HAPPY CHRISTMAS

you know, i used to hate it when people said "happy christmas," but now i love it. mainly because harry potter, but that's okay. happy christmas from our dysfunctional nativity (it's the thought that counts, right?)!

"and, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them... and the angel said unto them, fear not; for, behold, i bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. for unto you is born this day in the city of david a Savior, which is Christ the Lord"

Gatlinburg

Over Christmas break my family decided to take a little trip to Gatlinburg, TN. It's this place that people go to ski and do stuff like that I think. We went with our friends the Palombo's, and it was so fun!

We stayed at this big huge hotel that had an indoor waterpark. We went there the first night, and besides almost peeing my pants on this funnel ride, it was pretty fun.

The next day we went to this place called Ober Gatlinburg. They have to make snow because, well, it doesn't snow in TN. We went to go skiing.

*disclaimer: I have never been skiing before, which normally wouldn't be a problem for normal people, but am I normal people? Of course not. I can't even walk straight, I trip at least once every time I walk somewhere, and I am the most clumsy person you are ever gonna meet. Not even joking.

Pretty much the whole time we were "skiing," I was thinking in my head, "I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die" I fell down all the time, and I'm pretty sure I got whiplash.

and falling down over and over  skiing is exhausting.

The next day we went into the Smoky Mountains. They're not anything like the ones o'er here in Utah, but they're really pretty and always foggy (hence, the Smoky Mountains....)

We went and looked out a lot of old houses and stuff. It was pretty cool. I like all that historical stuff.

I love deer. Really, I love them. I want deer artwork and deer antlers in my house. I really, really do.

they aren't very big, but they sure are pretty!

(those are mountains by the way)

shoot. I'm a good photographer.

PLEASE JUST LET ME HUG YOU

the next day we went shopping at outlet malls and go cart racing. I won, obviously.

and then one night we did this

christmas! CHRISTMASSSSS! CHRISTMASS!

oh hey, here's Christmas

but before Christmas, I turned twenty. I'm so old, look at all those candles!

Christmas Eve Eve, we had some of our cousins over and we played this extremely flattering Santa game. 

At my house, we only like to do things that will not come back to haunt us later and make us laugh a lot.

Every Christmas when I was little we would act out the Nativity Story, but as we grew up we haven't done it in a while. Well, my mom decided that it wasn't fair that my little sisters didn't get this experience because they are the youngest. 

"You're all going to dress up, I don't care how old you are!"

The Highly Dysfunctional Story of the Birth of Christ 

Starring:

Rachel as The "I'm Going to Creep in Every Picture" Angel

Benjamin as The "There's No Room For You and I Don't Really Care Cause I'm too Cool" Innkeeper

Rebekah as "I'm Really the Only One Happy to be Here" Mary

and

Ethan as "I Look Like a Thug with this Towel On My Head" Joseph 

Jared as The "(in an Italian Mafia voice) Were You Talking to Me?" Shepherd

Erica as The "Oh, There's Only the Role of King Queen Left? How Convenient!" Wiseman

Somehow I got put in charge?

sorry...blurry pic!

By the end of our skit, I think all of the kids would say this was a success, but Grandma was a little bit horrified. 

So, you're going to dress up, and I don't care how old you are! 

My dad said the only way to get out of acting out the Nativity is to bring home a husband. Oh darn.

And now for all of the extremely good looking Christmas Day pictures!

hehe cause he looks like Captain America ^

As always, full of good cheer and lots of teasing, another fantastic Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

life lately

Lately my life has just been SO EXCITING I NEVER HAVE ANY TIME TO BLOG

can you hear the sarcasm just ooozing from that?

I finally got to come home after I finished training at work

I LOVE Tennessee. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I'm pretty sure everyone around me is sick of TN because I just love it so much and talk about it all the time. 

I was so excited to come home for another Tender Tennessee Christmas because it's the only Christmas for me. 

but really. 

Anyway, what have I been up to lately???

hmmm???

Well, we kicked off my trip back home with my little sister's choir concert, and I swear I sang half of those songs when I was in chorus 10 years ago. Wow, I'm old. 

Lots of Christmas shopping!

I love Christmas!

I love shopping!

Really, I am a Christmas freak, I eat, drink, breath, sleep Christmas this time of year. I just LOVE it.

So when I came home I almost keeled over with excitement when I saw our regular holiday decorations at my house. My mother does a great job. And you have to have a real Christmas tree.

here's a funny video of a kid dancing in my mall

Anyway, I have been wrapping lots of presets, too because my mother hates it, so I get to do it. Yippee!

and then I'm carpeting a room. 

Yes, carpeting a room.

that's preettty much it, besides trying over and over again to play "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Miserables on the piano, I've almost got it!

and that is the exciting life of Erica Paine. 

merry christmas ya filthy animal

Remember A Very Horne Christmas?

Well, we're back for round 2 in this year's installment of A Very (insert a clever name here because "Building 1" doesn't really sound that great) Christmas!

We started off the night by reading Twas the Night Before Christmas with pictures

and then we read the story of the Christmas orange because Whitney had put Christmas oranges in our stockings what? we like that kind of stuff, ok?

and then we went around and opened presents 

I was first and Whitney got me the perfect present!

First, I found a Taylor Swift ornament! Talk about ultimate girl crush of all time. I love Taylor Swift, so like I said, perfect. It even plays music!

and then I got a BUNNY SWEATER! That girl \knows me too well. If it has an animal on it, I'll probably love it.

Then it was Whitney's turn. Mateja got her a...

(Whitney had a hard time unwrapping it...)

a skirt! A skirt for her mission! Whitney was so excited that she wore it all night.

Next was Kyle

and Kimberly made her a really really cute calendar/journal

Kimberly's present was from Morgie...

use those muscles Kimberly!

oh! she loves her shirt!

I gave Mateja her gift

oh look! of course she loves her earrings and shirt!

classic Mateja face

Next it was Morgie's turn!

There was a little... mishap...with the mailman, and he decided not to bring Morgan's gift in time for Christmas, so Amanda ran and got her gloves that she wanted, and she'll get the rest of her present real soon

and last but not least, Amanda's turn!

Kyle got her present

I mustache you a question!

but I'll shave it for later...

Merry Christmas ya filthy animal.

...and a happy new year.