sentimental by the time it was almost one and the songs I listened to happened to be mixed with clips from Nativity movies.  

    I probably should've thought staying up late through, considering the kids were set about getting up bright and early to open presents.  

But, as always, the cookies and carrots had been devoured and we were shocked by our gifts.  I received a Yamaha electric keyboard with music books!  

The innocence, the beauty, the radiance, the love

Beloved wild

Cherished individuality

Yes.  The two, so young, so bold, so caring, so free.

To call, simply, mine.

{Isn't he cute?}

      My friends and I found a lot of time to hang out.
      The day school got out, I was chillin' at home alone while the kids ran off on their little playdates and Grandma and Grandpa {who had come in town for my cousin Megan's baptism; I totally adore these people} left with Mom to check out a sale.  Suddenly I get a call from Slade asking if I wanted to go to the state fair in twenty minutes for a date.  What?!  I mean yes, but, being in my PJ's and all, that was a short notice.  At first I said no, but then called back ten minutes later to announce that I could change my plans and go with him.  Why not?  Perhaps all I could do was rip my fingers through the knots in my hair and try to wipe away the black smudges under my eyes, but it was all good.  So off we went with another couple to meet what we soon found out to be ghetto town!  Ok, maybe I did see some girls walking around with their bras as an excuse for a top, a lot a tattoos and piercings and fun stuff, but it really was fun.   We walked around, watched the figure eight racing, and became dazzled by the colorful carnival lights and delicious aromas, and even went to the body exhibit {I had thought it would be a neat learning experience, except I walked in and all scientific wonderings fled.  Instead all I could think was, "What was this person's name?!"} To top it off, after the fair we purchased a Dominos pizza and ate beneath an umberella at Starbucks, the boys busily making paper roses for us two girls.
      By the time I got home, it was past 10.  I glanced at the clock, then at my phone, then mumbled "Shoot!"  Having left at 2 or 3, I hadn't realized it would take so long to get back.  But apparently it took an hour to drive both ways, and then everything else just happened.  Don't get me wrong- I had a blast at the fair- but now guilt swarmed in.  My cell was filled with several texts wondering where I was, because as I well knew the plan for this whole week had been to meet up at Bryan's house at seven.  And, as I realized much too late, the one explanation text I had tried to shoot earlier in the evening when Slade was busy had not gone through.  I quickly called Haley, who replied they were all still there.  So, despite her pleas that it was much too late, I dragged my mom {she hadn't left for Florida yet} out to the car so she could drive me to his house {oh the pains of not having a license yet}.  And that's just me for yah.  By the time I got there, my energy level was out the window and I was just crazy.  There were probably ten of my good friends there.  With so much excess energy I started doing backhand springs in the living room, then the splits with Karisa.  Bryan seemed pleased to see me despite my lateness, so we sang and he taught me how to play one hand of Viva la Vida while he played the other.

      On the Tuesday of the break, a bunch of us went over to the mall to walk around.  Recently we've discovered that it's quite fun to visit Dillard's to try on all the store's formals and show them to each other.  Since we usually acquire shrugs and such separately, I don't think a single one the dresses would pass for modest at that point, so we could only laugh and blush about what would happen were one of the boys to walk in the room.  One dress in particular was pretty with its short white ballerina skirt and fitted rhinestoned waistline... except the heart neckline was low and tight enough that I just about died at Karisa's look of horror when she walked out of her stall and saw me.  Now we refer to it as the "Juliet dress" and laugh every time we think about that which I most certainly would have never even considered taking a picture of.   Later people probably thought there was something... different... about us as we were screaming and hugging in the middle of a mall upon learning that two of  the people in the group were no longer fighting.  Then we drove driving over to Bryan's house for the heck of it because he hadn't been able to get out of the house beforehand.  He definitely wasn't expecting us, but we said hi and then he tagged along when we went to screw around at the park.  I then probably lost any sense of grace or innocence when I would hear things wrong or words whose meanings I had not at all meant came out of my mouth or I'd just plain be stupid {and I will never ask someone to help me with soccer defense again, because I've learned that when that person "helps" you, he will tell you to do something in the hope that you, the blonde, will be tricked into being dumb, but when he gives you this advice, you mishear horribly and then he pulls the trick and thinks you're gullible but really you are just standing in shock from what you thought he said}.  I won't dwell.  But it was pretty funny. Even when we got lost driving around town at night.
      I also found out that I'm not allowed to be buff anymore.  I can't help it!  But I guess the fortunate thing is that I failed playing defense in soccer and catching a football, so I proved that, even if I may be able to flip around and climb rockwalls and do-up-V-ups with my defined abs, I fail at anything involving a ball.
      Oh yeah, and I can't forget Mole Day for Chemistry!
      As a source of extra credit, we all met up to make shirts and cookies.  Pretty easy points if I must say so myself.
   
