i can't stop smiling

i am definitely one of the happiest people in the world right now. i've been able to come home to plymouth, minnesota, sleep in my own bed, see my family and friends, my pup rufio, eat way too much food, and just relax. 

let me just start with arriving home. i got home not this past thursday, but the thursday before in the afternoon. the plane ride was great, it felt super short, i sat next to this super cute lady from south carolina who was a hoot, and slept the whole time. i got off the plane, had two giant suitcases, one filled with my clothes and the other with a bunch of maura's stuff, saw my mom and the smiles didn't stop from that point on. i went to the armstrong winter choir concert that night with teresa and dub-face and i just beamed the whole time. it was so good to be back with my friends from choir. i was able to go to lunch with trump, our choir director, the next day and as usual i gained a lot of insight into my life and what i need to be thinking about concerning school and relationships and life in general. love her.

i went to a chamber gig on saturday and got to see ZACH ENQUIST for the first time in four months. zach is muh bff and as soon as i saw him i was up in his arms and was not planning on letting go. we obviously practiced our lifts even though lynn and ed (his parentals) told him because of a shoulder injury, perhaps he shouldn't be lifting things...like eleanor. my b.

the next couple of days were filled with seeing every possible friend that i could, trying my best to divide my time evenly between family and friends. i went caroling the other night with some old chambers around jonny's neighborhood in golden valley and it was so good to be singing our old christmas songs again with the people i sing with best. then we went and sang at trump's house, and brought her almost to tears because class of 2010 is the best there ever was. 

i went shopping with maura and my mom a couple of times and i got soooooooo bored because they seriously took about 45 minutes to choose between two suitcases for maura's mission. so i decided to take some funny videos of mom on her new fancy phone, sing the christmas songs in the store extra loud and obnoxious, and try on a 3XL fur coat to show maura what she'll need to survive in russia. i look fab, i know.

we also saw this little beauty walking around the store. check out that leather/fur combo

for papa ji's birfday we went to pf changs. ohhhhmyygoodnesssss. delicious. i think that's all that needs to be said, except for the fact that since then, i have not stopped eating. i am surprised at how much of an appetite i have gained back being at home. at college you don't feel like you need to eat a ton because you don't just have a plethora of food around you at all times. whereas at home, i just can't turn any of it down so it looks like i'll be needing to hit the gym this semester after being home for only two weeks. 

christmas eve we had the flake family over for dinner as we do every year, which i always love. i love catching up with their family and seeing what new and fun things they're up to, since i think they lead very creative lives. we loved making fun of this hand model lady the entire night and christmas morning we took a hand model pic on the stairs. tradition from now on probably. 

christmas eve, the sibs and i decided to have a sleepover in caroliney's room, so we moved two mattresses in to be on the floor, so i slept on the crack between quinn and maura. we watched mighty ducks, which is such a classic and i haven't seen it for forever. we awoke in the morning, opened presents, and i'm grateful this year that it didn't feel so much like a "want-fest". there wasn't an overwhelming amount of presents, it was what everyone wanted/needed but not this huge pile of presents taking up the room. it helped me focus a little more on what christmas is really about, how i really don't need a whole lot anyway and just to be grateful for what i do have. 

i just want to give a shout-out to my main man rufio as well. i honestly think we have one of the strangest dogs, but i love his personality. he's found a new way to sit since i've been away at college and it's not very modest...but he seems to like it.