      Last Friday, Bryan and I auditioned to sing a duet at a fancy dinner night.  We're yet to find out if we made it, but it was a really fun experience.  We spent hours together working on the old '60's jazz song, Quando, Quando, Quando.  His tone is nice and brassy, and when our voices intertwined, the accompaniment echoing from the baby grand, I could feel my fingers tingling with excitement.  Now just cross you fingers to see if we will be performing it!
   
      Until yesterday, I was the only one in my group to be sixteen.  Kinda lame, right?  But we decided to "surprise" Chelsea by making her a breakfast for dinner.  She's had several "surprises" in her life that worn't really so, so why not continue with that streak.  Walking through her front door and shooing her into her room, we dumped our groceries on the counter, rummaged around her kitchen for some whisks and pans and such before creating a delicious brinner of chocolate chip pancakes with chocolate whipped cream, eggs, bacon, and orange juice.  She could only laugh as we handed her food in the sad shape of a face on a plate.  Then we snuck her off to Nielson's for ice cream.  Oh yeah, and I learned the hard way not to try to hop in the trunk of a car all gracefully- when you're wearing a dress.  Quite fortunately, I wore Spankies underneath, but poor Bryan about had a heart attack as he turned at just the wrong moment to see me trip over the seat.
      Chelsea had tickets to a game, so we were then dropped off at Karisa's to hang out for a while and change into costumes before going to Tesah's little Halloween party.  Half an hour after we were supposed to be there, we realized we were not gonna be catching a ride from anyone, so we walked for another hour to her house.  Honestly, I hardly have more fun than hiking around the city with my friends {and we do it often}.  We'll start singing popular pop songs, walking in a line with our arms over each other's shoulders, whispering to each other and gigglings while not allowing others to hear... Then at Tesah's, we played Mafia and the stare down game.  I've decided I am much too good and serious at that game to play it anymore... 
   
      Halloween rolls around soon, so Saturday was the ward party. 
      Nothing too fancy, but Mom was Dora the Explorer, Rachel wore her costume for her play as one of Dracula's brides, Adam was "Elder Wayne," the superhero missionary, Olivia a gnome, Eric an Angry Bird, Sophie a Pillow Pet, and then I just thickened my makeup, crimped my hair, and went '80's.
      I was pleased to have the party crashed by my amigos before going back over to my place to watch Insidious.

      Seriously, these guys can agree with me saying that I never scream during movies, but I totally did in this one.  I'm surprised that Bryan, Paige, and I didn't completely smother each other as we cuddled up super tight on just one little couch.  The others similarly snuggled with fright beneath comforting blankets throughout the entire movie.  Even after everyone left, Bryan and I stayed up late texting each other in order to take our minds off the shivers still racing up our spines.  But that's just a given- we've discovered how much we enjoy the question game, and have actually been playing it quite a lot!  Who'd ever think that I could answer such intense questions?  But we tease each other and know that the game involves 100% honesty, even when we ask each other that which we know might leave us squirming to have to answer.
      Knock on wood, but sometimes I wonder if life can just get too good...  I love it!